How to Choose the Right Doctor
Few relationships in your life are as intimate as the one you have with your primary care physician. They literally see you at your best and your worst, have heard your entire family history, and know every last detail about what’s going on inside your body. So you need to make sure you forge that bond with the right person.
So if you’re in the market for a new doctor, we won't waste your time telling you the obvious stuff like look for a physician that’s board certified; who’s up to date on current medical trends; doesn’t have a stack of malpractice suits on their desk…you know, the basics. But there are a few less-than-obvious things to look for when finding the right doctor for you.
Choosing the right physician
Start with the people you know best
When creating your list of potential physicians, ask your friends, family and other medical professionals for their recommendations. These are the folks who know you best already and will provide more thoughtful recommendations than a cold internet search.
Once you have your initial list, do some research on them Just remember not to put too much stock in internet reviews – each person is going to have a unique experience and opinion that will likely differ from yours.
Consider your specific needs
You have likely heard different terms for a primary care physician, but what’s the difference between them all?
Family Practice: Family practice physicians aim to provide comprehensive care to people of all ages throughout their entire life. While they can diagnose and treat a vast array of medical conditions, some family practice doctors may have specific areas of interest like women’s health, sports medicine, or mental health.
Internal Medicine: Internal medicine physicians only treat adults but also specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, and management of medical issues.
Don’t let your well-self make a bad decision for your sick-self
Location, location, location isn’t just for real estate! you’ll want to choose a doctor and practice that’s relatively close to your home or job so you don’t have to travel too far when you’re not feeling well.
Not only will a doctor that’s close save you a long drive when you’re feverish and nauseous, you’re more likely to keep up with your well-visit appointments.
Don’t forget to check with your insurance
If you want or need to go through insurance, be sure to cross reference the practices on your short list with those in your insurance network. Nothing’s worse than finding “The One” only to find you won’t be able to see them.
By the way: just because your dream doctor isn’t in your network, don’t give up just yet! Try giving their office a call and see if they offer any out-of-pocket payment plan options that might allow you to see them without using insurance.
Go Beyond the doctor
It’s easy to forget, but behind every doctor is a whole team working to keep patients happy, and healthy and the practice running like a well oiled machine. When you zero in on a potential practice, do a little research on:
Which partners, specialists, and labs to they partner or refer to?
Which hospitals the physicians have privileges at
Who fills in for the the physician if they’re out?
What’s the average wait time for an appointment?
Can you schedule appointments, manage paperwork, and/or view records online?
Do they call to remind you of upcoming appointments?
What is the cancellation and / or rescheduling policy?
Trust Your Gut
Once you’ve found that perfect math and head in for your initial visit, take note of that little voice in the back of your head. Is everyone kind, welcoming and competent? Or is something not right and throwing up a red flag? If the latter, there’s no harm in continuing to ‘shop around’ before making that final decision.
One last test
The more you agree with your doctor’s philosophy, the more likely you are to follow their treatment plans. During that first visit, see how their values line up with yours with some personal questions. Never hesitate to ask things like:
Why they decided to become a doctor?
What are some of the favorite parts of their job?
What do they wish more patients would do between appointments?
If you like what you hear, you’ll feel much more confident and optimistic about the doctor-patient relationship to come.
So why are we telling you all this?
We get it. Healthcare is frustrating.
Getting the care you need from your primary care doctor should not a hassle, as it always seems to be. Difficulty getting an appointment, long wait times, disengaged physicians…we don’t blame you if you've been thinking “there has to be a better way.”
We want to do something about it.
Thrive Family Medicine was founded because we were frustrated, too. We believe in high-quality medical care in a friendly, welcoming atmosphere where our patients feel valued. You know…like how every doctor’s office is supposed to be.
But we want to take the idea of humanizing healthcare even further. So our goal is to provide transparency, authenticity and a whole-life approach to healthcare including attention to diet, exercise, mental health and more.
If we sound like the kind of practice you’d like to check out, we’d love to hear from you. Isn’t it time to schedule an appointment with doctors who care? Like, actually care?