Who picks the doctors?
The doctors in this feature were selected by Professional Research Services (PRS), a firm based in Troy, Michigan, which conducted an online survey of all licensed physicians in the metro Atlanta area. Physicians were asked to nominate fellow physicians whom they deemed to be the best in their fields of practice. More than 10,000 votes were cast, honoring excellence in all fields of medicine. Physicians may appear in multiple specialties. For additional information, visit prscom.com.

If my doctor is not on the list or has dropped off the list since last year, does that mean my doctor is not a good physician?
Of course not. Although peer review is a helpful way to assess a doctor’s skill set, it is certainly not the only way. Some physicians, especially those in academic medicine, have higher public profiles and may be more likely to be chosen. Our list is limited by space, and many excellent physicians narrowly miss being included from year to year.

Do you check out the doctors who are nominated?
Yes. For all nominated physicians, PRS verifies their licensure and looks for any infractions noted through applicable boards, agencies, and rating services. They also reach out to every practice to verify names, addresses, phone numbers, and other information provided.

Is this the same list as last year?
There is always some turnover on our annual list. Certainly, many of the best-known and most well-established physicians appear every year because more colleagues are familiar with their work. However, that also means physicians have been observing their positive outcomes for longer periods of time.

Did you verify doctors’ “from the practice” answers?
No. This was an open-ended question, allowing doctors to share their own messages about special expertise, unique procedures, or patient-care procedures that make their practices unique.

Does advertising affect who is included on the list?
Absolutely not. Whether or not a physician advertises with Atlanta magazine has no influence on their inclusion in this issue. In fact, the list is finalized before any ad space is offered for sale.

Why not ask patients to rank doctors?
Our list is based on professional assessment of medical expertise. While patients can judge doctors’ communication and caregiving skills, they generally cannot judge clinical effectiveness.

Do doctors practice only at the hospitals listed here?
No. We ask doctors to provide up to three primary hospitals, which are listed in alphabetical order. Physicians often have privileges at more than three hospitals.