Whether a headache or chest pain, you approach them first. Your primary care doctor is probably the most important healthcare professional in your life.
So, it makes sense that you take an adequate amount of time in research to find a physician whom you can trust and rely on.
To help you with that, here are 6 simple tips to find a good primary care doctor whom you can trust:
1. Ask your friends and family members. Ask them which doctor do they see. Consider their recommendations and feedback. If they trust and are happy with their doctors, this is a good sign.
2. Use the internet but do not blindly trust them. Google “primary care near me”; you will have a list of clinics and doctors. Consider these names; do more research on them. Check out their websites and read their reviews. Doing your research is important instead of searching “primary care NC near me” and blindly picking the first name that comes.
3. Factor the location. Yes, you want to find a good doctor. But you don’t want their clinic to be too far from your home. On good days, you might not have too much problem in visiting them. But when you’re sick, that’s a whole different conversation. So, find a doctor whose clinic is nearby.
4. Make sure they are adequately qualified and have experience. This is quite a common factor, but it’s worth mentioning. You want to find someone whose expertise matches your needs.
5. Ensure the doctor or clinic is in-network. Meaning, ensure your health plan has you covered. Different insurance plans have their own list of doctors and clinics under coverage. If not, your out-of-network care can end up costing you more. You can find this out through your insurance provider’s website or by calling the clinic.
6. How comfortable you are with them is an important factor to consider. And this you will only know when you actually meet them. So, pay a visit and talk to the doctor. Talk to them. Figure out how well you two connect, if they match your needs, how easy or difficult was booking an appointment. Audit their answers. See if their responses are satisfactory. Do this with several physicians. And then pick one who you find more trustworthy; who you’re more comfortable with.
These are six tips to help you find the right primary care doctor.
It requires some research. But beyond a point, you’ll have to go with your gut and settle on one doctor. If down the line things don’t go well with them, you can switch to another doctor.
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