How To Find A Primary Care Physician

Your primary care physician plays an important role in keeping your family healthy. These primary care doctors, also called family medicine or internal medicine doctors, help your loved ones avoid illness whenever possible and treat problems as they arise.

Family and Internal Medicine doctors care for the physical, mental and emotional health of your family members you will visit this doctor to diagnose strep throat [deleted resetting a broken bone b/c I think you have to go to an ED/UC for that] and for long term health concerns, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. A Family Medicine doctor will help your entire family make healthy decisions, which can include creating a healthy diet, developing an exercise plan and quitting smoking. Your primary care physician develops a relationship with each family member and is familiar with their medical history to understand the impact of any suggested treatment. An Internal Medicine doctor provides the same service for patients age 16 and older.

Whether you are moving to a new location or simply looking for a new primary care physician, there are a number of steps you can take to ensure you make the right decision.

Start by speaking with friends and family in the area. These people likely have a primary care doctor and will be able to offer a few suggestions of where to begin your search. If you are moving to a new area, consider asking your current primary care physician for recommendations. He or she may have colleagues in another part of the country who could care for your family.

When you have a few names, call the American Medical Association (AMA) to check the doctors credentials. The AMA will have a record of past complaints against the doctor, along with other information. You can contact the organization at 1-800-621-8335.

Gather basic information about the doctors office including office hours, the type of insurance the doctor accepts, whether the office is open on weekends or evenings, distance from your home to the office and anything else that will help you make a decision. No question is too small or unimportant if it is important to you and your family, ask!

Once your research is complete, its time to schedule visits with a handful of doctors. Think of this as a get to know you visit. Come prepared with a number of questions to evaluate the doctors style of treatment as well as his or her diagnosis techniques. The following is a basic list of questions you can ask. This is no means a comprehensive list, just a few questions to start the conversation.

1.Are you accepting new patient?
2.How long does it take to schedule a routine appointment?
3.How quickly can I get an emergency appointment?
4.How late can I cancel an appointment without incurring a fee?
5.Do you send routine screening reminders?
6.Where will I need to go if I need lab work done?
7.Who covers for you when you are out of the office?
8.Do you have the specializations that my family and I need?
9.What hospital do you use?
10.Do you prefer prescribing medication or do you take a more holistic approach to treatment?

When you leave this appointment, reflect on how it went. Make sure you are comfortable with the doctor, you had enough time to ask all your questions and the doctor answered everything you asked.

No matter how you begin your search, do so when you have enough time to look for a doctor. Nothing is worse than being sick or having a sick family member and no family doctor. Give yourself ample time to find the right person for you and your family.