how to...find new primary care provider

P

paxtonstafford

New Member
Location
midwest
seems like a crap shoot to me more crap than shoot.--look at their picture- possible background -possible pros and cons- go seem them.. (i.e..interview --)

found an experinced older guy and for $394 dollars found out he was a retired in place ,getting ready to retire out of place -did not look at the two years of lab work I sent ahead of me by two weeks--and he assured me he would turn me over to yet another doctor I did know- maybe did not want to know and that I did not select...again medicare $394.00--so do you do that 6 maybe 12 times until you find someone that works for you?

Is engaged, knows whats up, and wants to be there and be my care provider- and will allow me to participate in my own health care without the "Saint" self desiganation that many of them have awarded themselves? there seems to be no way with any certainty that I can come up with.

any productive thoughts ideas suggestions experices something I have overlooked.? Thank you all -

I will bet most have a story or two like that. lawyers doctors and car mechanic not all are created equal it seems.

dont get me started on dentists ahheh--

maybe we have some healthcare providers that can provide some useful info for all of us I will bet there are others on here that would like some options on choices and so on.
 

For me for the last say 20 yrs it's by word of mouth. I happen to live in a state that has many holistic/alternative MD's and I'm so thankful for that. I have Medicare now for 15 yrs and my current Integrative MD accepts my Medicare. I pay right now $134 a month out of my SS check and that is a good deal as I see it. I only see my MD one or two times per year as I've learned so much about being MY OWN DOCTOR. Love Dr. Google.

For something special like my hip replacement, which turned out to leave me in a huge mess, and that was in 2010, I talked to people and checked the surgeon and supposedly had a good surgeon...he's good for many but messed me up. Dentists and eye doctors are another thing for me as again I do so much of my own healing and did my time with these docs too. At 80 I work so hard to keep myself healthy without a lot of docs. Nutrition is something I've changed a lot too.
 
That is a tough one. I was at the point about 11 years ago, where I was unhappy with the care I was getting from my doctor and felt it was time to move on. Luckily I am in an area with a great med school, and some good doctors affiliated with it. So, I started there and just looked, not exactly sure at the time what I was looking for. One popped up, a female doc (not that it makes a difference to me, but I had never had a female doc before). And her credentials stated that she had a sub specialty in gerontology. OK, I was just in my 50's at the time, but I was not getting any younger. And since I did not want to go through this too often, decided to check her out.
She was accepting patients, and I decided to give her a try. So, 11 years later we are still together. I like that she takes time with me, is not rushed. In fact, she told me once she deliberately keeps her patient load smaller than "the norm" so she can give patients extra attention.
It can be a crap shoot, but some times you get lucky.
In fact, when first came to her, I mentioned my ongoing issues with my hip, which my prior doctor dismissed. She asked if he had ordered X Rays or referred me to an orthopedic. I said no to both. So, she referred me right out. Turns out my hip was so bad it was bone on bone, no cartilage. I had my replacement within a couple months.
 

Whatever; stick with an MD. ! Try to steer clear of DO.s Dos are "Doctors of Osteopothy. That means that they couldn't pass

the Medical Doctor's tests. Or they'd be regular M.D.s I wouldn't take my pet worm to a D.O.
 
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Falcon said:
Whatever; stick with an MD. ! Try to steer clear of DO.s Dos are "Doctors of Osteopothy. That means that they couldn't pass

the Medical Doctor's tests. Or they'd be regular M.D.s I wouldn't take my pet worm to a D.O.
Click to expand...

I beg to differ with you...I had a great D.O. and he worked on the back for about 30 yrs and FINALLY found my thyroid issue that allopathic MD's didn't find for about 10 yrs. He put me on thyroid support and 10 yrs of depression lifted in 4 days....this old great D.O. knew...the younger MD's lived and still do by numbers....we are NOT numbers. We are symptoms. This D.O. knew symptoms. He worked into his early 90's...he is gone now and I think of him probably every day as he was so good in my life.

Falcon -- how many experiences did you have with a D.O.
 
Finding a new doctor is going to become increasingly difficult....as our aging populations continue to grow, and fewer young people are willing, or can afford, to go to Med school. The number of existing doctors willing to take new patients is declining, and unless something is done to encourage more people to become doctors, this situation is only going to get worse. Probably the only thing keeping things afloat is the number of doctors from other countries that are immigrating here. At some point, some serious financial aid programs Must be put in place if the supply stands any chance of keeping up with demand.

Here is one wealthy individual who is trying to help, but it is going to take a lot more money and effort to meet this challenge.

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/...rtage-serious-national-problem-143650539.html
 
If I knew about a "doctor" I might go to, took 30 years to find/cure MY problem, You can rest assured I wouldn't waste any time

crossing him/her off my list!
 
Don M. said:
Finding a new doctor is going to become increasingly difficult....as our aging populations continue to grow, and fewer young people are willing, or can afford, to go to Med school. The number of existing doctors willing to take new patients is declining, and unless something is done to encourage more people to become doctors, this situation is only going to get worse. Probably the only thing keeping things afloat is the number of doctors from other countries that are immigrating here. At some point, some serious financial aid programs Must be put in place if the supply stands any chance of keeping up with demand.

Here is one wealthy individual who is trying to help, but it is going to take a lot more money and effort to meet this challenge.

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/...rtage-serious-national-problem-143650539.html
Click to expand...


This is why the U.S. has more and more MD's coming here from other countries to work and make their way and make more money than they would say in the Philippines.
 
Falcon said:
If I knew about a "doctor" I might go to, took 30 years to find/cure MY problem, You can rest assured I wouldn't waste any time

crossing him/her off my list!
Click to expand...

