Help Finding Doctor (Sacramento, Davis: health insurance, school, live in)

[bliss61]

Can anyone please help me?

I am newly retired to Sacramento...not old enough for Medicare but have ChampVA..a government paid health insurance program. It pays for all medically necessary care.

In spite of that, I have called at least 10 doctors/medical clinics to ask to become a new patient and not one answered my calls in the 3 business days.

Is this unusual? Is it hard to find a doctor in the area? Are they all unfamiliar with my plan?

I have no unpaid medical bills; I always pay my portion very promptly, despite some really bad bookkeeping on their part.

I just need a basic doctor and routine lab work.

Any recommendations? Is there a local referral number?

Thanks

[edwardius]

In general, you shouldn't be having problems locating a doctor in Sacramento.

I went to ChampVA website here where they tell you how to locate a provider.

CHAMPVA - Health Administration Center

What they suggest is that you contact doctors who accept either Medicare or Tricare and ask if they will accept ChampVA.

You can find doctors who accept medicare by zip code or city here.

http://www.medicare.gov/Physician/Se...cianSearch.asp

and you can look up doctors who accept Tricare by zip code here.

TRIW - Provider Directory - Search Provider (http://www.triwest.com/unauth/apps/OnlineProviderDirectory/SearchProvider.aspx?id=Location - broken link)

I hope that helps.

[bliss61]

I will try that..

You are kind to do so much research for me.

[edwardius]

I hope it worked out for you.

[gth617]

PMFJI... I have a related question. I currently live in Massachusetts, and we have this great website where we can look up info on any Doctor (their school, internship locations, board certifications, publications, and malpractice case info for the prior 10 years.)

Here it is: Mass.Gov - Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine

Is there anything like this available for California Doctors?

[camilleyun]

bliss,
I am taking at job at UC Davis Medical Center in a few months. I am an internist but will be training to be a cardiovascular specialist (3 year training program). You could try
Primary Care at UC Davis Medical Group

this is a link listing different locations for primary care clinics that are part of the UC Davis system.

[camilleyun]

gth,
I believe the California Medical Board has something similar...I mean a site that lists disciplinary actions against doctors. If you Google California Medical Board you will be able to find it.

As a physician, I feel compelled to remind you all that a doctor having been sued once or twice means practically nothing at all in terms of the competence of the doctor. A recent research study found that 65% or so of all physicians will be sued at least once in their careers...and there definitely are not THAT many careless/stupid/uncaring physicians. For specialties like OB/gyn and surgeons, I am sure the number is higher (and lower for some of the less procedural/invasive type specialties). I personally have never been sued, but many very competent doctors have been sued...particularly those who do OB/Gyn, neurosurgery, orthopedic or general surgery. Our society has lawsuit-mania. That said, if a doctor has a whole slew of malpractice suits, then yes, I can see why you would want to know.

Most docs are more than happy to tell you where they did med school + residency, if you can't find it online anywhere and you just want to know. Ditto for board certification (though often the board certification stuff is stated on their signs/office doors, though it might be hard to figure out what all those acronyms stand for!).