When it comes to picking a primary care provider (PCP), you’ve got lots of choices.
So how do you decide? By doing some homework and spending a little time upfront, you can help make sure you’re choosing the primary care physician that’s right for you. Follow these five simple steps for finding a primary care physician.
1. Start with your insurance.
Not all providers will be covered (or covered equally) by your insurance company. Often you can go to your insurer’s website and enter your zip code to see a list of options for PCPs.
2. Next, consider location.
Finding a location that is close to your home and easily accessible is key. If the provider’s office is hard for you to get to, you probably won’t go as often as you should. Also, check to make sure that appointment hours will work with your schedule.
3. Now look online.
You can learn basic facts about providers — such as where they went to school, how many years of experience they have, and what their care philosophy is — by looking at their profile on UCHealth.org. You can also find patient reviews within their UCHealth profile.
4. Don’t forget to ask your friends and family.
That primary care physician your friend or sibling loves? You might love him, too. Word-of-mouth is sometimes the best place to start looking for a PCP, then do some more research into the physician they suggest to make sure they’re right for you.
5. Finally, schedule meet-and-greets.
Many (but not all) providers offer free 15-minute informational appointments. Bring a list of questions. Is the provider courteous? Are they in too much of a hurry? In those few minutes, you’ll know if you click or not.
Meet-and-greets can be effective, giving patients an opportunity to see if they’re a good personality match with a provider and have a good rapport. These visits also allow patients to be exposed to the entire office environment and the support staff, such as medical assistants and the front desk staff, who play integral parts in patient care.
Once you’ve chosen a primary care physician, schedule your first medical appointment. You can do this through My Health Connection, UCHealth’s patient portal. Follow these directions to make an account on My Health Connection.
The idea is to build a long-term, personal relationship with a provider so that they can really get to know you and your health challenges and goals. The stronger the relationship, the better and more tailored your care.
Alphabet Soup, PCP-style
Primary care providers (PCPs) come with different initials after their names. Here’s a decoding key.
D.O. = Doctor of Osteopathy. Some primary care physicians are DOs, which means they graduated from osteopathic medical schools.
M.D. = Medical Doctor. Most primary care physicians are MDs, which means they graduated from traditional medical schools and are trained in allopathic medicine.
N.P. = Nurse Practitioner. Nurse practitioners are registered nurses who’ve gone on to complete an N.P. master’s degree. They are licensed to provide care, order diagnostic tests and prescribe most medications. NPs promote a holistic approach to health care focused on “caring” as opposed to “curing.”
P.A. = Physician Assistant. PAs hold master’s degrees and are licensed to provide care, order diagnostic tests, and prescribe most medications. They work under the supervision of a physician (M.D. or D.O.) and provide similar care to a physician.
Also, nurse practitioners and physician assistants are sometimes called “mid-level providers.”
And one more choice you’ll need to make: some PCPs are general practitioners, who care for adults; some are family practitioners, who care for adults and children; and some are doctors of internal medicine, or internists, who care for adults and are trained to manage complex and/or combined illnesses. Finally, geriatricians are PCPs who specialize in caring for older adults.