This post is part of my Wellness Wednesday series brought to you in sponsored partnership with Aurora Health Care.
Last summer, my husband had an unexpected job change that put him at a new employer with a new benefits package. The insurance company that his employer used did not include the health network we had been with for as long as we’ve been married. As sad as I was to have to find new doctors for Jay and myself, it broke my heart to tell Josh that he could no longer see the pediatrician he had been seeing since about an hour after he was born. Finding a new doctor can be tough, whether it’s because of a change in insurance or because of the need to see a specialist in a new area.
Since your primary care doctor/physician (or PCP) is your go-to for everything health related, it’s important to find one you are very comfortable with. They will be the one you see most often for everything from your annual physical to immunizations. They can help with short-term health concerns as well as keep a running record of your long term health statistics. They are also your first step when you have a health question and are unsure what the next step should be.
Tips for selecting a primary care physician:
Ask around. Pretty much everyone you know sees a doctor at least for a check up. (And if they don’t, get on them about that!) Friends and family are usually pretty honest with what they like and don’t like about their own doctors so use them as a resource. I joke that, when I was pregnant, I asked the parents of my students who they had as a pediatrician and it seemed like all of the ones who had a parenting style I wanted to emulate went to the same doctor. He was the one I chose and Josh saw him for 12 years. I found my PCP because my husband had been seeing him for years before we got married. I liked him so much, I recommend him to my parents as well.
Check your insurance provider’s network. Once you have a name or two, make sure they are covered by your insurance policy. You don’t want any surprises when the bill arrives! Or perhaps a doctor is listed there that you hadn’t considered yet.
Use online tools. Many healthcare systems have online tools that can help you narrow down doctors who might be a good fit depending on your needs.
Check if the PCP you are considering meets your needs. Is there office located nearby? Do they have office hours that will fit with your schedule? Can they accommodate any special needs you or your family might have? You’ll want to chose a PCP who has the training and experience that best meets your needs as well. Most PCPs fall under one of the following categories:
- Family medicine — Generalists with training in pediatrics, gynecology and geriatric medicine.
- Internal medicine — Specialists in preventive care and diagnosing and treating complex illnesses in adults.
- Pediatrics — Specialists who focus on caring for newborns, babies, children and teens.
- Obstetrics and gynecology — Specialists in women’s care along with prenatal, labor and delivery services for pregnant women.
- Physician assistant — Works under a doctor’s supervision to perform exams, diagnose diseases and prescribe medicine.
- Nurse practitioner — Nurses with special training. Working as part of a professional team, they perform exams, diagnose diseases and prescribe medicine.
Meet them in person. While researching a doctor’s qualifications and getting recommendations are definitely important, in the end it matters most that YOU are comfortable with your final choice. It is perfectly acceptable to request an appointment to meet your possible PCP before making a change. I met with Josh’s pediatrician while I was still pregnant just to make sure that we were on the same page about a few things and get a general feeling of what he was like before the craziness of those first well baby visits.
Being prepared with a PCP means you have someone to call or see when the unexpected arises or when a minor medical issue comes up! Find an Aurora doctor here.
Thanks for the great tips. I haven’t been to a doctor in YEARS and I really do need to find one.
Great tips for finding a new doctor. I always ask friends for recommendations and then compare those recommendations with what is covered by my insurance.
When it comes to my kids – I’m on it! But I need to stop neglecting the appointments that I need to make for myself. Your tips are helpful.
Having the right primary care can help a lot. We were with family practice for quite a while but I have switched over to internal medicine now.
Finding a new doctor can be so stressful! Before the internet and having access to online reviews, I doctor hopped until I found the right one. That took years! These are all great points to consider before choosing a new PCP.
I just recently had to find a new one. It’s no picnic! These are great tips!
We just moved, and I am in the middle of finding a new doc. It can be frustrating, but there are really a lot of great online resources. Thanks for the great tips!
It’s so important to find a doctor that you are comfortable with. I love my doctor and I don’t even know what I would do if she would retire or move to another network. Before seeing her, I dreaded trips to the doctor.
When you look for a new doctor, it is definitely important to make sure your insurance covers them. These are some great tips!
These are such great tips! I think it’s so important to have a doctor you’re comfortable with. It really does make a huge difference! These are great tips – it’s worth taking the time to find one you like – couldn’t agree more!
Right after a prolonged hospital stay I found out my primary no longer accepted my insurance, and the hospital assigned me a primary and to be honest I do not feel comfortable with this Doctor and never went back, I am in the process of looking for a new primary now and it is so hard! I love my original primary and wish I could have stayed with her as I had been with her for over 15 years at that point.
I just went through this, switching primary physicians. You would think it would be as easy as a phone call, but that was definitely not the case.
We FINALLY switched pediatricians. Our initial one was fine, totally fine. I just felt like she never committed and never gave a definitive diagnosis. It drove me crazy. I wanted to leave the office knowing what was wrong with my kids and how I could help make it better. These tips are great for finding a new doctor. Getting to meet the doctor in person helped us make a good choice.
We tend to maintain the same doctors for different specializations, however, we sometimes have a need to find another doctor to ask for a second opinion. (That is rare though because we’ve had the same doctors managing our chronic illness for years.) I also see the need for a new doctor when moving out of state. These are great tips though. I will make sure I share.
It’s been a long time since I last needed to look for a new doctor. It’s really important that you meet them in person and talk to them. There’s nothing better than getting to know a doctor that will help you with your health.
It’s really nice to find a doctor that you can work with towards becoming healthier, but that’s easy sometimes. These tips are definitely going to help!
Thank you for your tips. I hope though that we won’t find a need for this, unless our doctor moves out of state, we’re staying with him. The tips you provided will really help us choose the right doctor for our needs, should it come to a point that we need to find one.
Great tips. I dont want a traditional doctor tho. I definitely want to find a holistic doctor to be my doctor.
We often get confused when it comes to searching a new doctor. This topic is indeed important to be discussed. These tips are so useful.
These tips are really nice and helpful. People who are searching a good doctor should check the reputation of the doctor before taking their services.
I like that you mention to ask around and get referrals for a primary care physician. My sister is looking to hire a new doctor and needs tips. I’ll be sure to talk to her about getting referrals from anyone and everyone.
Thank you for what you had to say here on finding a new doctor! Just like you explained, asking your friends and family for recommendations is a great place to start because you can trust their opinions. My fiance and I are thinking about moving to the east coast once I graduate from school, and I do not have very much family out there. Because of that, I will make sure to check online ratings and reviews to find someone who will be great for my family. Thanks again!