How to Find a Family Practice Physician
Finding a family practice physician is not difficult, but finding one who has the reputation you desire with a personality that works well with yours can be challenging. If you are looking for a family practice physician, be prepared to do some research and interview a few to find the right fit. Doing this before you start making doctor's appointments will help you have faith that your doctor is caring for your family as you would. It will also help you from having to search for a new doctor when you have an illness and immediate need.
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Instructions
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Ask friends and family for referrals or opinions of those they would not recommend. This is valuable information from personal experience. Use it as a starting point.
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Create a list of recommended physicians.
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Call your insurance carrier. Provide them with the names on your list. Determine who is covered by your insurance.
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Check third-party reviews at doctorscorecard.com or MDnationwide.org. See if any on the list have red flags you should be concerned with such as lawsuits or complaints.
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Call the doctors you are interested in and schedule an appointment to meet them and tour the office. Be prepared with any questions you have and use the meeting to get a feeling for the office flow. Talk to people in the waiting room to judge how long wait periods are. You will want to see if receptionists and nurses are friendly and if patients seem happy to be there. Talk to the doctor about your concerns about his experience and philosophies regarding medical care such as diagnostics, emergencies and on-call procedures.
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