Healthcare is a journey. The first stop in your healthcare travels is to make sure that you have a personal doctor, sometimes called a primary care provider or PCP. Your personal doctor can not only help you get better when you are sick, but can help you stay healthier overall. He or she will know your health history and can be your partner through every stop on your healthcare journey. 

Choosing the right doctor is very important. This easy check list can help you find a high quality personal doctor (or PCP) that is right for you. 

Step 1: Find a High Quality Practice 

There are many things a physician practice (or doctors’ office) can do to make sure you get the highest quality care. Going to a practice that provides quality care can help you be healthier – and stay safe. 

• Click on “Maine Doctor Ratings” button above. 
• If you haven’t already, read the disclaimer. Then click the button that says “view results.” 
• Choose the town where you would like to find a doctor. On the top right of the screen, put your zip code in the space provided and choose how far you are willing to travel in the drop down box. 
• Find 3 practices with either 2 or 3 blue ribbons (3 is best). You can click on the practice name to get more information about their quality ratings. If you have diabetes or heart disease, it is important to go to a practice that earned a blue ribbon in that category. 

Step 2: Learn More about the Providers 

Now you have a list of 3 practices that provide high quality care. The next step is to learn more about the practice and the doctors who work there.

• Visit the website for the physician practice. If the practice is a member of the Maine Health Management Coalition (MHMC), you can find the web address by clicking on the “Links to Helpful Websites” link at the bottom of the MHMC’s home page (www.mhmc.info). You can also use a search engine to find the practice’s web address. 
• Learn more about the doctors at the practice. Most practice websites will provide a list of providers and biographical information about each. Some websites will also say which doctors are currently accepting new patients.
• Make a list of doctors that you like. Based on the information you find on the website, choose a few doctors that seem to be a good fit for you. What is important to you in a doctor? Gender, education and training, and areas of specialty are examples of things that are important to some people. 
• Find out other important information about the practice. You may want to know the office hours, if the practice has a pharmacy or lab on site, the physical location of the practice, or other information to help you make your choice. 

Step 3: Call the Practice 

After visiting the websites of the 3 high quality practices that you chose, you should have a list of anywhere from 3 to 10 doctors that you think might be a good fit for you. The next step in the process is to call the practice(s). While the staff person at the practice may not be able to recom- mend a specific doctor, you can still learn a lot from the phone call. As you ask each of your questions, think about how the call is going. 

• Make a list of questions about the practice and how it handles patients. What didn’t you learn from the practice’s website that you still would like to know in order to make your choice? 
• Call the practice. Introduce yourself and tell the practice why you are calling. Here’s an example of what you might say: “Hi, my name is ______ and I am looking for a new doctor. Is there someone there that could answer a few questions about (Practice Name) and some of your doctors?” You may get transferred to someone else after your introduction, or the person that answers the phone might be able to help you. 
• Ask your questions about the practice. Look at the end of this checklist to find a list of sample questions. 
• Tell the person a little bit about yourself. Giving the person important but brief information about your medical history and what you are looking for in a doctor can be helpful. Here is an example of what you might say. “I have been to your website and I really like Dr. A, Dr. B, and Dr. C. I am generally healthy but I have back problems sometimes. I really want to find a doctor that has good commu- nication skills and one that is open to alternative medicine. Which one of these doctors do you think might be best for me?” If you have a chronic health condition, this is a good time to find out whether any of the doctors at the practice have any special training or expertise. For example: “I’ve been to your website and I really like Dr. A, Dr. B, and Dr. C. I have MS – do any of those doctors have any special training or any successes in treating other patients with MS?” 
• Ask whether any of the doctors offer “get to know you” visits. A “get to know you” or “meet and greet” visit allows a patient to have a short visit with a doctor to learn more about the doctor. Some doctors do not offer these visits, but if they do, there should not be a charge. In this visit you can ask the doctor general questions about how he or she works with patients, but you cannot discuss any medical issues that you may have. 
• Decide whether the practice is right for you. Was the staff pleasant and helpful? Were they able to give you enough information about the doctors to help you make a choice? Do you feel comfortable that you will receive good care? 

Step 4: Choose a Doctor That is Right for You 

Now that you have spoken with the 3 practices, you should be able to choose a practice and narrow your list of doctors to 1 or 2. The last step in the process is to make your final choice. 

• Schedule a “get to know you” visit. This can be an important step in deciding whether a doctor is right for you. Remember that the purpose of this visit is to see whether you think the doctor is a “good fit” – not to discuss any medical problems. Look at the end of this checklist to find a list of sample questions that you might ask in a “get to know you” visit. 
• Choose your doctor. With all the information you have found, you can now choose a doctor that is best for you. 
• Check with your insurance company. If you have an HMO or similar plan, you will need to let them know that you have a new doctor. You should also double check that the doctor is covered in your health plan’s network. 
• Have your medical records transferred. Write a letter to your prior doctor’s office and ask for your medical records to be transferred to your new doctor. In the letter, include your name, your date of birth, and the name and address of where you would like your medical records sent. 
• Schedule an appointment with your new doctor. Once your records have been transferred, you should schedule a visit with your new doctor as soon as reasonable. In this visit, your doctor can review your medical history and you can talk about any medical concerns that you have. Sometimes scheduling a physical is the best approach (but make sure your insurance plan will cover this). Make sure you bring a list of any prescription or over-the-counter drugs you are taking. 

