Finding a Great Doctor

One of my absolute biggest pet peeves is when I hear someone telling me how terrible their doctor is and they aren’t looking around for a new one. Just because you see a doctor once doesn’t mean you have to stay with them! Your doctor can be a great doctor and still not be a good fit for you. It is so important to have a doctor who not only is a good doctor but is a good fit personality wise. Your doctor needs to be someone who you can trust and are comfortable talking openly to.

By this point you are probably thinking to yourself “I know having a good doctor is important, but I don’t even know where to start!”. Here is the way I go about looking for doctors.

1. Make a list of your top priorities.

Before you ever start the researching process it is important to figure out exactly what you want in your doctor. These are the questions I suggest asking yourself.

1. Do I want a male or female doctor?

2. Do I want a young doctor or an older doctor?

3. Do I want someone close to my house or does distance not matter?

4. Do I want someone who is overly empathetic, or do I want someone who sticks to the facts?

5. Are there any medical philosophies I have that I want the doctor to be open to? (a good example of this is medication views, are you wanting someone who offers meds quickly or someone who is willing to try natural remedies or wait it out)

2. Figure out where your insurance allows you to go.

This part often can be the trickiest part. If you have a PPO you will have a bit more freedom than if you have an HMO. I find the best place to start is your insurance companies website, most have a place where you can search for doctors. You can also call your insurance company and ask if they have a list of providers who take your insurance.

3. Ask for recommendations.

Ask your friends and family if they have a doctor that they love. If you already have a good primary care doctor or even a good specialist that you like, ask them if they have recommendations. Those in the medical field often have the best recommendations for which doctors to see (and which doctors to avoid).

4. Start searching

If you are going to a specific medical group, it is often easiest to search via their website. Often they will have doctor bios and ratings as well. If you are looking for a PCP (primary care provider) you can look for either a family medicine doctor or internal medicine doctor, both can provide primary care.

5. Look at the reviews.

While looking at the reviews is an important step, take everything with a grain of salt. I look at the overall rating more so than the individual reviews. Also stay away from yelp for doctors’ reviews, people only go on yelp when they want to complain. The reviews on the medical group’s website tend to be the average.

That being said, I have seen doctors with tons of 5 star reviews and they were absolutely terrible. I have also seen doctors with terrible reviews and they were wonderful. Reviews help get a general picture but at the end of the day shouldn’t be heavily relied on.

6. Make an appointment with your top choice.

Once you have completed your search call the office to schedule an appointment. This is also a great time to ask any questions about the office!

*If you have an HMO insurance, make sure you call them or use their website to change your primary provider before scheduling an appointment. If this is for a specialist, you will need a referral from your PCP (primary care provider).

After your first appointment these are the questions, I always ask myself;

1. Did the doctor listen to me, hear me, and see me not just my symptoms?

This question is the most important in my opinion. You want to find a doctor who treats all of you, not just the symptoms you list.

2. Does the doctor care enough to step into this with me and help me walk through it?

3. Did the doctor seem knowledgeable of current studies and recommendations?

4. Was the office welcoming and helpful?

5. Was I comfortable in this office?

Some of these questions you might be ok answering no to, but are still important to consider. For example, you might be willing to sacrifice a friendly office staff if the clinical care team is amazing and what you need. However, on the other hand the office staff is typically your best ally and if they aren’t helpful you might quickly get frustrated with the doctor’s office and it could discourage you some going back. All of these questions will help you to get a better picture of if you are going to stick with this doctor.

If a doctor isn’t a good fit at any point of your time with them, FIND A NEW ONE! Some insurances only let you change PCPs once a month, but often there are other doctors in the same office you can see if needed. Never feel stuck with a doctor. You deserve to have a doctor who makes you feel safe and cared for. At the end of the day, you are putting your life in the hands of your doctor. If there is any doubt on whether or not you trust them, you should find a new one.

Feel free to leave any questions in the comments!

Disclaimer

All information provided on this blog is for educational purposes only. Always consult your healthcare provider and/or your insurance provider for your specific situation. This blog does not offer medical advice.