Had to pick a new Primary care doc today.

[gspren]

After having the same primary doc for over 30 years he retired a few years ago and I got a new one at the same office, a Nurse Practitioner, and just as I'm getting used to her I got a call saying she was going to an urgent care office so pick another for an appointment I have next week. I picked another female Doc that I saw right after my accident last month as she seemed decent and caring, just hope she stays awhile.

[firefighter ontheside]

It is great when you have the same doc that you like for many years.  Then, it sucks to try to find a new one that you like.  We have been with the same doctor for about 15 years and we really like her.  I think she is our age so we hope to keep her for a good deal longer.  Never can tell though.

[thecfarm]

I go through that, seem like Lewiston ME is a training for Doctors.  :D
If I can get one to stay for a year that is good. I have a primary that left about 2 months ago and just got a letter that my diabetic Dr. is on the way out.
Than I had a lung Dr. that left too. 

[Raider Bill]

That's one of the reasons I quit going to the VA.

Seemed it was a revolving door for doctors. Every time I went I got another PCP.

[Ed_K]

That's one of the reasons I quit going to the VA. Seemed it was a revolving door for doctors. Every time I went I got another PCP.

 Good to hear I was thinking of changing to the V.A. for a primary. I have them for getting my prescriptions.

[Wudman]

We are in limbo again.  Our small town medical clinic is a revolving door for practitioners.  We have nobody now until at least January.  Now it's research your own issues and call the "Telehealth" line.  I certainly miss those old school doctors.

Wud  

[sawguy21]

Yeah, good luck finding a practicioner here too. We lucked out when we arrived in town, found a woman who had just opened a practice with her husband. She was booked up within months. She is a gem, very thorough, takes the time to listen and is not a pill pusher. I called the office to make an appointment shortly after Karen passed only to learn she was off for chemotherapy. I was devastated but she came back to work after a year. Now I can't get in because of Covid. :( 

[LeeB]

I had the same PCP for 15 years and even followed him from one town nearby to another. Sadly he has now left the state to Tennessee. A little to far away to follow him this time. He recommended one of his partners in the same office and he's ok so far. I guess it takes some time to develop a good repour with a new doc.

[doc henderson]

It used to be that you got established with a doc, so if you were ever sick, you had a doc who knew you frontwards and back.  now with hospitalists, and telemed, and people changing jobs due to covid.  some quitting and some now traveling.  your primary is now mostly for health maintainance.  blood pressure, blood sugar, colesterol, colonoscopies, ect.  We now do tele-neuro for strokes in the ED.  just got an email, that despite having 4 pulmoologists we will begin tele-pulm.  going to hell in a hand basket.  many patients have no primary and come to ED for everything.  even worse, when they try to see their primary for a problem, they are often told to go to the ED.  good luck.

[sawguy21]

I have not seen my doctor for over two years, the last time I needed her the husband called back then faxed a prescription to the pharmacy. I get that but don't like it.

[doc henderson]

I am afraid that with all the distain for the profession, that this may be a bellweather.  all the one on one thinkers gone and replaced by chefs and cooks, all reading from the same cookbook.  

[DbltreeBelgians]

I had my pcp from birth until I was about 30. Grew up as neighbors and his youngest son was a best friend and we went thru school together. When he retired his oldest son took over and became my pcp until 3 months ago when he retired. Not too bad only having 2 primary docs in 56 years and they were father and son with the same first name. I have yet to meet his replacement but Jill did last week and said she likes her so I guess my time is due to meet her. 

Brent

[kantuckid]

Our rural region is served by a small hospital system which operates I think, 5 county medical clinics. We moved to this county in 1974 and a doctor has actually lived here once in that time and I knew him as same age, both in Lions Club-but he left in a year. We have had a procession of what I call "musical chairs" docs over the years with one having stayed as long as 10-12 yrs, the rest are highly mobile. I see a local gal whose an ARPN and nice but can be forgetful and a poor listener not rarely. Since our most recent MD got killed on the way home by a DUI kid (my wife's employee's young adult son in fact) we've had to share a doc with other counties. In the main hospital location some stay around as it's a small town with a regional university so entices docs. Here we lack what gets and keeps a doc. 
I stick with the one I've got cause at least we know each other in a long term sense vs. here today, gone next day...
As for docs and their being interested in me as a patient- I find that most are VG and try hard given the limitations of time involved. 
My new cardiologist is very proactive and in the event that I need a specialized cardio doc he'll refer me but for now he's what I wanted and didn't have before for many years-in truth I should have switched long ago as things never really changed with him. The practice he and another old cardiologist began would not switch me and obvious that they were catering to both of them in spite of that practice having sold out to the hospital. 
When I need a hip replacement, I self referred to 4 docs that all declined to serve my really obvious need, the 5th ended up becoming my hip doc, did both over a two year period and now my knee doc. Those first 4 are on my lifetime "X"hit list with a gold star beside their names. i left out that the first hip did only posterior approach hip replacements so I sort of shopped around for those who did anterior. Months of pain and immobility to get one who wanted the job. The last guy who is actually world class, he said "man you need a hip badly"! 
I use "street docs", not the VA as I prefer docs near enough and my chosen provider, plus KY teacher retirement pays for our Medicare supplemental plan which is really good and they also provide our Rx plan which we use for most meds, others we get locally as cost or access is better than computer orders. My wife's thyroid is tuned to her specifc current needs so she uses Walmart to get the right dosage. 
 My last eye doc hated his job or at least sure acted like it so I fired him and found out the 1st new visit to the same one my wife uses that I needed cataract surgery even though I've never worn glasses and 20/20 until last year one went 20/50. They did far more eye tests than the original eye doc as part of what is an annual visit. 
I used to caddy for lots of docs, dentists, lawyers, car dealers, big time farmers, politicians, small business owners and insurance guys and the car guys were the ones who caught this young boys attention as not nice folks. The docs talked about some stuff a young boy finds quite entertaining! Back in the 50's thursday was called "doctor day" at a country club.    

