Whether you have certain medical needs that your current professional can’t meet or have relocated to a new area, finding a new doctor will be an essential part of setting up your health regimen. However, not every doctor is a good fit for every person. As a result, you want to do your due diligence when it comes to choosing a new doctor for you and your family. Read on to determine what some of the best options are in your area for a doctor.
Starting Your Search
One thing you need to realize when it comes to looking for a doctor is that this isn’t the type of endeavor you want to start alone. As a result, it may help to lean on advice from trusted sources when it comes to initially narrowing down doctors you want to take a look at. When it comes to trusted sources, some of the best options are people that you know.
- Ask friends, family members, neighbors, or coworkers if they have a doctor they like.
- If you are looking for a new doctor because yours is retiring or moving, ask your current doctor for a recommendation.
Another important source you may want to turn to for help is your insurance company. It’s likely that you’re going to need a doctor that is in your network (a group of medical professionals that take your insurance plan). Since you’re going to need to check if your doctor of choice is a viable option anyway, finding one through your insurance company can lead to one less step you have to worry about.
- Call your insurance company and ask for a list of local doctors who take your insurance plan.
- Find out if your insurance company has a website you can use to search for a local doctor who sees people with your plan.
With any luck, this process will give you a set of names that you can begin your search with, rather than trying to look over every single doctor in your immediate area. With this, you can start getting more specific with your search.
Things To Look For
Once you have a few doctors on your list, it’s time for you to start looking them over in greater detail. This includes obvious details like whether they are a general practitioner or a specialist to the area you need. However, taking the time to have a call with the staff or even visit the office to take a closer look at whether or not they are a good match.
A good example of this is taking the time to ask about office policies. These can include simple things like how long it takes to make a routine appointment or office hours (are weekends and evenings a possibility?) An office may look good on paper, but if they aren’t a match for your schedule, they aren’t really a match for you. In addition, this gives you an opportunity to talk to the staff. These are the people who will be handling the logistical side of your care a lot of the time. Are they knowledgeable, courteous, and professional?
If you go to the office, remember that it’s not just about what you hear, but what you see. Taking the time to look at long lasting medical equipment may not seem like a top concern, but it’s important to note that this same equipment will be paying an important role in your medical care. Obvious signs of wear and tear or obsolescence may be red flags.
Of course, along with evaluating the office and staff comes evaluating the doctor when you finally sit down with them face to face. Much like staff, you want a doctor with a demeanor that matches your needs. If you are the type of person who wants to feel like family, affability may be very important to you. If you just want the details on your health then to be on your way, you may not weigh this as heavily as efficiency. Two doctors who have different personalities can be equally skilled and credible. However, as a patient, you may want to look beyond that. The best way to handle all these questions in one fell swoop is to stage an “interview appointment†with the doctor. This may involve a co-pay, but it is the easiest way to fully gauge a top candidate for your general physician.
Brought to you by our friends at proficientrx.com.
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