Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Find the right doctor for you: Here’s what to look for

Linda Girgis, MD
Physician
August 2, 2017
Share
Tweet
Share

Many people love to vilify doctors. They think we are all greedy and we don’t listen. They say we perform procedures just for profit. We are not available when we need them. Sure, there are doctors that fit this stereotype. But, in my experience, most doctors do not and care about their patients trying to do the best for them.

I hear patients complain about other doctors and some of the stories are quite mind-boggling. Yet, some of these patients keep returning to the doctors who they feel are not looking out for their best interests. Like anything in life, there will be personalities that just don’t go well together. Doctors are human, and we all have our own unique characteristics. That is why you need to spend time finding the doctor that is the best one for you.

It is important to be comfortable and trust your doctor for a myriad of reasons. For one thing, if you don’t like or trust your physician, there is a good chance you are not going to follow their advice. They may be giving you the best advice, but maybe you don’t like their bedside manner. If you skip that medication or don’t do that test, it may delay your diagnosis or worsen your clinical outcome. That is why you need to shop for a doctor like anything else. You wouldn’t drive just any car if someone told you to buy it. So, don’t just go to any doctor because someone, such as your insurance company, told you to do so.

What should you look for when finding your doctor?

Look at the basic things first. If you work late hours, look for a doctor who has late or weekend hours. Try to match one to your work schedule and lifestyle.

Consider the staff. Is the front desk clerk someone you look forward to talk to? Or is she someone you wish would disappear? Your life may be on the line one day, and you want to be able to get the help you need. If the staff frequently misses calls or messages, or you avoid calling because they are mean, perhaps that is not the best practice to be in.

If you call for an appointment, are you able to get one in a reasonable length of time? If you call with a cough and they tell you there are no appointments available for six weeks, then that is probably not the best place to go when you are sick. What good is a doctor when they are not available when you need them?

Do you feel your doctor listens to you? Doctors are preoccupied with many things these days and pressured to see more and more patients. But, when they sit down in front of you, are they hearing what you are saying?

Does the doctor give you enough time to ask questions? I hear from patients all the time that they saw a specialist and felt they were rushed out of the office. Write down your questions if you need to and don’t leave the room until you felt they have been answered.

When you leave the doctors’ office, do you understand your medical condition and the treatment plan? This is your body and life here. You should make any decisions without fully understanding what is involved.

People spend hours researching cell phones and laptops before buying them. Yet, they settle for any doctor. If you are not comfortable with who you found for whatever reason, and it is not necessarily anything bad on the part of the doctor or the patient. it is time to continue shopping.

Linda Girgis is a family physician who blogs at Dr. Linda.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

ADVERTISEMENT

Prev

A physician's mixed feelings about clinical pathways

August 2, 2017 Kevin 2
…
Next

Dear Sen. McCain: 9 ways to live with glioblastoma

August 2, 2017 Kevin 2
…

Tagged as: Primary Care

Post navigation

< Previous Post
A physician's mixed feelings about clinical pathways
Next Post >
Dear Sen. McCain: 9 ways to live with glioblastoma

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Linda Girgis, MD

  • Stand up and be heard. But don’t hate your doctor.

    Linda Girgis, MD
  • Why this physician believes in Santa Claus

    Linda Girgis, MD
  • Has health care lost its humanity?

    Linda Girgis, MD

Related Posts

  • Patients made this doctor care about politics

    Chad Hayes, MD
  • Osler and the doctor-patient relationship

    Leonard Wang
  • Doctor, how are you, really?

    Deborah Courtney
  • Finding a new doctor is like dating

    R. Lynn Barnett
  • Why health care replaced physician care

    Michael Weiss, MD
  • Be a human first and a doctor second

    Sarah Murad

More in Physician

  • Why so many doctors secretly feel like imposters

    Ryan Nadelson, MD
  • Why enterprise risk management is key to value-based health care success

    Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD
  • Rethinking physician resilience for sustainable well-being

    Sarah Webber, MD
  • How shared language saved a patient from isolation

    Syed Ahmad Moosa, MD
  • The shocking risk every smart student faces when applying to medical school

    Curtis G. Graham, MD
  • The physician who turned burnout into a mission for change

    Jessie Mahoney, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Who gets to be well in America: Immigrant health is on the line

      Joshua Vasquez, MD | Policy
    • The shocking risk every smart student faces when applying to medical school

      Curtis G. Graham, MD | Physician
    • Why specialist pain clinics and addiction treatment services require strong primary care

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Conditions
    • Harassment and overreach are driving physicians to quit

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Physician
    • Why peer support can save lives in high-pressure medical careers

      Maire Daugharty, MD | Conditions
    • When a medical office sublease turns into a legal nightmare

      Ralph Messo, DO | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Forced voicemail and diagnosis codes are endangering patient access to medications

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Meds
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The One Big Beautiful Bill and the fragile heart of rural health care

      Holland Haynie, MD | Policy
    • Who gets to be well in America: Immigrant health is on the line

      Joshua Vasquez, MD | Policy
    • Here’s what providers really need in a modern EHR

      Laura Kohlhagen, MD, MBA | Tech
  • Recent Posts

    • Why so many doctors secretly feel like imposters

      Ryan Nadelson, MD | Physician
    • Why telling kids to eat less and move more fails to address obesity

      Callia Georgoulis | Conditions
    • Why enterprise risk management is key to value-based health care success

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Physician
    • Rethinking physician resilience for sustainable well-being

      Sarah Webber, MD | Physician
    • How shared language saved a patient from isolation

      Syed Ahmad Moosa, MD | Physician
    • The shocking risk every smart student faces when applying to medical school

      Curtis G. Graham, MD | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 1 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Who gets to be well in America: Immigrant health is on the line

      Joshua Vasquez, MD | Policy
    • The shocking risk every smart student faces when applying to medical school

      Curtis G. Graham, MD | Physician
    • Why specialist pain clinics and addiction treatment services require strong primary care

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Conditions
    • Harassment and overreach are driving physicians to quit

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Physician
    • Why peer support can save lives in high-pressure medical careers

      Maire Daugharty, MD | Conditions
    • When a medical office sublease turns into a legal nightmare

      Ralph Messo, DO | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Forced voicemail and diagnosis codes are endangering patient access to medications

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Meds
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The One Big Beautiful Bill and the fragile heart of rural health care

      Holland Haynie, MD | Policy
    • Who gets to be well in America: Immigrant health is on the line

      Joshua Vasquez, MD | Policy
    • Here’s what providers really need in a modern EHR

      Laura Kohlhagen, MD, MBA | Tech
  • Recent Posts

    • Why so many doctors secretly feel like imposters

      Ryan Nadelson, MD | Physician
    • Why telling kids to eat less and move more fails to address obesity

      Callia Georgoulis | Conditions
    • Why enterprise risk management is key to value-based health care success

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Physician
    • Rethinking physician resilience for sustainable well-being

      Sarah Webber, MD | Physician
    • How shared language saved a patient from isolation

      Syed Ahmad Moosa, MD | Physician
    • The shocking risk every smart student faces when applying to medical school

      Curtis G. Graham, MD | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Find the right doctor for you: Here’s what to look for
1 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...