What could be more important than your health and that of your family? Choosing the right medical provider is a critical decision, one which can impact your well-being now and in the future. Here are factors to consider in choosing quality medical care for immediate and long-term health needs.
Think About the Basic Health Needs You Have
Perhaps you have asthma, or your family history indicates a risk for developing high blood pressure as you age. Or, have you neglected to get routine check-ups and want a provider who will correctly assess your needs and help you develop a long-term care plan?
Think seriously about your present and future health concerns, and then try to find a caring, skilled healthcare provider who will team up with you to pursue your best possible wellness. Be honest with yourself about your health positives and negatives (you need to lose weight, for instance), and commit to finding a provider with whom you can develop a long-term working relationship.
Ask Your Current PCP And Others for Recommendations
If you are relocating or your primary care physician is retiring, ask him or her for a provider recommendation. Who would fit well with your personality, age, gender, and current and possible health needs?
Additionally, ask your friends and relatives for recommendations. Specifically, do they feel their providers deliver convenient, accurate care? Are the providers responsive to urgent situations and to questions? Generally, no reliable person will advise that you see a doctor they don’t like or who has delivered substandard care.
Check The Provider’s Qualifications
Look for board certification by reading the doctor’s online biography (on the practice website) and checking it with the American Board of Medical Specialities online verification tool. This credential assures you that providers have the highest professional qualifications and pursue continuing education and peer accountability in their respective fields.
If you need specialty care, such as kidney stone removal, treatment for a hernia, or something else, be sure the provider is highly experienced. Ask how many procedures they have done. The more hands-on care they have delivered, the more likely they are to be skilled and accurate in their services.
Be Sure the Provider Is In-Network
Check with your carrier that the provider takes your health insurance. Double-check with the provider’s office team. Be sure you know about copays in advance so you are not surprised when you go to the office for care.
Consider The Provider’s (And the Practice) Personality
Is the doctor open and friendly, answering questions completely and honestly? Is the office environment clean and neat? Does the provider answer concerns by phone or another way? Are appointments easy to get or booked far in advance? Can you walk in or check-in online? What is the appointment cancellation policy? Is the doctor fluent in my language?
Find out about these essential factors by arranging an in-person consultation with a prospective provider. A face-to-face encounter will tell you a lot about how you and the doctor will get along in the long term.
Is The Health Care Facility Conveniently Located?
Consider if the office is on a bus or train line if you use public transportation. If you drive, is parking near the entrance? If you anticipate imaging lab tests or even surgery, find out where these services are delivered. Think carefully about how easy or hard it may be to access the care you need from a particular healthcare provider.
Medical Providers in Fairless Hills, PA
At Patient Care Now Urgent Care, our healthcare providers are physicians who are board-certified in emergency care. They carefully and compassionately address both acute and chronic health care needs as well as urgent orthopedic issues, such as strains, dislocations, fractures, and more.
We are a full-service facility offering onsite lab testing, imaging, EKG, vaccinations, sports and school physicals, and occupational medicine services, including workers’ compensation exams and reports. We serve patients of all ages, including children.
Our availability is second to none in Bucks County, PA, as we have a physician onsite at all times and are open seven days a week, 365 days a year, rain or shine.
To learn more about us, call (267) 202-6433, or simply walk-in. We have convenient online check-in, too.
