Five Tips for Choosing a New Doctor
Choosing a primary doctor is one of the most important decisions you can make when it comes to managing your health care.
Your primary care doctor is your medical “home.” It’s the doctor you’ll see most for everything from routine wellness visits and screenings to non-emergency illnesses. It’s also the person you’ll see when you have a health question or concern. If you have an HMO plan, your primary care doctor will also be the person who refers you to specialists if you need one.
You want someone you’re comfortable with and someone with expertise in the areas that meet your health needs.
Here are five tips to consider when you’re choosing a primary care physician:
1) Make sure your new doctor is in-network. Most health plans have negotiated special, discounted rates with certain doctors and hospitals in your area. You’ll pay less to see those doctors, called in-network for insurance purposes.
2) Find a doctor with expertise that meets your health needs. Narrow down your in-network options by specialty. You can choose from family practice, internal medicine, or general practice. Family medicine and general practice practitioners treat patients of all ages, from newborns to adults. Internal medicine internists are trained to identify and treat adult and geriatric medical conditions. If you’re looking for a doctor for your child, you might want to choose a pediatrician or an internal medicine doctor who specializes in pediatrics.
3) Get referrals. You might feel more comfortable visiting a doctor who is recommended by someone you know. Ask around to see who your family, friends, and co-workers visit. If you’re moving, you can ask your current doctor if he or she has a recommendation for your new town.
4) Think about logistics. It makes sense to find a doctor close to where you live or work and one who has office hours that work around your schedule. You’ll also want to check into the hospital the doctor admits patients to in order to determine if that makes sense for your life. If you’d prefer a doctor who has an online patient portal for communicating, you’ll also want to ask about that when you’re shopping around.
5) Meet the doctor. An office visit and face-to-face meeting can help you make sure you’re comfortable with your choice of doctor. Do you like the office, the physician, nurses, and staff? Make sure the doctor is someone you’d feel comfortable discussing your medical history with and that you’re on the same page when it comes to managing any chronic conditions.
If you’re a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan or Blue Care Network member, you can also use the Find a Doctor feature on the BCBSM app to narrow down your search using a variety of criteria.
It’s important to officially declare your primary care doctor with your insurance company. If you’re a BCBSM or BCN member, you can make an appointment with your primary doctor online through bcbsm.com, or you can call the number on the back of your insurance card or on your Explanation of Benefits statement. If you have questions, feel free to reach out through our Customer Action Center.
This blog post was adapted from a post originally published on the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association’s blog.
If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:
- What Doctor’s Appointments Should You Schedule in 2015?
- 3 Reasons I Love Having a PCMH Designated Doctor
- 3 Conversations You Should Have With Your Doctor
Photo credit: NEC Corporation of America
“Make sure your new doctor is in-network”
This one seems like it would be common sense, but it’s the most important one to point out. I’ve had so many patients who ended up being out of network and really ended up paying for it (literally).
Thanks for sharing this advice on choosing a new doctor! My husband and I just moved to a new area, so we are going to start looking for a new doctor soon. In fact, I think I’ll start looking for some “in-network” family practitioners tonight. It would be really nice to have a doctor that isn’t as expensive.
We just moved to a new area and the first thing we did when trying to find a doctor was to ask around the neighborhood. A recommendation is usually a better way to find anything, so we will be following up on these referrals soon. Some of them are a little further away than we would like, but I suppose some sacrifices need to be made when no others are closer.
Making sure your doctor is in-network beforehand will make the process much easier than finding that out after you have already had an appointment. Finding a doctor, like you mentioned, that meets your needs will not only narrow down your list but it will help you find someone that can help you in the best possible way. These tips are very helpful, I will be using these! http://www.onestopmedicalcentre.ca/en/
We are currently trying to find a new doctor, as we have just moved into a new city. We have been doing all of our research online, but it appears that we should probably make a better effort to get referrals, as that would probably make us more comfortable. We will ask around, especially with some of our neighbors who we just met the other day. Thanks for sharing this! http://myfamilydoctorutah.com/family-medicine-practice-primary-care-clinic/
I like what this article says about logistics. I think that having a doctor that is close to home is something that can’t be overlooked. Even though I feel like it doesn’t matter right now, I know I will regret it later on. Even with things other than doctors, like dentists, physicians, etc. I think they should be relatively close. Thanks for the tips! http://www.gulfshoresfamilymedicine.com/our-practice
We just moved and I’ve been worried about finding a new doctor. Our last family doctor was amazing, and I am really wanting to find someone in our new location who is just as good. I don’t know anyone well enough to ask for referrals yet, but I think visiting a doctor and/or office might be a really good way to tell if it will be a good fit. Thanks so much for these great suggestions!
http://www.valleymedicalcare.com/clinic-information/about-us
I really love the tip about getting referrals! When it comes to finding a new physician or anything for your family, asking around can definitely make a difference. Asking neighbors and family for advice can lead you to someone that will be best for your family. Thanks for the great tips on how to find a new doctor!
http://advmednaples.com/features/family-practice-in-naples/
I really like the tips you brought up. There’s a lot of things you have to take into account when looking for a new doctor, and the more things you can be confident with, the better. I personally really like the tip to ask for referrals, but logistics is a close second. And in the end, meeting the doctor is just the cherry on top. Thanks for the great tips! http://www.lawrencevillepeds.com
My wife and I are trying to find a family doctor that we can trust. I really liked this post, especially your tip about getting referrals. I can’t think of a time where I’ve ever had a bad experience with a business or service when I’ve been referred by a family member or friend. This is great advice, and I appreciate you sharing these tips! http://www.lakesidemp.com.au/doctors
Finding a new doctor can be a very difficult thing to do. So, I liked that you talked about how you should really think of logistics when looking for one. That way you don’t have to travel super far to get to your doctor when you are sick. http://www.mediprac.com.au
Thank you for the help. I am trying to find a new pediatric doctor for my daughter. I definitely want to meet the doctor, as you mentioned. Would you try to meet multiple doctors before making the decision? http://rainbowpeds.net/raeford/
I like how you mentioned getting referrals when looking for a new doctor. My husband and I recently moved into a new area, and we need to find a good general physician to take care of our family. Perhaps it would be a good idea to talk to some of our neighbors and new friends to see if they have any recommendations we can look into. http://www.pain-ptc.com
Thank you so much for all the tips on finding a new doctor. I want to be sure to get the best care, but it’s hard to find the right person. I just moved to a new area and I’m not sure how to even look for the best clinic for me. Of course I want to find a doctor in my in-network, but your point to make sure they are close to my home and work, is really on point. My time is valuable and if my doctor was out of the way, I would most likely not want to go. Thanks for the tips. http://medicalcentre291.com.au/general-health/
We just moved into a new town and I do not know how to find the right doctor for our family. I didn’t think about actually visiting the doctor if we weren’t sick, even if we can only see the staff. That is a great idea. Thanks for the advice! http://www.ecmedicalarts.com/services.html
Thanks for your feedback, Deb! We’re glad we could be of help. Best, Taylar
Thanks for the great information to find a doctor in my area. I haven’t been to the doctor in ages and thought it was time to go and make sure that everything is okay. I’m not sure why I didn’t think of it, but I really appreciate that you suggested referrals. You are right that I would feel a lot more comfortable with them if I knew that they were referred by a friend or family member. http://www.wvmc.com.au/