My first line of work is in the medical field and selecting a new doctor, or primary care physician isn’t as easy as it sounds. While you can ask around for recommendations much like you would for a barber or plumber, there are other factors that might place limitations on your options. Sometimes your insurance will pick on for you, but you ultimately make that decision for yourself.
Insurance plans create limitations, your employer-sponsored insurance might only include particular practices, and the area you live in might not have the kind of specialist you need. Don’t stress! Follow these steps and you’ll be in good hands in no time.
Your Network Comes First – Most health care plans include specific doctors and hospitals that you can go to. These places come with a discounted rate as part of your plan and are called “In-Network” for insurance purposes. Starting here helps to reduce your out of pocket costs drastically.
The first step is to choose an in-network doctor that accepts your insurance. You can do this by calling the number on your healthcare provider’s member ID card. You could also search online by typing in something like, “physical therapy in Jersey City, NJ,” then calling the practice to see if your insurance is accepted. This is the easiest way to go about knowing if they are in network.
A Doctor’s Expertise – Now that you have a list of doctors that accept your insurance, you can narrow down your selection by looking at their expertise. Would you benefit more from a family practice or a doctor of internal medicine? How about a general practice or maybe even a pediatrician for your child?
Those specializing in internal medicine focus on the prevention, diagnosis, and management of diseases as well as chronic illnesses. General practices function much like family practices but might also include alternative medicine treatments and osteopaths.
Family practices contain physicians that can treat patients of all aged and are skilled at treating a variety of conditions. In many cases, they can also treat ailments you would normally see a specialist for such as sports-related injuries or men’s and women’s specific health needs.
On the other hand, you may be looking for a very specific doctor or procedure. In this case, expertise is essential. Knowing that Dr. Garcia is the best surgeon for liposuction in Henderson makes a world of difference when selecting a doctor for the operation. Always ask for recommendations from your primary care physician and friends.
Recommendations – At this point, your list of possible doctors should be narrowed down to just a few in the area. Ask your friends, coworkers, or family members if they have been to any of the physicians on your list, and if they would recommend them. If you’re moving to a new area, don’t hesitate to ask your current doctor if they have any recommendations as well. I know working in a doctor’s office we get a lot of patients asking for referrals, we are always happy to help.
Are They Convenient? – The next step is to take the few doctors remaining on your list and consider the specifics about their practice. Are they close enough to your home and what are their office hours? Are they open on weekends, is the doctor in each day, and which hospital do they admit patients to? These kinds of questions can help you decide if the practice works with your life’s schedule.
Testing the Waters – You won’t know if you’ve chosen the right doctor until you head into their practice. Schedule a meeting to help you get a better feel of what the physician is like and if you feel as though they are trustworthy. This is one step I don’t think a lot of patients think about. It is a very easy way to see if the doctor patient relationship will work.
It is also important to consider the demeanor of the people who answer the phone, how long the wait is, and what the nurses are like while you’re there. All of these factors are essential when picking out a practice that you’ll want to go to.
We always try to make patients feel welcome and comfortable being in the doctor’s office.
