Q: What Questions Should I Ask My New Doctor?
A: so you have chosen a primary care physician (pcp), or maybe your insurance company has assigned you one. Ask your new health care provider these questions so you can best work together.
Learn the basic mechanics of the practice
- Are there same day appointments if you get sick?
- How long does it take to schedule an appointment?
- What are the policies on medication refills?
- Are lab and X-ray done on-site or at an outside facility?
- What will you do if you get sick after office hours?
- With which hospitals is your doctor affiliated?
- Does your doctor make house calls or follow you if you go to a nursing home?
- If your doctor is away, who will be covering?
Learn about how this practice communicates
- Is the phone line accessible or automated?
- How do phone calls get relayed to the doctor?
- Will you get a call back?
- Does the practice have an easily navigatable website?
- Is there a patient portal to access lab or other personal medical information?
- Is email used?
Your doctor may not be the best resource to address these questions or the many other details you will want to learn, but there should be someone else in the office to guide you. Many of these questions need to be addressed when you first visit a practice. This conversation is one that will progress and unfold as the partnership with your physician develops and you get to know one another.
