How to Contact Lisa Sanders

Co-authored by Lisa Sanders, MD, FACP

Last Updated: June 3, 2021

Dr. Lisa Sanders is a physician and Associate Professor of Medicine at Yale School of Medicine. An accomplished doctor, Dr. Sanders also writes the popular Diagnosis column for the New York Times Magazine, where she discusses intriguing medical cases. In fact, her column is actually the inspiration for the television show House MD. Unfortunately, Dr. Sanders’ team gets a lot of calls and requests each day, so you may not be able to schedule an appointment with her very quickly. Don’t worry—if you’re trying to get some chronic symptoms diagnosed, there are a lot of different options you can consider.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

How do I get in contact with Dr. Sanders’ office?

1
Call your primary care physician if you don’t live in Dr. Sanders’ immediate service area. Dr. Sanders' office gets a lot of calls from many different patients, and unfortunately her office may not be able to respond to you unless you live in her immediate service area, which is New Haven, Connecticut. Because of this, you should talk to your regular doctor for help and see if they can diagnose and address your problem.
- If you don’t have a primary care physician, look for one in your area.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Can I contact Dr. Sanders directly if I need a subspecialist?

1
You should work with your local primary care doctor. It's best to talk to your usual local doctor so they can make a plan for your specific medical questions. If you try to go straight to a new specialist, a lot of your personal data, like your medical history, can get lost in the shuffle.
- It’s also important that you're working with a doctor near you. That way, if you run into any issues, you can get help and guidance as soon as possible.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

How do I see a specialist if I can’t see my primary doctor?

1
Reach out to an internist in your area first. Internists specialize in internal medicine, and may be able to figure out what the problem is. If the internist can’t pinpoint the problem, they can recommend a certain specialist.
- An internist will have special insights into some good specialists you can visit.
2
Bring a note from your internist when you visit the specialist. At your appointment, your internist will write down your medical history, along with all of the exams and studies they completed during your appointment. They’ll also include their personal thought processes, which may help give your new specialist some background and context.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

What do I do after I see an internist?

1
Visit physicians associated with an academic medical center. If you live near a university or medical school, look for the medical center attributed to that school. Doctors at academic medical centers often have the most up-to-date knowledge of different diagnoses.
2
Schedule appointments with specialists who are skilled in certain treatments. If your diagnosis requires specialized treatment or surgery, it’s definitely worth traveling to a doctor or surgeon who has a little more experience. However, don’t go from doctor to doctor to get a second opinion—this isn’t an efficient or effective way to figure out what’s going on.