When you move to a new city or state, you need to find a new primary care physician as soon as possible. Waiting until you finish unpacking or get settled can leave you scrambling to find a doctor if you come down with a fever or you remember that it’s been a few years since you last had a physical. With some tips on finding a new primary care doctor, you can find one before or after your move.
Ask Your Insurer
If you want to find a new doctor before you move, call your health insurance provider and ask about doctors in the area who are part of your network. An insurance provider can give you a full list of doctors covered under your existing policy or a new policy. You can contact those offices before your move to find out if they accept new patients and if they have any appointments available after you move. Once you find a doctor you can work with, you can request a transfer of your electronic health records to give that doctor a better understanding of your medical history.
Get a Referral
Many people hate moving because they don’t like finding new places to eat and shop as well as new professionals to see. If you have a doctor in your current city you really like, don’t be afraid to ask for a referral. You never know what could happen. Maybe your current primary care physician knows another doctor living in the city you’re moving to because they went to med school together or connected at a physician’s conference a few years back. Many doctors are part of national medical organizations too. Even if the referred doctor doesn’t currently accept new patients, they might be willing to accept a patient from a doctor they know.
Talk to Neighbors
If you can hold off on finding a new primary care doctor until you move, talk to your new neighbors and ask them for help. Let them know what type of insurance you have or who you have insurance through as well as the type of doctor you need. In addition to primary care physicians, you can find out about family practices that treat every member of your family and specialists who can treat specific medical conditions you might have. Neighbors can give you recommendations and tell you which offices they prefer.
Go to HR
Going to the human resources department at work is another way you can get help choosing a primary care physician after a move. The HR department is the one responsible for finding and choosing an insurance program, hiring new workers and designing benefit packages. Those working in this department may have recommendations for doctors based on their own experiences and the insurance you have through work.
Moving to a new city means you need to find a new doctor, but this doesn’t have to be difficult. By using the above ideas, you should have a new physician in no time.