Sample questions to ask a physician practice when you are selecting a doctor. 

• Do you accept my insurance? (You may also be able to find this information at your health plan’s website) 
• What are the office hours? 
• What happens if I get sick or need help when you’re not open? (Do they have 24-hour call service?) 
• What happens if I need to be seen on a day when my doctor is busy or out of the office? (Do other doctors in the practice cover for each other?) 
• Can you tell me the typical process for getting an appointment with a doctor? How long does it usually take to get an appointment? 
• If I have a question about my care, who do I call? How soon will someone call me back? 
• Where are routine x-rays and laboratory studies performed? Can these be done in-office, or will I have to go to an outside laboratory? How quickly do I get the results?

Examples of things you might want to ask about the doctor(s) that you are thinking about choosing include: 

• Is Dr. X accepting new patients? 
• How long does it usually take to get an appointment with Dr. X? 
• Does Dr. X have any special training or area of specialty? 

Sample questions to ask a doctor during a “Get to Know You” visit. 

• Do you have the background and training that I might need? (Remember to ask about any issues that might be of special importance to you, such as a chronic health condition that you have.) 
• What do you look for in a patient? 
• How do you come to an agreement with patients about treatment? 
• What hospital do you usually work with? 
• Do you respond to calls at night or on the weekend? 
• Do you make hospital rounds personally or do you use a hospitalist service? 
• Does your office use electronic medical records? If so, does it include: disease registry, electronic prescribing, electronic patient reminders, lab/imaging results, etc. 
• How will you help me manage any specialty care I may need? If I need to see a specialist about a particular problem, how do you typically coordinate the information and planning? What would you expect my role to be? 
• How do you decide which specialist to recommend? Do you have access to quality information on specialists to guide the selection? 
• How much time will I usually have to spend with you during my annual physical? Will there be time to discuss concerns, treatments, health strategies etc.? 
• If I have a question about my care, who do I call? How soon will someone call me back? Who would normally call me back? 
• How will you use the health risk appraisal I complete at work? 
• What can I tell you about myself that can help you determine whether this might be a good fit?

Ask: Is an operation the best choice for my condition?

Learn: Research studies show that certain operations and procedures are done more often in certain parts of the country without medical reason. Before you decide on surgery, ask your doctor:

• What is the operation? Why do I need it?
• What are the likely benefits? What are the risks and how often do they occur?
• Are there other ways to treat this condition? If so, what are they and how well do they work?
• How long will I stay in the hospital? How long will it take to recover at home? When can I get back to my normal activities?
• How will the operation affect how I feel and what I can do long term?
• What will the costs and charges be?

Ask: If I decide on surgery, where should I have it done and who should do it?

Learn: Some surgeries are done at a hospital or clinic without an overnight stay. Others require a hospital stay. Choose a safe hospital and skilled surgeon. Find out:

• How many surgeries like mine are done in the hospital or clinic each year? Usually, surgical teams are more skilled when they do many surgeries like yours, rather than a few.
• How safe will I be in the hospital? What does the hospital do to reduce errors?
• Who will be my surgeon? What is their training? How many surgeries like mine do they perform each year? What is their track record for success?

Use the MHMC web site:

Find out how hospitals rate on certain measures to prevent medical mistakes

http://www.mhmc.info/hospitals

Read an interview with John Fields, RN, about why a hospital stay is risky and what you can do to help prevent mistakes at

http://www.mhmc.info/safety

Ask: What are the other kinds of information I need before I make a final decision?

Learn: For surgery that is not an emergency, you can usually take your time to “cover all the bases.” Find out:

• Do I need or want a 2nd or even 3rd opinion? You can ask your doctor to refer you or find another doctor on your own. It’s usually wise to get another opinion and doctors usually think it’s a good idea.
• What are my insurance benefits? What bills will I have to pay? Check with your benefits office or insurance plan to find out.

Decide:

• Is surgery right for me?
• Do the benefits outweigh the possible risks?
• Does the hospital work to prevent mistakes?
• Is the surgeon highly skilled?

See also:

To find data about Maine hospital safety measures, go to this web page:

http://www.mhmc.info/hospitals

To get 5 tips to avoid mistakes from a Maine hospital safety expert, go to this web page:

http://www.mhmc.info/safety

Ask: If I’m mostly healthy, what routine check-ups and tests do I need?

Learn: Expert national guidelines can inform you and your doctor about check-ups and tests to help keep your healthy. These are largely based on your age and gender. Your doctor may also consider your family medical history. Ask your doctor:

• What are the national guidelines about check-ups and tests for someone like me? Do you have office systems in place that will help us follow the guidelines, such as a reminder system for appointments and tests?
• What are my biggest health risks and what can I do to prevent problems?
• What good health habits are most important for me? How can I get started and stick to them?

