Internal Medicine – How to Choose the Best Doctor

Making sure to ask the right questions can save you time and help you to receive the best treatment.

Internal Medicine is a medical specialty whose purpose is to treat, diagnose and prevent adult diseases. In some cases, you will hear these physicians referred to as internists. An internist is to an adult what a pediatrician is to a child. Since, for most people, this physician will serve as the primary care physician, it is important to make sure that you are choosing the right doctor. There are several questions that one should ask oneself when choosing a doctor.

Where does the physician practice? Location is an important factor when choosing a doctor for a few reasons. Since it will be a doctor that one sees regularly, convenience is important. Is it more important for you to have a doctor closer to your work or closer to your home. That is one thing to consider. Also, it is important to make sure that you know what hospital your doctor works through. You do not want to choose a physician who works through a hospital that does not have the best reputation, or one that you do not feel comfortable going to should you require surgery.

Does this internal medicine doctor accept your insurance policy? It is a very important question that many people forget to ask, or simply overlook. However, it would not be good for you to show up to your first appointment and then find out that your out-of-pocket costs were a lot more than you expected and your insurance will not be covering anything. This is something that you should find out when you are calling to interview doctors.

What kind of vibe do you get from the office staff? There is nothing worse than going to a doctor’s office where the office staff is rude and they act like they are doing you a favor. It makes for a much more pleasant experience when the staff is warm and friendly. Sometimes, they get so wrapped up in their jobs that they neglect to understand that you need help and that coming to the doctor is not necessarily a pleasant experience. You want to make sure that your physician has an office staff that makes you feel comfortable and welcome. Office staff refers not only to the receptionists, but the nurses and technicians as well. In order to find out more about a particular doctor’s staff, you can look for reviews online, make a call to the office or talk to other patients of that particular physician.

How long will it take you to get an appointment? This really will vary from situation to situation based on how important it is for you to be seen immediately. However, you do not want to have to wait weeks or possibly even months to be seen when you need to. Call the office and try to make an appointment and see what the earliest the physician is available to see you

Choosing an internal medicine physician can be tricky, so it is very important for you to do your research ahead of time so that you do not waste time taking off from work jumping from doctor to doctor until you find one that you like. Call the office, ask your friends, get reviews online. Do whatever you need to make sure that you are choosing the best internist for you.