Posted by Medicare Made Clear Tue, Feb 20, 2018 @ 09:00 AM
Who knows you best? Your spouse? Son or
daughter? Best friend? If your primary care doctor doesn’t make the list, you
could be missing out on one of the most important relationships when it comes
to your health and well-being.
Your primary care doctor may be more than just
a doctor. Over time, he or she may learn the nuances of your medical history,
your response to medications, your personality, your lifestyle and your
treatment preferences.
That intimate knowledge can make a big
difference to your health. Studies show that
when people’s access to primary care doctors improves, their risk of dying of
cancer, heart disease and strokes declines.
“Primary care doctors help you move through
the continuum of life,” said Dr. Efrem Castillo, chief medical officer of
UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement, who practiced as a primary care
doctor for 20 years. “As we get older, our needs change and our functional ability
changes. It’s nice to have someone who knows you guide you through the health
care system as that happens.”
Here are 10 tips on how to choose a primary
care doctor.
- Ask around.
The first step to finding a great doctor is to
talk to your family and friends about their great doctors. A
recommendation from someone you trust is a great way to identify a doctor you
may want to consider. But remember, each person is different. Just because your
neighbor or your best friend loves their doctor doesn’t mean that the same
doctor is right for you.
- Map it out.
Since you’ll be visiting your primary care
doctor for everyday health needs, it’s important that he or she be located
somewhere convenient to you. You won’t want to travel very far when you’re not
feeling well. And if your doctor’s office is conveniently located, you may be
more inclined to keep appointments for physicals and other preventive care when
you’re healthy.
- Make sure you’ve
got coverage.
Once you’ve identified some possible
candidates, check whether they work with your Medicare coverage. If you have
Original Medicare, call the doctor’s office and ask if he or she accepts
Medicare patients. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan (Part C),
call your insurance provider or check your plan’s website to see if the doctor
is in the plan’s provider network. Plans may charge more if you see a doctor
outside the network, and some won’t cover out-of-network care at all, so it’s
important to take this step before scheduling an appointment.
- Do a quality
check.
Chances are you wouldn’t hire someone to make
repairs in your home without doing a little research into the quality of their
work. So why would you choose a doctor without doing the same?
You can use the Physician Compare tool
on Medicare.gov to see if your doctor has participated in any activities that
indicate he or she provides high-quality care. You may also check to see
whether your doctor is board-certified through the Certification Matters site,
which the American Board of Medical Specialties maintains. Board-certified
primary care doctors have not only met the licensing requirements of their
states, but also passed comprehensive exams in internal medicine. Doctors also
have to keep up with the latest developments in their fields to maintain their
certification.
- Place a cold
call.
Castillo advises that patients call a
potential doctor’s office for a first impression.
“You can tell a lot by the phone etiquette of
the office staff,” Castillo said. “Ask if they’re taking new patients and see
how they answer. If they say, ‘The next appointment is in 90 days, have a great
day,’ that’s a lot different than saying, ‘He’s really busy, and we always make
time for existing patients, so it might take us some time to fit a new patient
in.’”
- Ask about
logistics…and consider scheduling an in-person meeting.
On that initial call, Castillo also recommends
asking about office practices to get a sense of how it runs. How does the
office handle prescription refills? How do they let you know about test
results? Can you email your doctor or schedule appointments online? Will the
office call to remind you if you’re overdue for an annual screening or a flu
shot?
When he was in practice, Castillo said some
patients would ask for quick in-person conversations before making an
appointment. Not all doctors will be able to accommodate such requests, but it
doesn’t hurt to ask.
- Keep your needs
in mind.
Every person has unique health care needs, and
those needs change as people age. Castillo suggests asking your doctor about
his or her specialties or areas of interest.
“Some primary care doctors are really good at
sports medicine, but if you’re not a serious athlete in your senior years, that
may not be helpful to you,” Castillo said. “Some doctors, on the other hand,
may have a special interest in diabetes care or have a large population of
diabetics in their practice. Those are things to ask when you call.”
And if you have multiple complex medical issues,
you may benefit from seeing a geriatrician, Castillo said. Geriatricians
specialize in the care of older patients.
- Look at the
bigger picture.
At the first visit, it’s important to make
sure your doctor’s philosophy of care lines up with your own. Consider asking
questions such as: Why did the doctor decide to go into primary care? What is
his or her favorite thing about being a doctor? What does he or she wish more
patients would do after they leave his or her office?
If your doctor’s outlook on patient care
meshes nicely with your preferences, you may be more likely to follow his or
her recommendations in between appointments. So take this into consideration
when deciding whether to stick with a doctor following your first appointment.
- Avoid culture
shock.
Every culture has its own customs, ideas and
taboos about medical care, so it’s important to find a doctor who not only
speaks your language, but is sensitive to your cultural and religious
convictions.
“In some cultures, it’s very easy to joke
around, and in other cultures, that is just not the way you do things,”
Castillo said. “It’s important that your doctor is culturally aware.”
- Trust your gut.
Your primary care doctor is going to help
solve problems and be an important advocate for your health. It’s critical that
you trust him or her and feel comfortable asking questions.
The American Academy of Family
Physicians recommends that after your first appointment,
you ask yourself the following questions:
- Do you feel at ease with this
doctor?
- Did you have enough time to ask
questions?
- Did he or she answer all your
questions?
- Did he or she explain things in a way you understood?
If something seems off, trust your instincts
and look for a new doctor, Castillo advised.
“You should be comfortable with your primary
care doctor,” Castillo said. “It’s really about what you expect and need. It’s
okay to say, ‘This person is not the right fit for me.’”
For more information, explore MedicareMadeClear.com or
contact the Medicare helpline 24 hours a day, seven days a week at
1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), TTY 1-877-486-2048.
EGSM1785
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