Top 6 Practical Tips for Choosing the Right Family Doctor
Choosing a family doctor or primary care physician is a critical decision that demands careful consideration and ample time. Your selected medical professional will be your primary point of care, so it’s crucial to identify someone trustworthy, highly recommended, affordable, and approachable. Additionally, it’s essential to establish a good relationship with your doctor, where you can communicate openly and comfortably. To assist you, here are some practical tips for choosing a family doctor.
Check doctors in your network
When searching for a family doctor, it’s important to consider if they are covered by your insurance to keep costs manageable. Begin by checking for physicians in your area that are covered by your insurance plan.
If there are none, you can explore doctors outside of the network, but this may come at a higher cost. If you don’t have insurance, it’s best to find an approachable doctor in your area. However, be sure to inquire about office visit fees and any special rates for family doctor services.
Ask for recommendations
If you’re looking for a primary care doctor, asking for recommendations from family and friends is a great place to start. Your loved ones know you best and can recommend someone who may be a good fit for your needs. Additionally, if you have a regular pharmacist, dentist, or other healthcare provider, they may also be able to provide a strong reference based on their professional experience.
Ask for recommendations
If you’re looking for a primary care doctor, asking for recommendations from family and friends is a great place to start. Your loved ones know you best and can recommend someone who may be a good fit for your needs. Additionally, if you have a regular pharmacist, dentist, or other healthcare provider, they may also be able to provide a strong reference based on their professional experience.
It’s always helpful to have trusted sources when making important decisions about your healthcare.
Considere accessibility and convenience
Once you have the names and contact information of some of the doctors, the next step is to know the accessibility and convenience of visiting them. Check the distance of the clinic from your home, office, or school and see if this distance can be easily covered by you. If some days you do not have your personal vehicle, can public transport take you there? If yes, how long does it take for you to reach the clinic, and is it viable? These are some of the questions that you need to address. Research suggests that those living in lower-income neighborhoods have more resources like a community health center, public clinics, and also an emergency room.
Find nearby diagnostic clinics
While you may have narrowed down on a primary care doctor in your locality, another point to note is that there often may be requirements for doing diagnostic procedures like blood tests, x-rays, and so on. Speak to your doctor and understand where these procedures will be taking place. Do they have this facility in their clinic or is there a lab nearby where you can travel for these tests? Finding out how convenient or accessible these procedural clinics are is also important in choosing the doctor.
Check the timings of their practice
When choosing a primary care physician, it’s important to consider their availability for check-ins with patients. Do they work during your work hours or on weekends? If they have weekend availability or take breaks during the week, it may be easier for you to schedule appointments. It’s also important to know if they can be reached during emergencies, even in the middle of the night. Having a reliable physician during an emergency can make the situation less stressful and potentially save lives.
Also, remember to check about telemedicine. Is the doctor comfortable or is accessible for online follow-ups and getting prescriptions through phone or video calls? If you are living alone and cannot travel to the doctor by yourself, you need the assurance that you can get the right prescription over the phone.
Check if they cater to specific ailments
If you have a particular health requirement, such as frequent blood sugar checks, PCOS concerns, or other specific health issues, it’s advisable to consult your doctor for assistance. If they are certified in that field, you can rely on their expertise for your specific health needs. This can be particularly beneficial during emergencies, providing you with much-needed relief.
Considere accessibility and convenience
Once you have the names and contact information of some of the doctors, the next step is to know the accessibility and convenience of visiting them. Check the distance of the clinic from your home, office, or school and see if this distance can be easily covered by you. If some days you do not have your personal vehicle, can public transport take you there? If yes, how long does it take for you to reach the clinic, and is it viable? These are some of the questions that you need to address. Research suggests that those living in lower-income neighborhoods have more resources like a community health center, public clinics, and also an emergency room.
Find nearby diagnostic clinics
While you may have narrowed down on a primary care doctor in your locality, another point to note is that there often may be requirements for doing diagnostic procedures like blood tests, x-rays, and so on. Speak to your doctor and understand where these procedures will be taking place. Do they have this facility in their clinic or is there a lab nearby where you can travel for these tests? Finding out how convenient or accessible these procedural clinics are is also important in choosing the doctor.
Check the timings of their practice
When choosing a primary care physician, it’s important to consider their availability for check-ins with patients. Do they work during your work hours or on weekends? If they have weekend availability or take breaks during the week, it may be easier for you to schedule appointments. It’s also important to know if they can be reached during emergencies, even in the middle of the night. Having a reliable physician during an emergency can make the situation less stressful and potentially save lives.
Also, remember to check about telemedicine. Is the doctor comfortable or is accessible for online follow-ups and getting prescriptions through phone or video calls? If you are living alone and cannot travel to the doctor by yourself, you need the assurance that you can get the right prescription over the phone.
Check if they cater to specific ailments
If you have a particular health requirement, such as frequent blood sugar checks, PCOS concerns, or other specific health issues, it’s advisable to consult your doctor for assistance. If they are certified in that field, you can rely on their expertise for your specific health needs. This can be particularly beneficial during emergencies, providing you with much-needed relief.
The benefit of visiting a family doctor is that they are so close to your location and can help during emergencies but also know your health history thoroughly. Having a family doctor also means that you build a rapport with them over the years, and this relationship is built on trust and safety. You can trust their diagnosis with utmost confidence and can also rely on them during an emergency. All these factors must be considered when choosing a family doctor.
Some of the popular names that you can check for a family physician are Dr. Jarita Hagans, MD; Dr Jose M. Bordon, MD; Dr. Theo Wallace Hodge, MD; Dr. Miriam Dalton Martin, MD; and Dr. Deevya Narayanna, MD. You can check your local community center also to see if they have any doctors visiting daily.
Disclaimer:
The content of the articles discussing symptoms, treatments, health conditions, and side effects is solely intended for informational purposes. It is imperative that readers do not interpret the information provided on the website as professional advice. Readers are requested to use their discretion and refrain from treating the suggestions or opinions provided by the writers and editors as medical advice. It is important to seek the help of licensed and expert healthcare professionals when necessary.
