Whether you are like me and have been with your doctor for years or if you are unhappy with your current doctor, chances are that at some point you will have to find a new doctor. In preparation for my doctor's inevitable retirement, I decided to use an organized selection process to ensure that I make the best choice of doctor to help maintain my health.
Start the Process
Unbeknownst to the doctors on my list I have a list of potential "candidates." My list was created throughout the years by speaking with family and friends. It turns out this was a great strategy, since two separate Consumer Report surveys found that people who located their doctors through referrals were happiest with their choice.
If you have a particular health issue, doing research will allow you to make sure you and your doctor are on the same page, as far as the best way to treat your condition. However, when researching your health issue make sure to only use reputable websites. In one study 41% of doctors said patients often had incorrect health information that they had obtained from online sources.
Questions to Ask Yourself
Narrow down your list of potential doctors by asking yourself questions such as:
*Where would you be willing to go in order to see your doctor?
*If you are driving, then is parking an issue?
*How much does parking cost?
*Does your doctor's age matter? An older doctor will probably have more experience than a younger doctor. But an older doctor is probably closer to retirement than a younger doctor, which means you will end up repeating the doctor search sooner.
Questions to Ask the Doctor's Office Personnel
Call the doctor's office and ask the questions below. If they are unable to answer the questions and/or if they take a long time to get back to you, then you may want to take this into consideration when making your decision on your new doctor.
*One of the first questions you need to ask is whether or not the doctor is taking new patients.
*Which hospitals does the doctor use? You want to be sure that he/she uses one that you are comfortable going to in case you need to be hospitalized.
*Does the doctor see patients with urgent issues on the same day you call?
*Will the office process insurance claims or do you have to do the paperwork?
*Does the doctor/staff accept questions via email?
*What is the policy on cancellations?
Questions to Ask the Doctor
When you go in for your first office visit there are things you should note and questions you should ask.
*Note whether or not the office staff is professional and friendly. This is important since you will frequently interact with them.
*Does the doctor manage his/her patient care most of the time or does he/she prefer to send patients to specialists?
*Note whether the doctor's health management style is collaborative or a "take charge" style. You will want your doctor's style to be one you are comfortable with so that planning for your health care needs will be relatively effortless.
These guidelines are useful to follow whenever you need to look for a new doctor. If you find yourself in the position where you don't have any recommendations from anyone, then you can begin your search with an online physicians' directory. Take the time to make sure you find the right doctor especially since he or she may someday, literally, hold your life in their hands.
Published by J McPherson - Featured Contributor in Travel
I have been a nurse for over 20 years. For 10 of those years I had the honor of working with patients who were having to deal with death and dying. This particular job, while heartbreaking, gave me the gift...
Start the Process
Unbeknownst to the doctors on my list I have a list of potential "candidates." My list was created throughout the years by speaking with family and friends. It turns out this was a great strategy, since two separate Consumer Report surveys found that people who located their doctors through referrals were happiest with their choice.
If you have a particular health issue, doing research will allow you to make sure you and your doctor are on the same page, as far as the best way to treat your condition. However, when researching your health issue make sure to only use reputable websites. In one study 41% of doctors said patients often had incorrect health information that they had obtained from online sources.
Questions to Ask Yourself
Narrow down your list of potential doctors by asking yourself questions such as:
*Where would you be willing to go in order to see your doctor?
*If you are driving, then is parking an issue?
*How much does parking cost?
*Does your doctor's age matter? An older doctor will probably have more experience than a younger doctor. But an older doctor is probably closer to retirement than a younger doctor, which means you will end up repeating the doctor search sooner.
Questions to Ask the Doctor's Office Personnel
Call the doctor's office and ask the questions below. If they are unable to answer the questions and/or if they take a long time to get back to you, then you may want to take this into consideration when making your decision on your new doctor.
*One of the first questions you need to ask is whether or not the doctor is taking new patients.
*Which hospitals does the doctor use? You want to be sure that he/she uses one that you are comfortable going to in case you need to be hospitalized.
*Does the doctor see patients with urgent issues on the same day you call?
*Will the office process insurance claims or do you have to do the paperwork?
*Does the doctor/staff accept questions via email?
*What is the policy on cancellations?
Questions to Ask the Doctor
When you go in for your first office visit there are things you should note and questions you should ask.
*Note whether or not the office staff is professional and friendly. This is important since you will frequently interact with them.
*Does the doctor manage his/her patient care most of the time or does he/she prefer to send patients to specialists?
*Note whether the doctor's health management style is collaborative or a "take charge" style. You will want your doctor's style to be one you are comfortable with so that planning for your health care needs will be relatively effortless.
These guidelines are useful to follow whenever you need to look for a new doctor. If you find yourself in the position where you don't have any recommendations from anyone, then you can begin your search with an online physicians' directory. Take the time to make sure you find the right doctor especially since he or she may someday, literally, hold your life in their hands.
Published by J McPherson - Featured Contributor in Travel
I have been a nurse for over 20 years. For 10 of those years I had the honor of working with patients who were having to deal with death and dying. This particular job, while heartbreaking, gave me the gift...
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