Re: How do you begin looking for a new doctor?

LindaSal · ‎05-15-2014

My doctor is retiring in April but he has a young female physician that has been with him for about a year. A group did purchase the practice but she is staying on or at least that is what I've been told. I will miss my doctor, he is very sweet and quite knowledgable.

My sister on the other hand called a local hospital and asked if any doctors in the immediate area were taking new patients that they were aware of. She was able to find a new physician that way.

quilter61 · ‎03-22-2010

When my doctor decided to retire, he made sure that all his patients had new doctors. In fact the doctor he referred me to called right away to set up an appointment. I am surprised that your doctor did not do this for you.

ciao_bella · ‎03-13-2010

@songbird wrote:
My doctor moved away, but he left a recommendation, so I went there. I like the new one. He's not GP, just an internist (the new GP) but he's pretty good.

When I read your statement about the doctor 'just an internist', I got the impression/opinion that you didn't think an internist was equal to or better than a General Practitioner. Actually, the opposite is true.

Here are some of the differences between the two doctors and their qualifications:

Internists
Focus on adults, typically 18 years or older. They specialize in managing complex, multi-system diseases that affect adults, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Internists also have a deep understanding of common adult health conditions.

General practitioners
Also known as family doctors, they treat patients of all ages, from infants to the elderly. They focus on preventative care, chronic illnesses, and patient education. General practitioners are equipped to handle common illnesses and minor ailments.

Here are some other differences between internists and GPs:
Training
Internists undergo additional years of training to develop a deeper understanding of adult diseases.

Collaboration
Internists often collaborate with other specialists to manage complex cases, while general practitioners often refer patients to specialists for further evaluation or treatment.

Patient care
Internists can help patients maintain their health by advising diet, fitness, and lifestyle changes. GPs may choose to practice family medicine, which involves forming bonds with patients and their families over time.

Procedures
GPs may perform more outpatient procedures, such as skin biopsies, IUD placement, and joint injections

Cinderella is proof that a new pair of shoes can change your life!

Estellee · ‎07-12-2011

@May5 It's tough when a doctor we like retires. I go to my insurance co website and pick out some names then I do a search on google for patient reviews. Good luck!

smoochy · ‎03-10-2010

internal medicine is a specialty with its own residency requirements and board certification. Definitely a step up from a general practitioner. Depending on your medical problems and age, you might be better off with an internist-rather than a general doctor whose practice is quite diversified.

SPARTY FAN

manny2 · ‎05-24-2010

@SilleeMee wrote:
I went to my health insurance network and looked for one there. Then I went to Yelp dot com to see what other people had to say about the doctors I was looking at.

ETA-
I need to mention that when I looked for doctors in my network, I chose the ones closest to me. I'm not one for driving long distances just to see a doctor. I hate driving anywhere.

I do the same thing @SilleeMee . You can also go to Healthgrades and Vitals. You can see if they have any malpractice, reviews etc....

Carmie · ‎10-25-2010

@songbird wrote:
My doctor moved away, but he left a recommendation, so I went there. I like the new one. He's not GP, just an internist (the new GP) but he's pretty good.

A GP treats patients of any age. An internist only treats adults. They both do the same job, just on patients of different ages.

catmama · ‎01-07-2011

We've been going to the same medical group for years and have generally seen the PA as well as one of the medical doctors when the PA wasn't able to handle our issue.

We loved our PA and she retired last year.

We were surprised when we called to make an appointment for my husand with the dr we had seen before. The staff told us that since we were new patients of the dr, we would have to wait two months for an appointment. Luckily, at our request, they were able to look back at our records and saw that we had seen the dr so we were able to get an immediate appointment, Good thing since he had a severe infection in his leg and we would have ended up going to the ER for help-.

AZfem · ‎04-13-2016

Agree with everything @SilleeMee said. Look at who is on your plan, check their reviews at a couple sites, go for someone close/reasonable drive.

You can ask others but I've found when someone else likes a doctor, I may not. A friend referred me to her doctor who she liked & I thought she was, while competent, a cold unfriendly unlikeable personality & not my type.