A hepatologist specializes in treating liver disease. A gastroenterologist (digestive disease specialist). A hepatologist is far more likely to be on top of the latest information concerning treatment of hepatitis C.
How Do I find a good medical care for Hepatitis?
It is very important to find a health practitioner who is familiar with this illness. The symptoms of Hepatitis can be mimicked by other illnesses (autoimmune illnesses, cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome lupus, arthritis, etc.), and if you in fact have another illness that is not properly diagnosed, you may be losing out on getting treatments that might be effective for you.
It is still an uphill struggle to find a doctor who is experienced in diagnosing and treating
hepatitis C. Hepatologists specialize in diseases of the liver, and would be your best choice in
physicians, followed by a gastroenterologist (a digestive disease specialist) or an infectious
disease specialist. If there is a hepatitis support group nearby, they would be an excellent
source of advice in identifying local doctors who may be familiar with hepatitis, or you
can contact the American Liver Foundation (ALF), The HEP project in Seattle, the Hepatitis C
Support Project in San Francisco, HepCBC in Victoria, British Columbia, or a host of other hepatitis C organizations for a list of doctors near you.
(See our Support Groups Page) 

A specialist is a doctor who concentrates on a specific body system, age group or disorder. After obtaining a Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) degree, a doctor planning to specialize trains for an additional three to seven years. This additional training is called residency and the doctor is known in the hospital as a resident.
Board Certification
A doctor who has completed extra training in his or her field often chooses to become a board-certified specialist. Board certification establishes a minimum benchmark. Although it does not guarantee professional excellence, board certification means the medical specialist has successfully completed an approved educational program and has passed an examination designed to assess his/her ability in the specialty area.
Many specialists take one or more years of additional training (fellowship) in a specific area of their specialty (subspecialty). For example, cardiology is a subspecialty in the field of internal medicine.
Questions to Ask Your Primary Care Physician Before You See a Specialist
   Why do I have to see a specialist? Ask your doctor to give you a clear and understandable diagnostic picture of your condition. Visiting a specialist should not be undertaken routinely. (with hepatitis a  gastroenterologist or hepatologist is a must)
  Why do I need this type of specialist? You need to know about the specialist's areas of expertise and what is involved with the performance of that specialty. This information can help you decide whether or not you want to see the doctor. And that IS an option. You do not have to accept the referral if you are not convinced consultation with a specialist is needed.
..Why should I see this particular specialist? Although it is fine for physicians to refer patients to other doctors who are also their friends, it is important to feel confident that competence is the basic reason for the referral. Do not be afraid to ask your doctor to recommend two or three board-certified specialists. If you are in a managed care program and are not satisfied with the list of specialists available, call Member Services at your health plan (their toll-free telephone number can be found on your insurance ID card) for help in locating another specialist. New doctors constantly are being added to their provider list.
What will more tests tell you about my condition? This is a key question. By answering it, your primary care physician is letting you in on the process-diagnosis, prognosis and the reason for further testing.
Will the procedure be painful? Is it dangerous? Do not hesitate to ask these questions. If a test procedure is suggested, ask if the test might cause more pain (or lead to complications more dangerous) than the condition itself. Remember you can refuse additional tests suggested by the specialist.
Choosing a Specialist
Step 1: Assess your needs
Your choice of a specialist should be made in part by the excellence of the physician and in part by your needs. Here are some questions to help clarify those needs:
Do you have a chronic disease to manage, in addition to the problem for which you are consulting the specialist? If so, you might want to choose a specialist with expertise in that area.
Do you have a family history of certain disease(s) or risk factors? Again, you might want to choose a specialist with the relevant expertise.
Do you prefer a male or female physician?
Is the age of your doctor a factor?
Will the specialist you choose be caring for other members of your family?
Is it important that the specialist and his or her staff speak a language other than English? If so, Member Services at your health plan can help you locate doctors who can help.
Comparing your needs to the available pool of physicians can help narrow down your choices.
Step 2: Get recommendations
If your condition permits, do research:
Call your health insurance company for a list of specialists who participate in your plan. Many insurance plans require that you see an "in-network" provider to qualify for benefits.
Many people find their doctors through word of mouth. Ask friends, family members, neighbors and business associates for recommendations. Speak with other patients who have visited the specialist, if possible.
Use your primary care physician as a source of referral.
State and local medical societies often operate referral services. These services refer only to their member physicians. They do not comment on the abilities of referred physicians other than to note board certification.
Check with the human resources department of your company to see if they use certain specialists in disability cases.
Some senior centers have lists of doctors either affiliated with or recommended by the center. Consult the residents as additional sources of information.
Once you have compiled a list of potential physicians, determine which ones are convenient to you and seem to meet your needs.
Step 3: Call the doctors' offices
Once you have a list of specialists, call their offices and speak with the office managers. Explain you are considering the doctor as your specialist and have a few questions including:
Is the doctor still participating in your health insurance plan?
Is the doctor accepting new patients?
What are the office hours?
What is the doctor's policy on walk-in visits, telephone consults and after-hours care?
How long do patients generally wait before being seen?
How do I reach the doctor in case of emergency?
Can I speak to the doctor directly, if I need to?
Does the doctor accept Medicare or Medicaid patients?
What is the doctor's policy regarding prescribing medications over the telephone?
You do not need to ask all of the above questions. Pick and choose those most important to you and add others as you think of them. The important thing is to begin gathering the information you need to make your decision.
Step 4: Check the qualifications of the doctors on your list
You can check qualifications by contacting the American Board of Medical Specialists (ABMS) at 1-800-776-2378. Or visit the "Links" section below to access the ABMS Web site. The ABMS also can help you find other specialists, if you decide against the one suggested by your primary care physician.
Call your state medical licensing board and request information on any past or pending complaints or disciplinary actions. Your county clerk's office can tell you if any malpractice lawsuits have been filed against physicians you are considering. The telephone numbers for both state and county offices can be found in the "Government" blue pages of your telephone book.
Most managed health care plans have a prescreening process for physicians. They must qualify before they can join the network. You can call your health plan office and ask what the screening process is.
Step 5: Make an appointment
By now you might have a short list of specialists to consider. The next step is to meet the physicians on this list. Call and set up a short, "get-acquainted" interview. A minimal charge might be assessed, although sometimes interviews of this type are complimentary.
Be organized-you might have only 10 or 15 minutes to conduct your interview. Have your most important questions ready. Keep your eyes and ears open. Your objectives are to get a feel for the doctor, as well as a sense of how the practice is managed.
Step 6: Evaluate the visit
In assessing your visit, ask yourself these questions:
Was the doctor friendly?
Did he/she seem interested in you?
Did the office seem to run smoothly?
Was the staff friendly and helpful?
Did I understand what the doctor said to me?
Were all of my questions answered?
By now you should be ready to make a selection. But if you are not sure, do not feel that you must. Go back to Step 2 and add a few more doctors to your list. It is important that you are comfortable with your choice. A good rapport should exist between you and your doctor, based upon your confidence in his or her abilities.