15 Questions To Ask Before Choosing a Family Medicine Doctor
If you are looking for a family medicine doctor, it is important to do your due diligence. You need to make sure the medical professional you choose is experienced and has a good reputation.
With that being said, in this post, we will reveal the main factors to consider when choosing a family medicine doctor.
What is a family medicine doctor?
It’s important to look at a primary care physician vs family doctor comparison so you can truly understand what a family medicine doctor is.
A family medicine doctor provides care to individuals of all ages. These generalists treat chronic conditions, provide preventative care, assess symptoms, and let people know when seeing a specialist is required.
Some of the services they provide are as follows:
• Treatment of common chronic conditions
• Routine checkups, such as child visits and well-baby visits
• Healthy lifestyle counseling
• Health risk assessments
• Screening tests
• Immunizations
15 Questions to ask before choosing a family medicine doctor
To give you an understanding of the factors to consider when choosing a family medicine doctor, we are going to take a look at 15 key questions:
1. How much experience do you have? – Everyone needs to start somewhere, but you don’t want to put your family’s health in the hands of someone who has only just started practicing.
2. Is my insurance policy valid here? – The last thing you want to do is receive a big bill at the end of your treatment and discover you’re not covered by your insurance.
3. How do I book an appointment? – A lot of family doctors offer online and in-app booking, which makes life much easier.
4. Is there parking available? – Convenience is key, especially if you are heading to doctor’s appointments on your lunch break. Find out whether or not parking must be paid for.
5. Do you only admit patients to certain hospitals? – If you fall ill or you need to see a specialist, which hospital will you be admitted to? If the doctor only works with a specific hospital network, make sure this aligns with your insurance plan.
6. What certification do you have? – Ask the doctor about their training and the qualifications they have so you can be sure that they are certified.
7. Do you specialize in any specific medical areas? – Some family doctors further specialize in specific medical areas, for example, cardiology or diabetes. If you or a family member has a specific condition, this will be important to you.
8. What days and hours do you take appointments? – Some doctors will offer out-of-hour appointments to make it convenient for those who work.
9. What sort of preventative care do you advise? – The best doctors will also offer preventative care, which focuses on preventing illnesses rather than only treating them when they arise.
10. What is your availability like? – How long will you need to wait to book an appointment with a doctor? No one wants to be waiting weeks to be seen.
11. Do you have any out-of-hour services? – If you have a medical emergency, is help available? Does the doctor have an emergency contact number?
12. Do you make house calls? – This is especially important for parents with young children. House calls can be much more convenient and, in some cases, essential.
13. Will language be an obstacle to communication? – If English is not your first language, find out more about how this will be handled to ensure your healthcare does not suffer.
14. Do you offer virtual appointments? – Virtual appointments can be incredibly convenient if you’re unable to drive, away from home, or time-poor. While they are not always suitable, the option of virtual appointments is certainly welcomed.
15. Who takes care of patients when you are away? – A doctor cannot work 24/7. So, who will take care of patients when they are on vacation, or they are unwell themselves?
These are the sorts of questions you should ask to get a better understanding of the family medicine doctor and his or her experience. You will also learn about the logistical side of things and how easy it is going to be for you to get an appointment when you need one.
Important stats related to family medicine doctors
To help provide further clarity regarding this role, here are some interesting facts about family physicians so you can get a better understanding.
• There are currently approximately 102,930 family medicine physicians across the US
• The mean annual wage is $235,930
Why switching family medicine doctors is difficult
If you have tried to switch doctors before, you may have come into a few troubles. After all, you need to make sure your new family medicine doctor is someone you can trust and rely on. You also need to get your medical records and data from your existing doctor and present them to your new doctor. Furthermore, make sure your new family medicine doctor is covered by your insurance policy.
Use technology to give yourself the best chance of finding a family medicine doctor
A technology-based system like Doc360° enhances your efforts to find the best family medicine doctor based on the right data. You can search for a family medicine doctor in your area, and you will be presented with all of the relevant medical professionals in your area. They will have a rating, which is aggregated based on many online sources, ensuring it is accurate as possible.
Choosing the perfect family medicine doctor
As you can see, a lot needs to be considered when looking for a family medicine doctor. After all, you need to make sure the doctor you select is someone you trust and feel comfortable with. If you ask the 15 questions we have provided above, you can give yourself the best possible chance of finding the doctor you need.