[Ianab]

Locally things have gone more from having a specific Dr, to being enrolled at a specific medical centre. They might have 5 or 10 Drs on staff, and although they try and put you under the care of one specifically, between staff turnover, annual and sick leave, there is no guarantee that you get to see your particular Dr. 
 

There are up and down sides to this of course. But the up side is that if you NEED a consult Today, you can generally get to see someone, or at least a Tele-consult. It might not be with YOUR Dr, but they have all your history notes and test results in front of them. From there is might range from "Take a couple of paracetamol", "Have sent your script to the pharmacy, pick it up in a couple of hours","Come in tomorrow at x o'clock", or "Call an ambulance NOW", depending on how the phone call goes. 


My last few consults (phone and in person) have been with Will, who is a pharmacist prescriber, so a pharmacist with extra training, rather than a general Dr. He handles routine scripts and medication reviews for us regular patients. I'd suggest he has a better knowledge of the various drugs / side effects / new medicines etc than most regular GPs, because that's his specialist field. If you have anything new / not related to your existing conditions, he will refer you back to one of the actual Drs for diagnosis.  


So far they seem pretty competent and efficient, although not everyone likes that approach.

[kantuckid]

One aspect of "getting in" for medical care that is both wasteful and honestly pisses me off is the need to go to an ER to get into see a specialist.
 The same ortho doc who replaced both my hips is also a knee doc-the two joints he does.
 I'd injured my knee in FL on a step ladder that sank into the sand. Upon return home I directly sought an appt. with him and was told a far, far off date for an injury as it were, but told that if I was referred I'd get in sooner but that it had to be the U of KY's own ER!
  Any sensible person knows the ER is gonna say ice it, ibuprofen, etc. and nothing as a true solution.
 So I drove myself the 3 hour RT to that ER and hobbled in from the parking lots and told my story then got in much sooner. What a waste of my time, money and their resources too! Fast forward to now and I've had 9 cortisone shots in that knee and closing in on replacement. It's still good for about 2-3 miles hiking so for now all is well. 
Compare that to me being able to self refer myself over the phone to a new cardiologist whos entry door is ten feet, straight across the hall from my knee doc! 
Per the NZ comment- our KY teacher retirement medicare supplemental plan allows us to choose any Medicare provider and I've never had an issue when I pick & choose them. 

[doc henderson]

Many times, the problem is the front desk, and the Doc is unaware until enough patients complain.  the receptionist is following rules set out by the management folks, (not usually the doc anymore) and not concerned with the effect on the patient.  Most good docs know that the front desk staff make the first impression on patients.  My friend the pain doc, will see anyone.  he often gives out his cell and tells patients to call him.  then the staff gets you in the room and yells at you to never do that again.

[gspren]

At the office where we go to there are 4 Docs and 2 RNPs. One of these will be your primary and all appointments made for routine care will be with them, when you need a quick or urgent appointment they will look at that docs schedule first but you can see whoever else if needed, it works out ok.

[kantuckid]

Many times, the problem is the front desk, and the Doc is unaware until enough patients complain.  the receptionist is following rules set out by the management folks, (not usually the doc anymore) and not concerned with the effect on the patient.  Most good docs know that the front desk staff make the first impression on patients.  My friend the pain doc, will see anyone.  he often gives out his cell and tells patients to call him.  then the staff gets you in the room and yells at you to never do that again.

Same thing happens in schools where the front clerks like to take over the building at some schools where I worked. It's a "human thing". Yes, this happens at many places we go for various services and requires much patience. I have also experienced it in medical offices where the nurse practitioner fronted for the doc who saw you next, maybe, not always.
Our local clinic we are asked who we want to see and when. When I had a septic gall bladder I had no choices other than the ER I drove to, which was the closest as it were. 

[mike_belben]

Kinda reminds me of any call center receptionist at any place with something important in your life. Youve gotta politely get past person one to get to a useful person most of the time. 

[WV Sawmiller]

   I guess I have been lucky here in WV as I had one PCP the whole time till he retired a few years ago and now his PA, who I normally saw anyway, has taken over that role and she is pretty good. Most of my "treatment" here was just getting a new overseas assignment physical anyway. Those days are over so it is an occasional eye infection from too much sweat and sawdust in my face and as often as not I call in for eye drops for that like I do for my BP and Cholesterol meds.

   I remember going to her for a physical one time and she had a new trainee who was shadowing and training with her. I had to get a finger wave and such and she said she could ask the other lady to step out till that part was over. I told her it  might be a little embarrassing but she had to learn sometime so she might as well stay. We both survived the ordeal.

[Texas Ranger]

My doc gives me a stool check kit each year checking for colon problems.  I take the sample and return the same to his office.  He is in with another doc, and have the typical slide glass window you walk up to and they see your shadow or such, open the window and ask "yes"? I said returning the sample.  she said wait a second, and closed the window.  I stood there a few minutes, slid the window open, tossed the sample kit on the desk, closed window, and left.

Was called back in a few days latter when the blood results were in, and found an entire new crew at the reception desk, a new nurse for my doc and no comment on the changes.

Occasionally complacency needs correction.  Talked with another nurse in the office and I was not the only one that had problems, and some one other than I had been very explicit in tell the doc the problem

[Ed_K]

 I went to my new V.A. primary care Doctor yesterday for a 6 month check up, and the first thing he said was "we need to schedule you for a colon procedure" I guess the gov hasn't changed since I got out  ;D :D.