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How do you find a doctor in a new city?


sangtarah
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How would you go about evaluating a new doctor/office? Both for yourself and children?

 

Assume you don't know anyone to obtain a reccomendation from, and have an insurance approved list of hundreds of doctors.

 

I feel like I'm playing pin the tail on the donkey. I really want to get the right place on the first try.

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I would take the list of approved doctors and start looking at reviews online for the closest ones to where you live.  Usually I don't find a lot of reviews for doctors, but it's better than nothing if you don't know people who can give you recommendations.  

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I peruse all the rating sites.  I am particularly interested in the written reviews.  I have had a very bad experience with getting one doctor to recommend another- not my current doctor.  I trust patients usually more than doctors.  But again,  I will consider anyone with a three or above depending on specialty but would like to see written reviews.

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I lived in a small city in TX.   I needed surgery to fix a Hernia.  I called  an office in the largest hospital in the city and spoke with someone there. She gave me 2 or 3 names.  I was happy with the one I chose.

 

Now, with Internet, you might find a lot of information Online and I would go from there, but I would want to know that:

 

First, the M.D. is Board Certified in his/her specialty AND is on staff in the hospital where you would want to go, if you needed to be in a hospital.

 

If you are where there is a Teaching Hospital affiliated with a Medical School, those are generally outstanding hospitals.

 

OT: If you need a Dentist, an Orthodontist sees the work of many different dentists and knows the ones who do excellent work and the ones that don't.  That's how we found our Dentist. Our next door neighbors daughter was an Orthodontist. 

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Take out the list and a pin. Close your eyes, sing "round and round and round she goes, where she stops nobody KNOWS" and stick a name on the list. Google the name, and if they're a. close by and b. don't have any major red flags, go with that one.

 

Alternatively: Bake a whole bunch of pies, go door to door like a reverse welcome wagon. At each house, ask which doctors they use.

 

(Well, my methods will work, anyway, even if they're silly.)

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When we moved, I selected our doctor for convenience: a location easy to get to, and who offered same day walk in appointments for patiens with acute illness.

That worked out fine. I figured I could always reevaluate if I didn't like the doctor. We are still with the group, even though they moved, and doctors changed. The ability to be seen right away was sooo worth it, and much more important to me that worrying about "style" or "philosophy".

ETA: We have no chronic illnesses or special medical issues that would require a specialized doctor. I needed somebody for run-of the  mill stuff.

Edited by regentrude
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I looked at online reviews. I found a practice that had generally good reviews and then called and asked for whichever doc could see me first.

 

I have my first appt tomorrow so I don't have an answer about how that worked out but this very issue had me dragging my feet for 2 years. I made myself just call and make an appt. we'll see.

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Go to the local ER. Do not check in. Just ask if some of the nurses will recommend a primary care.

 

I used to ask floor nurses. But, now hospitalists have taken over. The floor nurses do not get to work with the primary care doctors out in the field much anymore.

 

I would want a doctor who still sees his own patients in the hospital. I would not want a strange doctor if I got really sick. Around here, only the concierge doctors and a very few still do that. It makes finding a new doctor almost impossible.

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I looked at online reviews. I found a practice that had generally good reviews and then called and asked for whichever doc could see me first.

 

I have my first appt tomorrow so I don't have an answer about how that worked out but this very issue had me dragging my feet for 2 years. I made myself just call and make an appt. we'll see.

Just an update- I met my new doctor today and really liked her. Of course, time will tell, but I was very impressed with her and all of her staff. Also found out they take walk ins and have a walk in clinic from 7-7 everyday and on Saturday. I had made appointments for my kids at a pediatricians office but I cancelled those and am just going to have them all see this family practice.

 

Another thought- I really wanted a doctor that also did the woman stuff. I didn't want to make a whole separate appt with another office to have a pap. Not all docs around here do that so that is a question I would ask if it matters to you. I don't need an OB anymore and I don't have any gyn problems so it is nice to get that all done at one place.

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Even before we move, I search for local homeschool groups to the new area and attempt to join them and then specify what I'm looking for and ask for recommendations (pediatrician who is okay with skipping some vaccines, etc). If the group has a requirement that you must show up in person first, I acknowledge that and then ask that contact if they have any suggestions. 

Best recommendations I have gotten have all come from homeschooling mom who were former nurses. Ask who they go to. 

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Assuming no specialized care was needed, I'd probably just look for a clinic that was close and convenient.  Then, I'd check it out with my own eyes, and also go online to see if there were any reviews on it.  Urgent care/after hour services at the facility would definitely be a plus.  

 

If all of that was good, I'd give them a call to make my first appointment.  If they were friendly and could get me in at a decent time, I'd give it a try.  If they were unfriendly or couldn't see me for awhile, I'd look elsewhere.

 

 

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