So you’ve decided to take better care of your health and plan to start seeing a doctor on a regular basis for check-ups and visits in between when you are feeling ill. However, if you don’t have a regular family practice Phoenix, AZ physician, how do you know where to go to establish yourself as a patient? Consider a few tips:
- Ask if the office is taking new patients: Sometimes, it isn’t even up to you whether or not you can get in with a particular doctor. The office has to be accepting new patients to even get a foot in the door. So, if you are interested in seeing a particular doctor, this is the best place to start before taking it a step further in booking an appointment.
- Interview the doctor: That’s right; ask for a preliminary appointment and ask a few questions. You don’t have to overdo it, but if you are entrusting a family practice Phoenix, AZ physician with your health, you want to know your chosen doctor is the right one for the job. Ask about experience, background and gauge how friendly he appears to be in your preliminary visit. Pay attention to how much time the doctor spends in the room with you and determine if he is rushing the visit. These are all important factors.
- Make sure the office takes your insurance: Even if you like a particular family practice Phoenix, AZ doctor, if you have insurance and the office doesn’t accept your type of insurance, then you might have to keep looking around until you find a doctor’s office that you like and one that takes your policy.
- Make sure the doctor is family friendly: The purpose of seeing a family practice Phoenix, AZ doctor is because they treat all ages, which means your entire family can see one physician. This should be a prerequisite when shopping for a new doctor. Ask about this when you make your initial appointment to be sure this is the case.
- Gauge the professionalism of the staff: This can make or break each visit and will either ensure a seamless, smooth process or a harried one. Everyone from the front desk receptionist to the nursing staff should be courteous, friendly and helpful each and every time you visit. If not, then allow this to serve as a red flag for your choice of family practice Phoenix, AZ doctor.
For more information on the expert physicians here at Family Practice Specialists, give us a call at (602) 955-8700 or drop by the offices located at 4350 E Camelback Rd Suite F100, Phoenix, AZ 85018. We look forward to seeing you!