Look for a doctor who
accepts your health insurance. Read the materials provided by your carrier and/or talk to
your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) representative.
If you belong to a managed care
plan, get a list of doctors who work with the plan. Health Maintenance Organizations
(HMOs) and Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) are two types of managed care plans.
The doctor(s) you see now may be on your HMO or PPO list.
When Looking for a New Doctor
Make a list of things you want in a doctor,
such as location, gender, age, etc.
Ask relatives and friends for doctors that
have given them good medical care and whom they trust.
Find out if the doctor if licensed by the
state he or she practices in. Check with your local medical society. Find out, too, if the
doctor is board-certified or board-eligible in the specialty in which he or she practices.
To find out, call the American Board of Medical Specialists (ABMS) at 1-800-776-2378.
Find out if a doctor is taking new
patients. Check with your health plan or call the doctor's office.
Interview several doctors before you decide
on the one you want. Look for a doctor whom you can relate to and who meets your
expectations of how medical decisions are made (the doctor alone,
you alone, you and the doctor together).
Ask about office hours, staffing, fees, and
how long you must wait for an appointment. Find out how many patients the doctor schedules
to see in one hour.
Ask about the office policy regarding
payment. Ask whether you must pay for your visit at that time or whether you can be billed
and pay later.
Find out what other doctors serve as
backups when the doctor is away. Ask who cares for you after office hours.
Find out which hospital the doctor sends
patients to and if your health insurance is accepted there.
Ask if prevention services such as exercise
and nutrition programs are covered by the health plan the doctor accepts.
HEALTH AT HOME - Your Complete Guide to Symptoms, Solutions, and Self-Care © 1999 by Don R. Powell. American Institute for Preventive Medicine.
Date updated 02/01/99