How to Choose a Primary Care Physician: 8 Tips for Finding a Healthcare Ally

 

Your primary care physician is your go-to resource for your healthcare needs. They are there to advise you, educate you, examine you, treat you, and help you make some of the most important decisions you make about your health and well-being.

That’s why it’s so important to find a doctor you can trust — someone you can talk to honestly and openly about your health. But how do you go about finding such an important partner when you’re looking at a long list of names on websites and in directories?

Finding the right doctor will require, first, that you evaluate what is important to you in a doctor-patient relationship. Finally, a great deal will hinge on your face-to-face or over-the-phone conversation with the primary care provider you have selected.

Here are some questions to consider to help find the primary care physician that’s right for you.

1. Which doctors are in your network? 

If you have health insurance. most primary care physicians will already be in network with the top carriers. To find out for certain if your doctors office take your current or prospective plan, we recommend calling the billing department. They have access to that information easily accessible.

Your insurance plan may allow you to work with a primary care doctor who is out of network, but at a higher cost if you have a PPO plan.

If you don’t have health insurance and will be paying out of pocket, you may want to talk to your prospective doctor about the cost of office visits. Knowing about costs before you need care could help you plan for future visits.

Studies have shown that cost is a major barrier to healthcare access, whether you’re seeking primary care or mental health services. If you have concerns about cost based on your plan design. Make sure to schedule an annual review with your insurance agent if you purchase your plan privately. They can make sure the things that are most important to you have cost saving co-pays included.

2. Who do your family and friends recommend?

One way to find a primary care physician you like is to ask for recommendations from people you trust. Your family, friends, and colleagues are excellent sources of information about doctors they like.

You can also turn to other healthcare professionals for their recommendations. Pharmacists, health insurance agents, optometrists, dentists, physical therapists, and others in the healthcare field may be able to give you good information about the doctors you’re considering. Or, they may be able to offer other recommendations of doctors you should look at.

3. And speaking of access, where will procedures take place?

It’s a good idea to ask whether basic procedures like lab tests, x-rays, and minor surgeries are performed at the same facility as the doctor’s office.

Many primary care physicians can perform procedures like these in-office, but if you will have to travel from the doctor’s office to a lab or an imaging facility, you’ll need to find out if those facilities are easily accessible to you.

4. Will the doctor be available when you need an appointment?

What are the hours the doctor’s practice is open? Are evening, weekend, or on-call services available? How long does it generally take to get in to see the doctor?

What about telemedicine options — does this physician offer online advice or evaluations? Is there an online patient hub where you can make appointments, ask for prescription refills, complete forms, and communicate with the office?

 Studies show that patients find online services like these convenient, time-saving, and personally empowering. If your doctors office doesn’t have an option then most healthcare plans offer low to no cost telemedicine visits 24/7 a day. Ask your HR or health insurance agent for more details.

5. Is the prospective doctor an expert in treating people like you?

Family doctors, pediatricians, internal medicine, OB-GYN’s, and geriatricians are all considered primary care providers.

If you want to work with a primary care doctor who is specially trained to deal with a particular demographic group or medical conditions, you can check to see if the doctor is board-certified in that area.

Board certification is an extra step doctors can take to verify that they are experts in a particular field. The American Board of Medical Specialties maintains a searchable database of board-certified doctors called Certification Matters.

Medicare also offers a Physician Compare tool to help you find doctors who specialize in the kind of care you need.

If you are insured, your insurance company may also provide a ranking or rating system so you can easily locate doctors in your area who provide excellent care.

6. Is the staff friendly and professional? 

You’re going to engage with the office staff regularly. Making appointments and rescheduling them, resolving billing issues, asking for refills — many of your interactions with your primary care provider will be handled by these unsung heroes of the medical profession.

When you interact with the staff, are they courteous and patient? Do they respect your privacy, your name, along with your other boundaries? Do they help to facilitate contact between you and the doctors?

7. Can this provider meet your special needs?

You are an individual. Your age, gender, life experiences, and medical conditions have all shaped the way you feel about your body, your health, and your interactions with healthcare providers.

8. Can you communicate easily with this doctor? 

The most obvious consideration is whether the doctor literally speaks your language. If your first language or your doctor’s first language are not the same, can you understand one another?

If English isn’t your first language, consider looking for a primary care doctor who can converse with you easily and comfortably in your preferred language.

Beyond the language itself, consider the following when you meet with a primary care doctor for the first time:

• What is the doctor’s communication style?
• Did they take the time to listen to your questions and answer them patiently?
• Did you feel rushed?
• Did the doctor dismiss your concerns or interrupt you frequently?
• Did the doctor explain things to you in a way that you could understand?
• Would you feel comfortable talking to them about sensitive or personal health issues?

Research shows that there is a strong correlation between the doctor’s communication style and the patient’s sense of satisfaction with their healthcare.

Preparing for your first visit

Thinking about these issues may help you prepare a list of questions and concerns to take with you to your first appointment.

If you are changing doctors, you will also want to request that your medical records be sent to your new doctor before your meeting. If that is not immediately possible, write down as much as you can recall about:

• any medical or surgical procedures you’ve had
• major illnesses and chronic conditions
• medications you’re currently taking
• your family’s health history

If you are used to thinking of doctors as authorities, it may feel awkward or uncomfortable to interview prospective doctors. It may make the process easier if you think of yourself as an equal partner working with the primary care physician to improve your overall health.

It may be difficult for you to trust medical professionals, especially if you have been mistreated or discriminated against in the past. It is okay if you have to try several primary care physicians before you find the right partner.

The bottom line

When you’re ready to find a primary care physician, ask around. People in your family, at your job, in your school, in the community, and even on social media can share their experiences with you.

Consider the practicalities such as:

• location
• insurance coverage
• hours and availability
• access to telemedicine
• languages spoken

Also find out as much as you can about the doctor’s certifications, communication style, and ability to meet your special needs.

Once you have whittled down your list of candidates, make an appointment with the prospective provider to ask and answer questions.

Choosing the right provider may take time and effort, but the benefits of having a primary care physician you trust and feel comfortable with will be well worth it in the long run.

 

 

 

 

Research provided by: Healthline