It’s important to keep a track of your good health. Primary care doctors help in proactive prevention and early detection of health issues that should be treated at all ages. Regular health exams and tests can help you find problems before they start. They also can help you find problems early when your chances for treatment and cure are better. Patients with a primary care doctor have a 10.9% decreased chance of ER visits. If everyone had a primary care provider, the U. S. would save an estimated $67 billion every year!
Choosing a primary care physician is an important decision, as your doctor is your advisor and partner in helping you maintain good health. Primary care doctors not only provide treatment and monitoring when you are sick but also offer guidance to help you stay well and coordinate care with other doctors if you need specialized treatment. With such a major role to play in your life, deciding which doctor is right for you is serious. Some relationships between patients and primary care doctors span decades, and some are just a few months depending on insurance changes or life stages.
How to find a primary care doctor?
We hope these steps encourage you to consider the best options for your primary care provider:
Consult your insurance a shortlist of doctors who are “in-network”. An in-network provider often has negotiated discounted rates and you will pay less. If you don’t have insurance – call the clinic you have in mind and ask them for their “self-pay” rates.
Determine all your needs. The provider is there to treat you and your needs. Decide what your needs will be for the next 1-5 years and ask friends and family if they know a good primary care provider that can match your needs. You can also research provider services on their websites or their review sites. With a narrowed-down list of doctors, dive deeper into their qualifications. How long they have been practicing medicine? Where did they attend medical school?
Think about convenience. Consider the commute, office hours, and availability. Where do you need a doctor to be located? Close to your home or work? What are their hours and days open?
Call ahead and schedule an appointment for a wellness visit. This will allow you to scan the environment of the office. Are they too busy? Are they friendly? Get to know a doctor.
We are offering a wide range of primary care services and accepting new patients at Century Medical, PC in Peabody, MA.
For more information, please call Century Medical at (978) 594-8980 or contact us online. Schedule your consultation with the best doctors in Peabody, MA!
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