What to look for in a doctor: 8 Quick Tips - Freedom Doctors
By: Deborah Palmer
When you need a physician you can trust; try these tips to find the perfect physician for you and your family.
The best time to find a new doctor is now!
When you're sick, the last thing you want to do is spend hours researching doctors and making appointments. Having a primary care physician (or specialists) you trust can improve your overall health. Unfortunately, not all doctors are created equal and choosing the wrong medical professional can make you feel even worse. In this blog post, we will give you 8 quick tips to help you choose the right doctor for your needs. Keep reading to learn more!
1. Recommendations are an important factor
Ask your friends or a family member for recommendations. Chances are, they know someone who has a great doctor that they would be happy to recommend to you.
How long have they been seeing this doctor?
Do they have a good doctor patient relationship?
Do they feel like the doctor is a good listener, makes them feel comfortable, and takes their concerns seriously when making decisions?
Do they feel like they are in good hands and doctor understands their medical history?
Did the doctor prescribe medications that made them feel better, or did they make them feel worse?
Would they recommend this current doctor to a loved one?
2. Location location location
Make sure the doctor's office is conveniently located near your home or work. This will make it easier to schedule appointments.
Does the Doctor offer house calls?
The average person drives about 18 miles to see a primary care doctor. However, this varies depending on the doctor's location and the patient's needs. Some patients may only need to drive a few minutes, while others may have to drive further away.
Make sure the doctor is licensed in your state. You can check the license status of doctors on the website of your state's medical board, this especially important if your doctor provides telemedicine visits.
3. Medical Expertise
Ask the doctor about their experience treating your specific condition. Some doctors may be more experienced in treating certain conditions than others.
What is your knowledge and experience managing my specific condition?
Do you have any patients who have responded well to treatment for my specific condition?
Have you ever had a patient with my diagnosis or specific condition who did not respond well to treatment?
What are the possible side effects of treatment for my specific condition?
What is your plan for treating my specific condition?
How often do you refer patients out to specialist care? Remember a good doctor doesn't need to know everything, but it's important to know where a specialist consult can be helpful
4. Check Reviews
Check out the doctor's reviews online. Patients often leave reviews of their experiences with doctors on websites like Google and Yelp.
Reviews = Trust
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Is the office part of a larger healthcare system or hospital, are the doctors incentivized to keep you in the system or getting you to the best specialist care.
5. Accepting new patients?
Make sure the doctor is accepting new patients. Not all doctors are taking new patients, so you'll need to make sure that the one you choose is currently accepting new patients.
Are you accepting new patients?
Do you have any openings in the near future?
What is your fee schedule?
Do you accept any insurance plan, HSA, or FSA?
6. Office Hours
Consider the doctor's hours of operation and how easy it is to get an appointment with your doctor. You don't want to be waiting all day to see your doctor! Most doctors' offices have weekday hours from 8am to 5pm, and some may offer Saturday hours.
What are your hours?
If I need to be seen can I get a same day appointment?
What is your cancellation policy?
7. Do your Research
Check out the doctors website, health topics on an originally published blog, and read their bios online. This can give you a good idea of their qualifications, quality of health care provided, and what type of practice they have.
When looking for a new doctor, you should consider their qualifications. Some important qualifications to look for include:
Medical degree from an accredited medical school
Board certification in their specialty
Experience treating your specific condition
8. Schedule a meet & greet with your new doctor
If you have the time before you switch doctors consider scheduling a visit for a meet and greet with your future physician. This is a good way to see if a doctor is the right fit for you, the doctor-patient relationship is very personal, you need to feel comfortable. This is especially important if you have a complex medical history or you have multiple specialist managing your care as your primary care doctor can help coordinate you treatment.
What are you waiting for?
The search for good doctors can be difficult, but following these 8 tips will help make the process easier. Your friends and family are a great source of information, so start there when looking for recommendations. Make sure the doctor is licensed in your state and practice has good reviews online. Consider their hours of operation and how accommodating they are for same day appointment. Read their bios online to get a better idea of their qualifications. Following these tips will help you choose the right doctor for your needs!
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