Please help me find a kind, no-hassle doctor who isn't charging "membership" fees -- Cobb/Marietta (NW ATL), preferably (Atlanta: insurance)

[BradPittButWithMigraines]

Please help: My current doctor is dropping all who won't pay his new yearly member$$$$hip fee.

I need a general doctor who is kind and old-school, namely, a real mensch who cares more about his patients than his wallet.

For my decades of already-diagnosed (and multiple treatments tried) recurrent acne and severe migraines, I want from my general doc a script (antibiotic, pain med, whatever) when I ask for it, not after some controlling-B.S., god-complex song and dance; mumbo-jumbo, homeopathic voodoo; guinea-pig guesses; or unnecessary "follow-up" B.S. appointments that we both know I don't need but are booked to give him bonus money at the expense of my suffering.

Please feel free to send me a direct, private message on here, if you have a great doc but don't want to broadcast all of your details on the open forum.

The ice pick in my left forehead and right eye socket -- and I -- thank you.

[rcsteiner]

I haven't used him since 2012 when my company changed HMOs and made it more difficult, but I was always very fond of Dr. James Harvey in Smyrna just off Concord Road. He's part of Piedmont now, but he used to take walk-ins and such in the past. Not sure if that has changed.

http://www.piedmont.org/find-a-docto...rofile?id=5882

[Mal93]

Dr. Harrigan used to be at Piedmont on Cascade but moved to the Doctors Bldgs by Piedmont Hospital this year. I can't speak for his potential migraine /acne treatments, but he is
Lyme disease literate (as in the chronic condition, not a one-time bug bite issue)-- which is hard to find among "traditional" doctors. I like his no BS bedside manner and no pressure to try out meds you are uncomfortable with or undergo tests that may not be necessary. Unfortunately DEA regs may require followup visits or tests, but he will review that with you before you decide to try out a med. Insurance restrictions may also add to the complication.

I was the type who never went to a dr for decades unless I had a serious illness/kidney stone/broken bone. But now I do my regular checkups because I am not terrified I will be forced to undergo batteries of tests or sent to "specialists" for what seems like no reason other than to receive tons of bills. He is accepting new patients.

http://www.piedmont.org/find-a-docto...rofile?id=5891

[BradPittButWithMigraines]

Wow, two terrific-looking recommendations and doctor-profile pages! Thank you both, rcsteiner and Mal93, for the prompt recommendations and backstories!

As rcsteiner touched upon, the next step is making sure that one's insurance plan covers a given doc. For years, I had BCBS PPO (you know, BCBS/Anthem, the company that leaked 80 million patients' data), but, for the time being, I have an InHumana plan, which has weird exclusions and low reimbursements not discoverable, even with procedure codes in hand, before plan purchase. Insurance companies are like restaurants that refuse to put prices on the menu, and then shock you with an insane price for the baloney sandwich ordered with economy in mind.

If anyone else wants to chime in, to mention a great doc, please do!

[residinghere2007]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

I haven't used him since 2012 when my company changed HMOs and made it more difficult, but I was always very fond of Dr. James Harvey in Smyrna just off Concord Road. He's part of Piedmont now, but he used to take walk-ins and such in the past. Not sure if that has changed.

http://www.piedmont.org/find-a-docto...rofile?id=5882

Wanted to 2nd the recommendation of Dr. Harvey. I was a patient of his for 8 years and he is an excellent doctor and his PA is very good as well. Both my husband and I were patients.

We switched to Dr. Patrick Coleman at Atlantic Station - also Piedmont network and he is also a great doctor, very caring and listened to my concerns about my health. His staff is also very helpful as is Dr. Harvey's. We only switched to Dr. Coleman due to not wanting to travel all the way to Smyrna for appointments when we moved about a mile from downtown Atlanta. It wasn't far but I wanted a closer doctor and it took a while to find one I liked.

[InnerCitySoul]

Originally Posted by residinghere2007

Wanted to 2nd the recommendation of Dr. Harvey. I was a patient of his for 8 years and he is an excellent doctor and his PA is very good as well. Both my husband and I were patients.

We switched to Dr. Patrick Coleman at Atlantic Station - also Piedmont network and he is also a great doctor, very caring and listened to my concerns about my health. His staff is also very helpful as is Dr. Harvey's. We only switched to Dr. Coleman due to not wanting to travel all the way to Smyrna for appointments when we moved about a mile from downtown Atlanta. It wasn't far but I wanted a closer doctor and it took a while to find one I liked.

As a fairly new resident of downtown/O4W, I to am in the market for a local primary care physician.
I went to the piedmont.org website and read Dr. Coleman's bio and read many reviews...most of which
were effusive in their praise! Thank-you residinghere2007 for this most helpful information...I will be
dropping by the good doctor's office and joining his practice! Appreciate the good advice! Now to find a good, local dentist.

Paul

[BradPittButWithMigraines]

Thanks, residinghere2007, for the second vote for Dr. Harvey and the Dr. Coleman thumbs-up.

Glad to see that this info has also helped InnerCitySoul (and like him, I may be looking for a good dentist, too, since mine is at least a 40-mile RT and his office is not in-network with BCBS Dental PPO, which results in chicken-feed payments and well over $100 at every six-month cleaning).

[ATLTJL]

Dr. Coleman is the best!

I was referred to him by a friend who is also a physician. Nobody knows doctors like other doctors!

Not only is he a great doc, he is also pragmatic and likes to help you save money. When I told him a medication I was taking for acid reflux, he said, "let me write you a prescription for this medication instead...it's exactly the same thing, but it has a generic equivalent so you can save money if you like." I switched over and it worked the same.

He's also non-judgmental and will talk openly about what he thinks you need. I thought I needed a test that I don't think he agreed I needed, but he gave it to me anyway because he knew I needed the peace of mind of seeing a negative result. Psychology is an important component of healthcare, and I love Dr. Coleman.

I haven't seen his office since I got my new insurance, but I never had a problem there before (of course, I had excellent insurance, and it was never a problem anywhere). But I don't even care, I'd pay out of pocket to keep Dr. Coleman.

[residinghere2007]

For dentist, I went to a father/daughter team in downtown Atlanta since I worked downtown and it was easy to get to appointments during the day. They are Baumrind and Baumrind.

FWIW, I am VERY picky about doctors, dentists, and pediatric doctors for my kids and it takes a lot for me to stay with a doctor. Dr. Harvey, Dr. Coleman, and both Dr. Baumrinds are really good by my critical eye book lol.

Baumrind and Baumrind are in the Equitable building downtown. They are quick and efficient and the work they did wasn't as painful as some other dentists/dental hygenist I have been too in regards to cleanings and a filling I had to have done.