Choosing a great primary care doctor is no easy task. It can be particularly harder when you have moved to another town or worst… another state. Asking for recommendations from friends or coworkers may seem like a good idea, but it’s not enough in this case. Your primary care physician is probably your most important health care professional—that’s why you should choose wisely.
Here’s what health experts think you should do when you’re seeking a great primary care doctor.
1. First of all, consider location
Maybe it doesn’t seem like a big deal for you to travel approximately an hour to find a doctor you can actually trust, but when you’re injured or really sick, that distance can feel quite overwhelming. “Location matters because of convenience, and you never want to underestimate convenience,” says Paula Muto, MD, CEO and founder of UBERDOC.
“When you need a doctor, you don’t want to travel far, especially if you need to schedule a visit more than once a year.” Remember that one study from the University of Michigan Medical School—published in BMJ—found that patients’ odds of recovery decreased as the distance from their primary care physician increased.
