abbigail01: How To: Find a primary care physician

Aside from whom we choose as a spouse or partner, no relationship matters more to our long term health and well-being than choosing a Primary Care Provider (PCP). Sometimes finding Dr. Right, whom you can trust to look after your health needs 'til death do you part (or your insurance carrier changes), feels as much of a challenge as finding that perfect soul mate.

Choose the right physician and, even when times get tough, you'll feel in good hands. Choose the wrong physician and you'll feel like you're in a healthcare version of the dating book, He's Just Not That Into You -- playing telephone tag to get in face time, having your concerns brushed off and experiencing rushed appointments where he barely remembers your name, let alone why you came to see him.

To make your ideal patient-physician match, follow these steps.

Check your network

Before you get your heart set on a PCP prince or princess charming, be sure he or she participates in your health insurance plan; otherwise the royal treatment might not break your heart, but it could break your wallet.

Contact your health insurance carrier for a list of current participating providers or log on to its online directory. PCPs or their practices often switch carriers, so be sure to re-verify with the office manager that he or she indeed still accepts your insurance plan.

If you are changing jobs or purchasing private health insurance, you might want to select an insurance plan based on which doctors are in the network.

Assess your healthcare needs

PCPs fall into several categories, according to the National Institutes for Health: family doctors, internal medicine practitioners, pediatricians, obstetricians/gynecologists and nurse practitioners or physician assistants. Your insurance carrier may have a stricter definition, so be sure to ask.

If you already face a medical issue, or have a family history of a particular illness, choose a PCP who has an interest in or board certification in that medical specialty. Physicians will often include this information in their online bios or network descriptions. To receive board certification, PCPs undergo a rigorous process of testing and peer evaluation and are considered experts in that field.

Bios also often include information on the PCP's hospital affiliation, languages spoken, universities attended and any teaching appointments. You can often discern the PCP's age from their bio. If you are fairly young and want your PCP to follow your healthcare throughout your life, a May-December thing might not work.

Ask around

Ask friends, family, coworkers, even former PCPs, whom they would recommend and why. Conversely, be sure to ask whom they wouldn't recommend and why not. If several people recommend or diss a certain doc for the same reasons, chances are you'll have the same experience yourself. Many hospitals also provide physician referral services, a handy option if you are new to an area.

Do a background check

Sadly, scoundrels come in white coats, too, so do a bit of detective work. While it's illegal in the United States to practice medicine without a license, in most states it's not unlawful for some swindler to hang out his shingle claiming to be a licensed doctor.

You can check the PCP's license status and discipline history through your state's medical board. The American Board of Medical Specialties' Certification Matters online tool searches its 24 member boards to verify a physician's board certification.

Schedule an interview

Some PCPs like to schedule an appointment to establish you as a new patient, usually a brief meet-and-greet to discuss your personal and family medical history, any current healthcare concerns and list of medications, and any ongoing treatment they'll be taking over or need to refer you to a specialist for. When scheduling, mention that you want to "interview" the doctor to see if he or she is right for you, and ask whether there will be a co-pay or service charge for this initial visit.

Consider this appointment like a first date. If things go well, then you can look forward to a long future together. If you just don't click, if something feels off, or if the PCP fails to put the focus on you, thank him for his time, and move on.

Scope out the support system

Like a marriage involving inlaws or stepkids, your relationship with your primary care physician includes a whole host of potential troublemakers. Before you commit to your doc, make sure you get along with the other players in his practice.

Here are some questions to ask the office manager or the PCP during that initial interview:

Who will be available to answer minor health concerns when the doctor isn't available, and will he or she answer questions via phone or email?
How are prescription refills handled?
How are insurance claims and billing disputes handled and resolved?
Can routine blood tests and X-rays be done in-office or do you have to go to a nearby lab or hospital?
With which hospitals is the doctor affiliated?
What are the regular office hours and does the doctor have drop-in hours?

Just in case

If despite all this legwork you still end up needing to divorce your doctor or a move terminates the relationship, just be sure to take your medical records with you. Under the federal Health Information Portability Accountability Act, you are entitled to copies of your medical file. Georgetown University's Center on Medical Record Rights and Privacy can walk you through the various requirements enforced by your state when it comes to requesting and obtaining your medical records.