Questions and Answers

There are NO Lyme treating health care professionals listed on this site

If they aren't already accessible by way of a simple Google search.

1. Some Lyme doctors have been targeted by medical boards- so is providing this list online a safe thing to do?

All of the health care professionals listed here (about 400 of 1,000 originally screened and then some) have already put themselves "out there" online. Anyone seeking a doctor on this list can find them by doing a simple Google search (type in Lyme doctor & State's name) the same way anyone wanting to target them could do.

Some of the doctor referral lists are already online, having been posted by groups and people in various locations. Example, click here.

As we all know times have changed as the technology advances. The majority of Lyme treating doctors now have their own websites, blogs and/or face book accounts that advertise them and/or what they do.

Some have published books, scientific articles, contributed to magazine or newspaper articles and have been involved with other publications. Bless them all!

Some have been interviewed on radio and television and some have recordings on YouTube. Brave souls they are; keep up the good work!

Some have testified at hearings about Lyme issues (those recordings are posted online). Some have presented Lyme related talks/programs for meetings and conferences. That information is easily accessible online.

Please keep in mind, many of the doctor's names are already on Lyme Disease Association, LymeDisease.org and ILADS websites, as well as many state's websites.

You can't educate others if you are hiding at the bottom of a pickle barrel. Those who have targeted Lyme treating doctors in the past, like some members of the IDSA and other like-minded sorry toads, already know who is treating Lyme disease outside the restrictive and outdated medical guidelines. This is not news to them.

Well-known Lyme treating doctors, even those who are currently or have been under attack in the past, have publicly admitted insurers are the typically the ones behind the majority of the medical board actions.

The insurance industry flags patient charts and and they watch disease trends. They also search through incoming paperwork to find doctors who are costing them too much so they can mount an attack against them.

The CDC (Ben Beard) and state health departments have been involved in reporting at least one doctor for action based on information from official Reporting Forms that doctors are required to submit when they diagnose a case of Lyme disease.

Talk about low, slimy and abuse of power- good grief. Many studies by CDC/IDSA etc. have been using patient charts for determining trends and numbers of cases (all in the name of "science"), so your own personal chart may have outed your doctor.

Some information used to target doctors is gleaned from diagnostic labs reports since labs are required to report Lyme cases to government officials. In other words, any doctor who suspects Lyme disease and orders a Lyme test sets themselves up. Sad, but true.

Some doctors are reported by their own patients when things don't go as expected. Some are reported by relatives of their patients, as in the case of Dr. Charles R. Jones of CT when a disgruntled father filed a complaint to avoid paying for his children's medical care. These legal cases are published online for anyone to see.

Then there are the 'everyday' doctors in or around communities where an experienced Lyme treating doctor also practices. These doctors often see a reduction in their business because they developed a bad reputation for not properly diagnosing and treating Lyme patients.

They become angry or jealous of Lyme treating doctors and as a result they report the competition in an attempt to cause them problems with medical boards, cause financial and legal problems and/or they report them with the intent to shut them down completely.

Health department employees have gleefully been known to join in the attacks.

For those reasons and more, NO health care professionals are listed on this site if they aren't already easily accessible on the internet for anyone to find by doing a simple Google search.

ALL of the comments about this site from health care professionals have been positive, with many who were not on the list requesting to be added on while offering their own contact information and sometimes contact information for their friends in other areas.

If at any time someone decides they want to be removed from this list all they have to do is ask. No one has been removed because they've asked to be, including those who were contacted in advance of the site going online, or since.

2. I have a good Lyme doctor, but she is not listed. Can you tell me why? Is it because someone doesn't like her?

If someone wasn't in the original group being considered, or was unintentionally overlooked due to the large number of names, or was not found online once a search under that name was completed, that person will not be on the list.

Additionally, names on the list were placed alphabetically to not show any preferences. The final list you see on these pages, for example, has people on it that I wouldn't personally recommend, but some patients do have success with those providers so they are included.

No health care professionals who are already "out there" online were omitted for any personal bias or hidden reasons. They certainly can still be added if they wish to be. They just need to let us know.

3. I saw a name listed, but the doctor doesn't treat Lyme with antibiotics. They only address some of the symptoms. Should they be listed?

In some areas it is almost (if not totally) impossible to find health care professionals who treat Lyme patients, and many admit they know nothing about it (and often, sadly, aren't willing to learn).

If there is a chiropractor, for example, who is "Lyme-friendly" and willing to help patients reduce pain, assist with their dietary needs, reduce the effects of a herxheimer reaction, address muscle and joint issues, and assist patients in many other ways they may be included on the list.

In fact, many Lyme patients rely on chiropractors for various types of treatments and they often play a vital role in the recovery process.

Some Lyme patients also have issues with mold, are dealing with damaged immune systems, require special dental procedures, require psychiatric care, have allergies to medications, etc. which all may require a team approach for treatment.

Those specialty doctors may also be listed to help patients find someone in their area who is known to be "Lyme friendly" and who at the least understands the basics.

Please be sure to read the information provided at the top of each State page that says:

"Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement or recommendation of any of the health care professionals. Please call the office for up-to-date information on hours, prices, treatment protocol information and insurance."

4. Are only ILADS doctors on the list?

No. There are doctors on the list who are current members of ILADS, but some of the health care professionals listed are no longer members; some never joined for a variety of reasons.

Being an ILADS member is not a requirement for becoming a good Lyme treating health care provider. And an ILADS member, just because he or she is a member, is not always someone you would chose to treat you or your family.

5. Can I submit the name of my doctor for the list?

So sorry, no you can't. Only the actual health care provider can submit their name and contact information for consideration and/or ask to have their name removed. Information about that process can be found here.

We certainly encourage more professionals to request to be added to the list. We have added approximately 100 new names since the site opened.

UPDATE- May 2017- No doctors names have been removed per their request (some have unfortunately, retired or are now deceased). Approximately 200 new names have been added to the site since it came online in May 2016, with requests coming directly from the doctors. Over 50,000 people have used this site to assist in their search to find a health care professional.

We've only received one complaint to date. It was from a patient who did not want doctors names to be listed publicly in the event they could become a target. Over the past year we've only heard of three doctors having problems with medical boards. None of their names were listed on this site when they were targeted.

UPDATE- December 2017- Over 77,500 times people have come to this site to locate a health care professional (since May 2016).

If you have questions or concerns not addressed above please feel free to email Lucy Barnes by clicking here. Thank you! Hope you find this site useful and most of all, I sincerely hope and pray you are feeling better soon!

DISCLAIMER: LymeDoc.org is providing lists with names and basic contact information for a variety of health care professionals who treat Lyme disease to help those seeking medical care and because of the growing need for access to this type of free service.

We do not judge or evaluate the professional competence or qualifications of health care providers on the lists and we do not endorse any of the providers or quality of care you may or may not receive. We do not make any specific recommendations. We simply provide a basic list in an effort to help you during your research.

Our list contains names of health care professionals who often follow more flexible diagnostic and treatment approaches and protocols than advocated by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA).

As many know, there is more than one approach when it comes to diagnosing and treating Lyme and tick borne disease patients- the right way and the IDSA way. The final selection of any health care provider should be made by you and your family only after careful consideration and research.

LymeDoc.org is not responsible for any incorrect information on this site. We can not reply to any requests for our opinions, share a provider's treatment methods, or comment on how professionals practice medicine. If you have questions concerning diagnosis, treatment, insurance, specific protocols, office locations, etc. please contact the providers directly.

LymeDoc.org does not receive any monetary or other benefits from anyone to be included on this list.