How to Find a New Doctor After a Move

Congratulations on your successful relocation.

And now that you’ve settled in your new home and the memories of your moving experience begin to quickly fade away, it’s time to get your life back on track. From hunting for a new job (if you don’t already have one) to walking around your neighborhood in search of important landmarks, such as supermarkets, specialized shops, government institutions, entertainment centers, city parks, etc., there is an overwhelming number of things you need to take care of at your new location.

Luckily, most of them are not that urgent and you can easily move them down your priority list – you’ll eventually get to them as time passes. Thus said, there are also matters which are too important to put off for later and need your immediate attention, like finding the right school for your children, if applicable, or choosing a new primary care or specialized doctor.

To single out the doctor who’s right for you is not easy, and it shouldn’t be so for a reason – you really need to feel confident that the person you will entrust your health to is properly qualified and highly skilled to provide you with the care you deserve.

Where To Begin The Search For A New Doctor?

Suggestions And Recommendations

A good way to start the hunt for a new physician is to ask family members, friends and neighbors for suggestions. This is a common approach that may or may not help you in your search because it’s never that simple. Each patient’s needs are different and each doctor-patient relationship is unique – the doctor your best friend highly recommends and regards as an excellent specialist may not be the right one for you due to a number of reasons. It’s essential to ask why they like their respective doctors and take it from there.

Before your relocation, make sure you ask your current primary care physician if they know or can recommend a colleague of theirs in your new destination. Also, another great source of valuable information is to ask other local doctors or patients for a referral. If you feel stuck in your search, you may even call the chief of internal medicine at a local hospital and ask for advice – he or she will usually be flattered that you have asked for their opinion. A personal visit to such a hospital where you can ask clinical nurses directly for a recommendation could seem a bit excessive, but please note that nurses are the ones who work with various doctors every day and are well familiar with their personalities, competencies and peculiarities.

Online Resources

If you have health insurance, visit your insurance company’s website to search for doctors within your network. If you select a physician who’s not in the network, you will end up paying for your medical care out of your own pocket.

In case you don’t have a health insurance, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers options for free or low cost care. Go to www.healthcare.gov to find out more.

Of course, there are many websites where you can search for a primary care doctor, a specialist or a dentist. Here are just a few of them:

• American Medical Association
• Doctor Directory
• Nationwide search engine
• Online Directory

Important: Most experts agree that one of the best indicators of a physician’ competency and training level is the certification by the American Board of Medical Specialties. A board-certified practitioner has gone through strict residency followed by extensive training in the specialty. A doctor’s board status can be checked here.

What To Consider When Evaluating A Doctor?

Primary Care Doctor vs Specialized Doctor

The first thing you need to ask yourself is exactly what kind of medical care you are looking for because different kinds of doctors are needed at different times in life.

A primary care doctor helps you stay healthy and is the one you go to when you’re feeling sick. They are trained in treating and managing the usual medical problems, minor ailments through colds to most chronic conditions, like diabetes and hypertension. If necessary, they can direct you to the right specialist. It is recommended to start with such a physician and switch to a specialist later on should the need arise.

A specialized doctor has a considerably deeper skill set, but which, at the same time, is much narrower. And even though such a doctor usually serves a short-term purpose, like diagnosing a condition or prescribing a proper treatment, they can be the right one for you if you have special medical needs. Moreover, as time passes, most people will come to need care that is more and more specialized.

Experience vs Personality

Undoubtedly, you’ll want a physician who’s well educated, extensively trained and highly experienced. Additionally, you’ll want to select somebody whose personality traits and demeanor will suit you personally so that you feel comfortable with them each time you visit their office.

Ideally, you’re looking for a doctor who has a healthy mix of good experience and amiable personality.

The Final Choice

Once you have narrowed down your list of potential candidates, the following three actions will help you reach your final decision:

• 

  Visit the doctor’s website (if they have one). This can give you a number of clues about what kind of person they are. A friendly and informative site speaks of a transparent person who’s likely to be a good communicator as well. Any diplomas, awards and recognitions, special qualifications or research papers displayed online may help you get a better idea of their strengths and interests.

• Set up an introductory phone call. This is a smart thing to do as most doctors will agree to it. It will give you the chance to draw a more definitive conclusion – ask a few important questions and observe how they respond. The tone of their voice and the implied intonation are two of the signs which will tell you a lot. Do they sound like a person you could relate to?
• Visit their office personally. If applicable, this is by far the best option for you – nothing can tell you more about a person than meeting them face to face and talking with them for a while. First, get a good look around their office and see if it feels right. How is it organized? Do you feel convenient in it? Then proceed to have a little chat with the physician – even a short conversation will reveal much about their personality, medical style and competency. That is also the time to ask some vital questions, such as the working hours of the practice, whether the doctor is available on weekends, what happens if the doctor is fully booked, etc.

If the doctor responds vaguely to your questions or tries to brushes them off, you should end the conversation and then move on to the next one – hopefully someone who will suit your standards and medical needs better. You’re not obligated in any way to proceed with a specific physician if it doesn’t feel right for you.

Trust your instincts. The relationship you’re about to start with your new doctor is very important. In fact, it could well be the most significant professional partnership you’ll ever have in your life.

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