Your primary care doctor – a trusted advisor, friend, and confidante – is about to retire (or is otherwise becoming unavailable). That means you’ll soon have to look for someone new, which is easier said than done. Not only does the new doctor likely have big shoes to fill, but they also need to meet your needs adequately. Here, Butte Home Health & Hospice covers some critical considerations you need to make when finding a new primary care doctor:
Ask for recommendations
You should start by asking your current primary care doctor for recommendations. They may have a mentee who is carrying on their legacy or know someone in their network that’s both trustworthy and qualified. Also, you could always ask your friends and family for recommendations.
Look up “in-network” doctors
Your insurance plan covers treatments with a limited number of “in-network” healthcare practitioners. You can look up the names of everyone supported on your insurance provider’s website and see if you find someone you like. If you have a shortlist of doctor names already, don’t forget to see whether they’re supported by your insurer.
Optionally find different health insurance coverage
Some insurance plans are better for healthcare coverage than others. For instance, you will find plans that offer a larger number of “in-network” doctors, lower deductibles, and just better terms overall. You could carefully research your options and move to a better health insurance policy. If you’re a self-employed worker, you can purchase a policy through the Freelancers Union.
Check qualifications and specializations
When you have a shortlist of doctors, it’s time to conduct several checks. Start by looking at their qualifications – are they certified by the American Board of Medical Specialists (ABMS), the American Board of Physician Specialties, or similar? What is their primary care specialty? Some examples are pediatrics, general practice, internist, OB-GYN, family practice, and alternative medicine (holistic, functional, or similar).
Check disciplinary records and reputation
It’s always a good idea to conduct a background check on your potential new doctor. Look up their license with the state and visit the Federation of State Medical Boards‘ website to look at their profile. You should also double-check their reputation by reading online reviews, talking to people who frequent them, and visiting their web page to get a feel for their practice.
Check personality and behavior
Next, consider your new doctor’s personality and behavior, as well as the behavior of their staff (like their receptionist and assistants). You, ideally, want compassionate, agreeable people who listen to your problems, are supportive and trustworthy, and don’t dismiss your concerns out of hand. You can visit their office in person for a trial appointment (or try an online visit). U.S. News helps you spot problem doctors.
Consider the convenience factor
There are several logistical factors to consider – the location of the office, presence (or absence) of online services, opening hours, insurance coverage, languages spoken, presence of labs and X-rays, preferred genders, and similar. A doctor who offers online services may help you save time and money. Tie-ups for services like home health care (from an organization like Butte) is an added advantage.
Consider their availability
Finding a doctor with open appointment dates is like finding a table at a popular restaurant on a weekend – next to impossible. Still, it’s something you need to prioritize. Even if the doctor is qualified and otherwise suitable, it means nothing if you can’t arrange visits when you need them. Look for doctors with low waiting times and emergency support.
Get organized to forward your medical information
Finally, for a smooth transition, it’s a good idea to get organized with your medical information. You will need to forward your relevant records to the new doctor (and otherwise furnish information about your medical history when needed). A great way to organize your records is by digitizing them. You can cover them into PDF files, for instance. It’s possible to have everything together in a single PDF file, moving the pages around as necessary, to make it even more convenient to access.
Conclusion
There will likely be a few hits and misses in your search for a suitable new doctor. It’s worth your time to shop around, both when it comes to your doctor and your health insurance coverage, before you settle on one option. A good doctor is worth their weight in gold – they can ably troubleshoot problems, offer reliable advice, and keep you and your family healthy, long-term.
Image via Unsplash
Butte is an award-winning, not-for-profit home healthcare and hospice services provider in Chico, California. We offer compassionate hospice and health visits at home.
Author Leslie Campos created Wellparents.com to offer help and resources to busy parents who want to stay healthy and active
