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Old 12-06-2015, 02:03 PM
 
Location: TX
4,051 posts, read 5,610,643 times
Reputation: 4739

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I have a friend who was trying to find a primary doctor this year who had problems. She knew I knew how to look up doctors to find out training, certification, patient ratings, etc., but she wanted one fairly close to where she lived. I found some possible qualified candidates for her, but all weren't taking on new patients. She probably would have had better luck finding one if she was willing to go out of her local area. Luckily, I found my primary years ago when more doctors were open for new patients. With changing conditions in medical health insurance coverage, things are probably in flux right now. Some of the insurance companies who participated in the new ACA coverage lost money on new patients and are considering opting out. When there's a lot of changes going on, doctors may be hedging their bets.
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Old 12-06-2015, 02:36 PM
 
Location: Central IL
20,726 posts, read 16,190,043 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Albert_The_Crocodile View Post
I think a lot of it is luck. I don't place a lot of stock in referrals by friends, because how many people know how to tell the difference between a good doctor and a bad doctor? Most people don't. They know they get along with the guy, and he makes them feel listened to, and he prescribed a good antibiotic when their kid had an ear infection, so bingo - he must be a good doctor! But there's a lot more than that that goes into being a truly good doctor, and most people never have occasion to find out until something comes up that's unusual or difficult to diagnose or treat. I swear, most people spend more time and effort trying to find the best possible mechanic for their car than the best possible doctor for themselves.

If you don't have children, one thing you do want to do is try to find an internist, as opposed to a general practitioner. They tend to be much more thorough in my experience, and more comprehensively trained. I lucked into getting the best doctor I ever had back in the 90s when my regular doctor was sick, and one of his colleagues filled in and took his appointments that day. I was so blown away by the night and day difference between the two, I switched doctors right then and there. Frank remained my doctor for 16 years, until I moved out of state.

Then, I lucked into another incredible internist down here when we had to spend 2 years "doctor shopping" for a new PCP for my wife, who is disabled and multi-morbid. We went through about a half dozen completely mediocre space-fillers until we finally located one who had good reviews about an hour's drive from here. I went with my wife to her first appointment, which took over an hour, and on the way out, I told my wife, "OK, I found a new Frank." Trouble was, she wasn't taking new patients by the time I made the switch a few months later, but she made en exception because she liked me and I was the spouse of a current patient. So I got in, and feel extremely fortunate.

Best advice I can give is look at internists first, don't be afraid to keep trying new doctors until you find one who just stands out head and shoulders above the rest, and try to focus your search on doctors who are highly reviewed by their own peers. Doctors know who the good doctors are. Don't settle for just whomever the insurance company sends you to - there's nothing more important than your health, and when the chips are down and you have something that needs expert care, a good doctor makes all - and I do mean literally all - the difference. Keep banging away until you find the right one.

In your shopping, you'll often find that the ones who are most highly reviewed are the hardest to get in to see - that's a good sign. Ask if they have a waiting list, and try to get on it. And don't feel shy about calling every week or two to see if they're taking new patients. It's your health - fight for it.
While I do agree that internists are often better in terms of treating many chronic illnesses people tend to get in this modern age (e.g., diabetes, hypo/hyper-thyroid, high blood pressure, etc.), I'm cutting back on "specialists". I was getting far too many appointments and expenses by separately seeing a pcp, gyno, psych, etc. for thyroid issues, female stuff, and antidepressants. Of course I continue to see an ophthalmologist for eye issues and derma for basal cell cancer but a good PCP is perfectly capable of treating thyroid stuff, stable antidepressant meds, and basic gyno care. And, much cheaper than the double or even triple basic rate for specialists.
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Old 12-06-2015, 03:19 PM
 
Location: Caverns measureless to man...
7,588 posts, read 6,572,777 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by reneeh63 View Post
While I do agree that internists are often better in terms of treating many chronic illnesses people tend to get in this modern age (e.g., diabetes, hypo/hyper-thyroid, high blood pressure, etc.), I'm cutting back on "specialists". I was getting far too many appointments and expenses by separately seeing a pcp, gyno, psych, etc. for thyroid issues, female stuff, and antidepressants. Of course I continue to see an ophthalmologist for eye issues and derma for basal cell cancer but a good PCP is perfectly capable of treating thyroid stuff, stable antidepressant meds, and basic gyno care. And, much cheaper than the double or even triple basic rate for specialists.
That's a good reason for seeing an internist rather than a GP or NP. While I suppose you could technically call an internist a specialist because they are trained in internal medicine, in reality they're a specialized generalist. They're a GP who is trained to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases common to adults. The older you are, the more likely it becomes that an internist is better suited for your needs than a family practitioner.

You sound as though you know what you need a doctor for now, but as you ease into and through your 60s, you're going to acquire new things that you need a doctor for. Who's better suited to prevent, diagnose, and treat those things before they become larger issues and require a specialist - an internist who is trained to deal with exactly those issues, or a family practitioner who's really good at treating ear infections in 6-year olds?

I've never found internists to be any more expensive than a GP, and in fact they've saved me money. In both my and my wife's experience, they have proven to be more thorough and well-versed in the kinds of things we grownups need to see doctors for. We've reached the point where for us, it's literally a no-brainer. No matter where we move, an internist will always be our first choice.
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Old 12-06-2015, 03:34 PM
 
753 posts, read 1,096,206 times
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I know already that an internist is the right kind of PCP for me, too. Maybe if I live long enough I might need a doctor who specializes in geriatrics instead, but that isn't looking too likely at this point. :-(
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Old 12-06-2015, 05:32 PM
 
19,037 posts, read 25,108,565 times
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My recommendation is to ask a nurse!

Nurses who work in a hospital environment see it all.
They see which doctors "screw-up" on a regular basis.
They see which doctors have a higher than average mortality rate among their patients.
They see which doctors act like holier-than-thou demi-gods, but have no feeling for their patients' needs or wants.

If you don't personally know any hospital-based nurses, ask your friends, coworkers, neighbors and relatives if they know any.
While it would be unethical for these nurses to tell you to avoid certain doctors, they are usually willing to reveal which doctors they would select for themselves, and that is...very telling.


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