Prioritize Requirements

The best choices are usually made after some research. Try writing down the requirements you have for a doctor and then order each according to how important it is to you. Then proceed to research the possibilities using the information sources available to you.

Consider your answers to these questions:

• Do I need a primary care doctor (family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics) or a specialist (such as cardiologist [heart], pulmonologist [lungs], gastroenterologist [liver and intestines], oncologist [cancer])? Some health plans require you to see a primary care doctor before being referred to a specialist.



• Which health plan or hospital is the doctor affiliated with? Is it a preferred provider in your health plan?



• Where is the office or hospital location?



• Who covers for the doctor when he or she is away or after hours?



• How long are the wait times for appointments? How long does it take to get an appointment?



• What are the office hours and does the doctor allow for walk-ins? Are there evening or weekend hours?



• What is the doctor's specialty?



• Is the doctor board certified?