getting started choosing a doctor

[Guest guest]

I've narrowed my choices down to three possible doctors for hip

resurfacing.

The closest one to my home is Dr.Allan in Springfield, Illinois.

The next Doctor is Dr.Vail in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The farthest one is Dr.Gross in Columbia, South Carolina.

What kind of track records do these doctors have?

I am in Wisconsin, near Milwaukee.

I am still quite new to this process and I am told that once I choose

a doctor, he will be the only one I deal with. Is that true?

Can't I get the surgery done and have a local doctor act as

babysitter between trips to the primary surgeon?

What am I missing in my equations so far?