Primary Physician for student at college?

[Ginevra]

My DD is still under her pediatrician on our health insurance, but I want and need to change that soon. Our health plan renews in April and we will be hopefully on a different plan by then because our premiums have increased an insane amount. (Like - totally INSANE!) Anyway, when she went to the doctor over Christmas break, they told her she only gets one more well-visit because she is 18. I don't really understand that, exactly, but it doesn't matter - it's logical for her to have an adult GP as her primary care. But do you choose someone at the college location? Or hometown?

[regentrude]

For my DD, who is healthy and does not have any chronic conditions, we chose a hometown physician. She can schedule her preventive care and checkups for when she is home on break.

If she gets sick at school, her first stop would be Student heath on campus anyway.

If my student had to have regular doctor visits throughout the semester for maintenance of a chronic condition, I would find a doctor at the college location.

[creekland]

My guys technically have doctors with a family practice here, but only see them for issues, so not often at all.

 

Middle son goes to a school with plenty of doctors on campus, so he tends to check with them more often than here, esp since most of his issues have happened there at this point (still not many, but some).  He gets his flu shot there too.

 

Youngest's school doesn't have a resident physician - just a health clinic if he has needs.  He's like me and it would have to take a LOT to get him to see someone anyway, so it doesn't really matter.

 

I guess in your situation it would depend upon how many doctors are around where she goes to school and how often she expects to need them.  Choose what seems better for her at this time.

[G5052]

When I was in college I initially just scheduled my well visits when I was home with my parent's internist, and sometimes I'd see him over the summer if there was a longer-term issue with multiple visits. He's well into his 70's and is still practicing BTW!

 

Then I transferred schools and needed to get allergy shots and asthma medication (no on-campus clinic there), so I picked an internist.

 

My oldest is going local, but we actually kept him with the pediatrician because he started having some problems over the summer that required follow-up visits. The doctor said he treats a fair number of local college students that he's had as patients for years, so he said not to worry about it. This doesn't apply to mine, but he had a subspecialty in attention issues and teen anxiety and depression, so I'm not surprised that some just stay with him.

[Pawz4me]

The boys' pediatrician says he's happy to continue to see his patients through their college years if they want.  So we haven't bothered with transitioning DS to a family practitioner or internist.  It doesn't really seem to make sense to do that now, since we don't know where he'll settle once he's done with school.  We don't even know where he'll be this summer (maybe study abroad, maybe an internship locally or on the other side of the country or world).  At school he has all the campus health services available, which pretty much covers all primary care type stuff.

Edited February 12, 2016 by Pawz4me

[TechWife]

Even though they say they will only do one more well visit, will they see her for sick visits? Our pediatric practice said they will be glad to follow ds through college. He has actually been to the student health center more than his pediatrician due to a complex problem and they've done a great job with him. 

[fourisenough]

My DD was just told by her pediatric cardiologist that she needs to find an adult doc as he doesn't see anyone over 18. Because her cardio issue is minor & well-controlled with medication, we're going to move her to our internal med doc for routine & preventive care. She'll move across the country this fall for college, but we'll continue her care here. Her college has health services or she'll visit local urgent care, if necessary, while away at school.

[Laura Corin]

The university where I work insists that students have a local doctor, so that all the records are in place in case they are needed when the student is far away from family support.  

 

Calvin's university is the same.  If he needs to see his old doctor when he is at home he does, but the main doctor is at university, where all his records are and where there is no family to fill in any gaps in his history.

[Bluegoat]

I would say to the child - "you need an adult doctor - find out what is available/the rules are at the university, and make a decision about whether you want the person here or there.  Then, find someone you like."

[J-rap]

My dd's have both.  They have their hometown doctor (who they have had for quite awhile), but -- since they are home less and less -- they are slowly building up a record at a clinic near their college too.  This especially works out for my kids because they've been attending colleges in a big metro area where most of our relatives are and where they usually have summer jobs.  So, I'd say they are slowly transitioning away from our home clinic.  Also, I'm certain that they will not be living in our hometown once they are done with college and have their careers.  Our town is too small and definitely doesn't have what they will want.

 

I will say that it's very easy to send information back and forth these days from clinic to clinic, so it's worked out for us.

[Bootsie]

I would consider the following:

 

How often is your child at the school location vs. your home?  (Will you child spend summer and holidays at home)

How easy is it for your child to get health care at college?  Is there a health clinic on campus and what services are provided?

How likely is it that your child will return to your hometown after college?  How likely is it that your child will remain in college town?

How difficult would it be for your child to receive medical care in your home town without a primary care physician?  (Do you have a family physician that would be willing to see her if he/she isn't the primary care physician?)

Does your child have any chronic issues that need special care?  Referral to a specialist?

Are there any restrictions on your insurance that make having a primary care physician in your local community make more sense?  (Cheaper to see a physician within local groups)

How difficult is it to find a primary care physician in each location?  --  It has become increasingly difficult to find a primary care physician in our hometown; many have recently retired or closed their practice.

[Guest]

Even though they say they will only do one more well visit, will they see her for sick visits? Our pediatric practice said they will be glad to follow ds through college. He has actually been to the student health center more than his pediatrician due to a complex problem and they've done a great job with him.

I think they will see her for sick visits, because she needed to go for a rash. At first she told the receptionist she was "not sick" (because she only had a rash and was not feeling ill), which is when the receptionist said they only do one well-visit after age 18. Then, she said, well, it's not a well visit; I have a problem I need to come in for. So then, they scheduled it with no further comment. That is why I said I am confused about the statement about "only one well visit after 18."

[Guest]

I would consider the following:

 

How often is your child at the school location vs. your home? (Will you child spend summer and holidays at home)

How easy is it for your child to get health care at college? Is there a health clinic on campus and what services are provided?

How likely is it that your child will return to your hometown after college? How likely is it that your child will remain in college town?

How difficult would it be for your child to receive medical care in your home town without a primary care physician? (Do you have a family physician that would be willing to see her if he/she isn't the primary care physician?)

Does your child have any chronic issues that need special care? Referral to a specialist?

Are there any restrictions on your insurance that make having a primary care physician in your local community make more sense? (Cheaper to see a physician within local groups)

How difficult is it to find a primary care physician in each location? -- It has become increasingly difficult to find a primary care physician in our hometown; many have recently retired or closed their practice.

Your last point is important and I had not thought of that - it is true that some doctors have been retiring or not accepting new patients. Her college location is rural and there may not even be many new doctor choices.