Because a family doctor acts as a medical home for all the medical needs of you and your family members, choosing the best one is crucial and challenging at the same time. You want to choose a family doctor who provides the best family care.
But with so many family doctors in Georgia, how do you find the one that provides the best family care? Here we’ll give you some tips on choosing the best family care provider.
#1 Consider Your Needs
The first and foremost step to choosing a family doctor is considering your needs. Most family doctors see their patients during regular business hours. But, if you often encounter a situation in which you need to see a doctor on weekends and after hours, choose a family doctor who is available 24/7 and offers same-day or next-day appointments.
#2 Ask Around
You can create a list of potential family doctors to get started. To do this, ask your family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues. Getting recommendations from your other primary care providers (internist, OB/GYN, pediatrician, etc.) can also be a good start. But the final decision is up to you, and you should make this decision after doing some homework and considering your family’s needs.
#3 Check the Credentials and Experience
When you have a list of your potential family doctors in hand, research their credentials to narrow down the list. Check for the education, training, and skills of the family care providers. You can check this information about the family doctor from the physician data center of the Federation of State Medical Board.
You must also check for the board certification of the family doctor. To achieve the certificate from the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM), a family doctor must meet stringent requirements. Board certification also ensures that the family doctor is skilled to deliver high-quality care.
To get the best family care, you must choose a family doctor who has been practicing family medicine for years and has experience in treating the conditions that you or your family members have.
#4 Check for the History of Malpractice Claims and Disciplinary Actions
You don’t want to entrust your family’s health to a doctor who has been disciplined in the past by their medical board for unsafe behavior. You also want to make sure that your potential family doctor hasn’t had any malpractice suits filed against them. Typically, patients file malpractice suits when they experience injury, harm, or death due to the inappropriate medical care administered to them.
So, confirm that the doctor you choose has no history of disciplinary actions and malpractice claims. You can check this information on the state’s website.
#5 Consider the Reputation of the Doctor
You want to receive care from a doctor who has a good reputation among other patients, as this will make you confident in your decision.
So, read online reviews from current patients to find out what others have to say about the doctor and their services. Reading the reviews and testimonials can also give you insight into how well the family doctor administers family care and how much patients trust their doctor.
#6 Know About Your Insurance Coverage
If you don’t want to pay out of pocket, check if the family doctor you are choosing is included under your health insurance plan. You can also choose a family doctor from the list of family doctors your insurance provider will give you. However, you must still do thorough research before selecting the one.