No the allopathic MD's didn't find my thyroid issue for 10 yrs. I went to the D.O. for 30 yrs for back issues and he knew about all medical issues and got my thyroid fixed... In finally asked him about thyroid since the other MD's were failing me.

My D.O. put me on thyroid med and NO LABS, he knew what to do as the old time docs knew.

Maybe you are not understanding what I'm saying.
 
Where we just moved to, Marion County - North Central Florida, the Doctors that I've encountered all seem to be English-As-A-Second-Language or Treatment Mills (HMOs) or both.

I'm struggling to work with the AARP recommend doctor now, he seems to be Greek in a Hispanic clinic.

I had a really great doc at our previous home. Never thought I'd have a problem with a language barrier!
 
jaminhealth said:
No the allopathic MD's didn't find my thyroid issue for 10 yrs. I went to the D.O. for 30 yrs for back issues and he knew about all medical issues and got my thyroid fixed... In finally asked him about thyroid since the other MD's were failing me.

My D.O. put me on thyroid med and NO LABS, he knew what to do as the old time docs knew.

Maybe you are not understanding what I'm saying.
Click to expand...

Jamin, your D.O. put you on thyroid meds without confirming his diagnosis and appropriate dosage with inexpensive lab tests? Glad it seems to have worked out for you, but I'd personally run far and fast from someone who did that.

Regarding finding a doctor, I use a large medical group and tried a couple of docs before finding one I liked. The others weren't bad doctors, they just weren't a great fit for me. The next time I needed a doc I chose a different one. No harm no foul.
 
When I was working, folks looking for a new doc would come in, shake hands and meet the doc. A 5 minute appointment and was aware could not discuss their health issues, this was just a ‘meet and greet’ appointment.
 
StarSong said:
Jamin, your D.O. put you on thyroid meds without confirming his diagnosis and appropriate dosage with inexpensive lab tests? Glad it seems to have worked out for you, but I'd personally run far and fast from someone who did that.

Regarding finding a doctor, I use a large medical group and tried a couple of docs before finding one I liked. The others weren't bad doctors, they just weren't a great fit for me. The next time I needed a doc I chose a different one. No harm no foul.
Click to expand...

Before labs and Synthroid world invaded us, the doctors all went by symptoms and only had Armour to call in and work with their patients with theraputic dosing to get them to feeling better...there is a long long history on this thyroid business. As I said we are NOT numbers, we are symptoms...the older school of doctors knew all this...but pharma got more involved with all their testing and the crappy synthorid synthetic meds.

My D.O. saved me after struggling with 10 yrs of depression and GOOD numbers...bahhhhh....

Read some of Dr. Broda Barnes works and about the basal temperature tests for starters.

I've been on thyroid groups and learned so MUCH. I don't trust Western medicine and pharma as far as I can throw them. It's so so so money driven. Not about our health.


I don't have a medical license but can probably offer better help than MOST allopathic doctors out there...so many are shams and read their books as I do...
 
Falcon said:
Jamin, May I ask WHY you were depressed for 10 years ? Is everything OK now ? I hope so.
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It was a SLUGGISH thyroid, and finally the D.O. put me on Armour and the depression lifted in 4 days. It was after menopause and things so change in our bodies during this time of our life, did for me with all that I've analyzed in my long life. Then found some yrs later Vit D was causing a LOW mood and found how deficient I was there....so so so many people are Vit D deficient. No I'm not depressed now but some days would like to feel 50 again. j

Hey, just notice you are in So. Cal. what area?
 
Jamin, I'm in the Los Angeles Harbor area. It's called Rancho Palos Verdes. It overlooks the Pacific Ocean.

There are 1000's of us here.


I used to live in Santa Monica. Worked on Wilshire Blvd.
 
Falcon said:
Jamin, I'm in the Los Angeles Harbor area. It's called Rancho Palos Verdes. It overlooks the Pacific Ocean.

There are 1000's of us here.


I used to live in Santa Monica. Worked on Wilshire Blvd.
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Ah, very nice RPV, I've been in Santa Monica for about 50 yrs and OH, the changes...used to a quiet lovely village by the sea and now it's century city by the sea. But I'm not caught up in downtown anymore, and live a long block from the Pacific. j
 
Falcon said:
Whatever; stick with an MD. ! Try to steer clear of DO.s Dos are "Doctors of Osteopothy. That means that they couldn't pass

the Medical Doctor's tests. Or they'd be regular M.D.s I wouldn't take my pet worm to a D.O.
Click to expand...

Here, DOs have to pass the same medical board as MDs and are subject to the same oversight and regulations. Best doc I ever had was a DO who was an internal medicine specialist and also did general surgery.
 
Butterfly said:
Here, DOs have to pass the same medical board as MDs and are subject to the same oversight and regulations. Best doc I ever had was a DO who was an internal medicine specialist and also did general surgery.
Click to expand...

I agree...my PCP is a DO, and I've had good results, for the pst 15+ years. The thing I like is he is trained to do bone "manipulation", which saves me from having to go to a chiropractor. With my active lifestyle, I sometimes dislocate a bone in my neck/spine, and he quickly puts that back in place. Plus, he is not "addicted" to prescription drugs, and often comes up with exercises, or minor lifestyle changes that keep me from having to take several expensive drugs to keep going. Insofar as I know, a DO here has the same training as an MD, plus extra training in basic chiropractics.
 
Don M, today many of the D.O.'s coming out of their schools are NOT doing the body manipulations like the old school D.O.'s...they are rare today. Some D.O's in our town who have been around for years do not take Medicare and their fees are high, I tried to go to one or two when my great D.O. passed on and just could not afford them.

But as I said previously my D.O. saved me with thyroid when all the mainstream docs failed me.
 

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