Clinic Choices – 5 Tips To Help You Select The Right Doctor : Finding a new doctor can be challenging, especially if you have special medical needs that require routine care and treatment. You need to feel comfortable with your doctor and certain that they have your best interests at heart.
With this in mind, the following tips have been designed to help you choose the right medical practitioner for you:
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Keep Your Needs in Mind
Many doctors provide services as general practitioners, meaning they are based in the community and see patients with all kinds of needs. However, these family physicians come in a wide range of specialties with most carrying out training in a more specific area of medicine. For example, a doctor who specializes in sports medicine primarily sees athletes and people with conditions related to sporting activities. If you have diabetes, meanwhile, you might want to look for a doctor who specializes in diabetes or one that sees lots of diabetic patients to ensure you’re receiving the right type of care for your specific needs.
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Consider Convenience
Convenience should be high on the priority list as it will play a part in whether you’re able to keep your appointments. Life is busy, and nobody has time to sit in a waiting room all day. So, when looking for a new doctor, you must make sure the clinic’s location and the usual wait times fit your schedule.
For example, does the clinic have the latest medical equipment necessary to conduct tests in-house or will you need to go to another facility to have them done? What about virtual visits? Does the doctor you’re considering offer virtual consults? In short, you need to find out if they value your time as much as you do.
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Get Recommendations
The easiest way to find a fantastic doctor is to ask friends and family for recommendations. Of course, everyone is different, and just because your aunt loves her doctor doesn’t mean he will be right for you, too. With that said, recommendations from people close to you give you a place to start vetting doctors to find the one that’s right for you.
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Check Your Health Insurance
Once you’ve identified a couple of doctors you think you might like, check with your health insurance company to determine if your choices are covered in your policy’s network. Most insurance companies will cover less or nothing at all if you go to a provider outside their network, so make sure beforehand that the doctor is in-network. To do this, you can call the number on the back of your insurance card and speak with a representative from your insurance company. Alternatively, you can visit their website to find a list of doctors they cover.
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Trust Your Instincts
Your doctor is the most important person besides yourself when it comes to your health. You must trust their judgment and be comfortable asking questions and talking about personal things.
After your first visit with a new doctor, ask yourself the following questions:
- Did I feel at ease with this doctor?
- Did they seem interested in getting to know me?
- Did they answer all my questions?
- Did they explain things clearly?
If the answers to these questions aren’t what you think they should be, or something seemed “off” during the visit, this might not be the right doctor for you. Trust your gut and look for another medical professional.
Remember, your doctor will be the most important person in your fight for good health and long life, so be sure you choose one that fits your needs and your personality best.
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