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How To Find The Best Primary Care Physician Near You

By Virtue Medical Group / Created on: September 9, 2021 / Updated: March 28, 2022

Managing your healthcare is an essential task but can be a difficult one. The first step to do is to find a primary care physician with whom you are comfortable. A primary care physician will serve as a go-to for all sorts of healthcare concerns and is the most significant healthcare doctor in your life.

Primary care physicians are primarily your first contact whenever you face some sort of health issue. Once you consult the best primary care doctor in your area for your problem, they’ll cater to your need themselves or if in case the health concern requires a more specific consult, they may refer you to a family medicine doctor.

To find the best primary care or family doctor in your area, it is critical to know the importance of the doctor-patient relationship and once you have established that the physician can cater to your concerns in the best possible way, you can proceed with the journey.

In this blog, we will give you tips on how to find the best primary care doctor in your area. Finding a doctor can be overwhelming as there may be a plethora of primary care doctors when you type, “Doctor near me”, “Best Doctors in my location”, or “Doctor in Orange County, CA”. 

What is a Primary Care Physician (PCP)?

The first medical doctor that a patient goes to for health-related issues is a primary care physician. They offer early and basic medical care to their patients and are often regarded as general physicians or general practitioners. The scope of practice of primary care doctors encompasses the basic diagnosis and treatment of common health conditions like weight management and diabetes. Additionally, a primary care doctor may also offer preventive care like blood tests, immunizations, and annual physical exams.

Patients choose these doctors in case of emergency, sudden illness, or injury. They also help the patients manage acute and chronic diseases. They greatly help the patients, and it is recommended by several healthcare physicians to have a primary care doctor or a family doctor in your area.

Qualifications of Primary Care Physicians

The medical field has a variety of specialties areas, however, the following three mainly qualify as primary care physicians:

Family Doctor:

A family doctor has the essential qualifications and skills required to offer care for the whole family. A family doctor can have multiple specialties like pediatrics, obstetrics, psychiatry, or internal medicine. They treat and offer extensive healthcare for people of all age groups, from infants to the old.

Geriatric Care:

A geriatric doctor tends to deal with the healthcare needs of aging adults or seniors. Most geriatric doctors help you focus on maintaining your quality of life and suggesting the best possible health care services for you. With the growing digital age, patients and doctors can visit on a virtual platform online called Telemedicine. Telemedicine benefits patients in many ways, such as providing convenience, the flexibility of schedule, safety, and those who do not have easy access to transportation. Geriatric doctors may also recommend House Call, in which a doctor is sent to the patient’s house for 1-on-1 medical consultation. These doctors are trained to deal with the older adult population and can provide the best possible care to age-related conditions.

Internal Medicine:

An internal medicine physician applies their knowledge and expertise to the diagnoses and treatment to adults and seniors. Internists mainly see patients with hypertension, heart diseases, diabetes, and chronic lung diseases.

Finding a Primary Care Physician In Your Area

You should consider the following conditions when finding a primary care physician near you:

Check Health Insurance Plan

If you have an insurance plan, you may opt for the PCPs within your network before researching different sources. Several insurance companies offer provider directories that assist you in finding the best primary physicians within your location. It is recommended to choose an in-network physician to prevent the out-of-network charge or paying full fees for the visit yourself. 

Referrals

Recommendations from the people you trust within your family and friends are a great way to know about the reputed medical community. Additionally, they can direct you to the best primary care doctor with whom you are comfortable.

Use Google and other Local Search Engines

Google and other search engines can serve as your main source of medical information. You can search for a primary care physician within your areas, using keywords like best doctors near me, or doctor in my area, etc. Moreover, you can also use other online platforms like Foursquare and Yelp and read the reviews of people. Based on your location and specific address, you will be guided to the doctors that are within your radius. For example, as of September 13th, 2021, Virtue Medical Group – Huntington Beach accumulated 26 reviews with an average of 4.6-star ratings. This means that patients left a great review and were left satisfied with our medical services. 

Read Reviews

Numerous physicians have their own social media accounts and ask the patients for reviews on their pages. You may also get a more personal level of understanding depending on their digital presence. It is critical to read reviews before consulting any doctor. One patient of Virtue Medical Group gave a 5-star rating on Yelp said, “Dr. Vu D Tran is my PCP and has been very helpful. I have spent more time face to face with the doctor than I spent in the waiting room. Small practice, friendly staff, and a great doctor.  I usually avoid doctors but this has helped to change my perspective.  Very good care, thank you all.”

Quick Background Check

It is critical to get a quick background check of the potential primary care physician. It is essential for your safety. Check directories, read reviews, ask other trusted doctors about the recommended PCPs, these all help in getting an understanding about the doctor. You may also need to check the clinical and educational background of the doctors; this will help in knowing that the physician has no malpractice or serious complaints under his name.

Consult the Doctor

After creating a list of potential primary healthcare physicians based on your insurance network, location, educational and clinical background, you need to narrow down your list to the top three preferences. Get your appointment for a suitable date and time. Visit and consult the doctors to further examine the service and to get a clear sense of their medical practice and healthcare. Analyze their service based on how they catered to your healthcare concerns.

Conclusion

It is essential to have a primary healthcare physician who understands and empathizes with your healthcare needs and helps you manage your health problems professionally and compassionately. It is recommended to explore your insurance plans, read online reviews, and get the background check of potential doctors. It is best to find the best healthcare physician within your area using the google search engine as it helps you connect with the doctors who are within your locality. Visit the potential doctors to assess the quality of the healthcare they provide to their patients. After careful and thorough research, opt for the best primary healthcare physician with whom you are comfortable and can cater to all your primary healthcare needs.

If you are looking for a primary care physician in Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Lynwood, or Santa Ana, Virtue Medical Group is currently accepting new patients. Thank you for reading this blog, subscribe to our email blog post at the bottom of this page!

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