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. People in your family, at your job, in your school, in the community, and even on social media can share their experiences with you.
You can connect to a primary care physician in your area using the Healthline FindCare tool. 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. In a report published last week, researchers found that American adults with primary care physicians are more likely to receive "high value" services….
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Who do your family and friends recommend? How easy is it to get to this doctor? And speaking of access, where will procedures take place? Will the doctor be available when you need an appointment? Is the prospective doctor an expert in treating people like you? Is the staff friendly and professional? Is this a group practice or an individual practice? This is much easier than starting from an insurance network directory online and searching for providers. Nurse practitioners employed by a physician practice may not be included in directories.
Several practices offer them free of charge for potential patients, and several insurance plans cover them for a nominal co-pay.
Set up as many as you want. While the right PCP might look very different from one person to the next, the best ones should possess certain traits. Keep these in mind whether your searching for someone, or reevaluating your current provider. These should really apply to any professional you trust with your body and your health. They should be willing to explain their thinking to you. If you ask, they should be ready to walk you through how they came to a conclusion—or, better, they should offer this on their own.
They should be curious. Curiosity is a worldview. It propels people toward presence and nimble thinking. Its absence is associated with burnout, ego, and a tendency toward conventionally accepted ideas. They should be willing to admit when something is outside their wheelhouse. They should be receptive listeners.
Pay attention to the way you engage in dialogue with a potential PCP and how they respond to what you say. And this can exist under a guise of charm. A battle you have to ultimately win, because when a provider exerts all the control in a conversation, it increases the risk that they will not get all they need to know from you, making them more liable to take a wrong turn when it comes to your specific needs.
An operator line? A MyChart message? A full-fledged appointment that must be scheduled and billed as such, even if the problem is minor?
Now that you have the list of in-network doctors, you can begin narrowing it down. There are several different types of doctor that will be identified as a primary care physician - typically Family Practice, Internal Medicine or General Practice. There are also doctors who focus on children, called Pediatricians, who will serve as the primary care physician for your child.
Consult our online directory to find in-network family practice, general practice or internal medicine providers. Many people feel most comfortable visiting a physician who is recommended by someone they know, like a family member, co-worker or friend. Ask around and see what doctor your friends and family visit.
Do you want a doctor located close to your home or office? Search for doctors with an office location that is convenient for you to visit. Will you need to take time off work to visit the office, or can you go after work or on weekends? Language is another important factor to check. Many doctors now use email or an online portal to communicate with patients, which may be another item of importance to tech-savvy communicators when selecting a physician.
Consult our provider finder's "advanced search" feature to find in-network doctors who speak Spanish or other languages.
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