What to Consider When Choosing a Primary Care Physician

The primary feature that should be considered when choosing a primary care physician is whether they are a good fit for what you are looking for, it is important to have someone taking care of yourself and your family who is able to connect with you and is knowledgeable about whatever concerns you may have. To be a good fit, your primary care physician should likely be in a somewhat convenient location that is easily accessible for you in case there is an urgent medical situation for which they are most suited to help.

Your primary care physician should also be knowledgeable and experienced with whatever conditions or care that you are already aware of so that they can provide the required expertise. As well, they should be knowledgeable of the diverse medical needs you may have depending on your age, gender, and sexuality.

One of the most important factors to consider for your primary care physician is that you are able to feel comfortable and at ease around them. Primary care physicians are your liaison to any other specialist care you may need in the future, so you have to be able to be completely honest with them about very personal and potentially sensitive information. If you do not feel comfortable sharing all medical or mental health information with them that may affect the medical treatment you should be receiving, it is probably time to find a primary care physician with whom you can trust and confide.

While some factors may matter more to some patients than others, it is important to address any personal concerns you may have or have realized from previous primary care physicians you may have seen what kind of qualities you look for in your family physician and their office. Some recommended questions to consider include how the office handles emergency situations, if you are to call the office or a different on-call number, how the office stores patient’s medical records, if there is an on-call physician if the one you normally see is unavailable, and if the physicians make house calls, if that is something of concern for you. There are also more practical questions that are recommended are asked before committing to a family physician and their office such as how far in advance will you need to schedule appointments, if the physician has any abnormal hours or days off that won’t coincide with your schedule, and if your insurance plan considers the physician a preferred provider.

Some questions that may be useful to ask yourself while in the selection process for a new family, physician include if you have a preference for the gender, sexuality, age, or religion of the physician, or if there are language barriers that could inhibit proper communication, and if the physician is able to take on your other family members for easier check-ups with children or elderly. It is also recommended that you consider referrals or recommendations for a physician to help vet the process a bit more.

The main goal of your first primary care visit will be to gather any necessary information from you and your physician to make sure that they are able to provide you with the best possible care for your lifestyle and needs. This would be a good time for you to ask any questions that you may have concerns about that have not been addressed yet in what you can expect from the physician and their office.

As well, this is when your physician would gather contextual information about your care needs, such as both family and personal medical history, any current conditions you may have, and medications that you are taking, including forms of birth control or daily vitamins or supplements, and any new symptoms for which they should be aware. This is also a great time to let them know of any cultural or personal preferences you may have regarding how to receive care and let them know if there is anything that would cause significant discomfort with receiving care. Finally, to have all of the context for you, the physician needs to know about your lifestyle and work situation, whether you work manual labor or an office job, what types of exercise you do including frequency, and if you have any hobbies or habits that have an impact on your physical and mental well-being.

The primary care physicians at Getwell Urgent Care are able to provide support and expertise for a large range of conditions or symptoms with their highly skilled personal expertise, but some of the most common conditions that are treated at our office include medical weight loss management, asthma treatment, hypertension treatment, medical marijuana consultations, diabetes management, hormone replacement therapy, and thyroid treatment. These are just the most common conditions we treat; our medical team is more than qualified to help you address any health concerns you may have!

Visit our experienced providers for your primary healthcare needs. For more information, contact us today or schedule an appointment online. Visit our clinic conveniently located at 3090 M Street, Suite 9 Merced, CA 95348. We serve patients from Merced CA, Atwater CA, The Grove CA, Bear Creek CA, Planada CA, and Athlone CA.