To find national guidelines on check-ups and tests, go to:
http://www.mhmc.info/checkups

Ask:If I have a long term condition such as asthma, diabetes, heart failure, or depression, what routine check-ups and tests do I need?

Learn: Expert national guidelines can inform you and your doctor about when and how often certain check-ups and tests should be done as part of your overall treatment plan. Studies have shown that patients stay healthier when the guidelines are followed. Work with your doctor to manage your condition.

• What are the national treatment guidelines for someone with my condition? How often do I need to come in and how often are certain tests scheduled? Do you have office systems in place that will help us follow the guidelines, such as a reminder system for appointments and tests?
• What medicines do I need to take? What do they do? How should I take them? What are the side effects? When should I call you?
• How do I need to check on symptoms at home? What should I do if my symptoms are getting worse?
• What else do I need to do to manage my condition?

To find out which medical practices use office systems to help manage care, go to:
http://www.mhmc.info/doctors

To locate accurate information and treatment guidelines for many health conditions:
http://www.mhmc.info/healthfinder

Decide: 

• Am I working well with my doctor to manage my health?
• Are we following national guidelines for check-ups and tests right for my age, gender, and condition?
• Are we both using systems to keep track of how I’m doing and any next steps?

See also: 

To find data about Maine doctor quality, go to this web page:
http://www.mhmc.info/doctors

To find national guidelines on check-ups and tests, visit this website:
http://ahrq.gov/consumer/#prevention

To locate accurate information and treatment guidelines for many health conditions, visit the HealthFinder website:
http://www.healthfinder.gov/

Ask: How do I choose a hospital working hard to prevent mistakes?

Learn: When you need to use a hospital and it’s not an emergency, you can choose a hospital likely to provide safe, high quality care. Find out about hospital efforts to prevent common medical mistakes that cause patient injury and death. Ask your doctor

• Is preventing medical mistakes a hospital priority? Do leaders and caregivers admit when mistakes happen? Do they take steps and set up systems to prevent the same mistakes from happening again?
• Are patients asked to speak up about their medicines and their care to help prevent mistakes?
• Does the hospital double-check all medicines when a pharmacist is on duty and when a pharmacist is not on duty?
• What is the hospital doing to prevent infections, especially in surgical patients and patients coming in with pneumonia?

Use the MHMC web site:

• To find data about Maine hospital safety measures – http://www.mhmc.info/hospitals
• To get 5 tips to avoid mistakes from a Maine hospital safety expert – http://www.mhmc.info/safety
• To learn what national experts recommend – http://www.mhmc.info/experts

Ask: Is the hospital an active member of the national campaign to save 100,000 lives?

Learn: 100,000 is the estimated number of people killed by medical mistakes each year in U.S. hospitals.

The 100,000 Lives Campaign, sponsored by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement in Boston, works to prevent 6 types of serious medical mistakes. Ask your hospital about what they do and how well they’re doing with these 6 actions:

• Treat patients who come in with heart attacks according to national guidelines
• Prevent central line infections
• Prevent medication mistakes
• Use a Rapid Response Team for patients who get suddenly worse
• Prevent infections after surgery
• Prevent pneumonia in patients on ventilators

To get these 6 fact sheets from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, go to:
http://www.mhmc.info/facts

Decide:

• Am I willing to get information and talk to my doctor about medical mistakes before I use a hospital?
• Am I confident that the hospital will work hard to prevent medical mistakes in my care?
• Will the hospital encourage me or someone close to me to speak up about my care to help prevent mistakes?

See also:

To find data about Maine hospital safety measures, go to this web page:
http://www.mhmc.info/hospitals

To get 5 tips to avoid mistakes from a Maine hospital safety expert, go to this web page:
http://www.mhmc.info/safety

To learn more about what national experts recommend,
visit the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality website:
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/

To download the Fact Sheets from the Institute for Healthcare Improvment 10,000 Lives Campaign, click on the link below:

Ask: Does the doctor practice up-to-date medicine in an up-to-date office?

Check ratings on this website for the medical practices you might use or all practices in your area. The best rating is 3 blue ribbons. The ratings tell you:

• How well the practice follows expert guidelines in caring for certain conditions
• Whether the practice tries to measure the results of care
• To what extent the practice uses office systems to keep track of patients and give them the care they need at the right times

Use the MHMC web site to see the ratings:
http://www.mhmc.info/doctors

Ask: Will the practice suit my needs?

Call and ask for this kind of information:

• Does the doctor care for patients who have conditions or needs like mine?
• Does the practice location work for me?
• What days and hours is the practice open?
• How long does it usually take to get an appointment?
• Can I call or email with questions or for prescription refills, without having to come into the office?
• Who takes calls after hours or when the doctor is away?
• What hospital does the practice use?
• Does the practice take my insurance?

Ask: Will I be able to work with and trust the doctor?

Call and schedule a brief appointment with a doctor you are considering to Learn:

• If you feel comfortable and can talk about personal issues
• If the doctor’s style of sharing information and making decisions suits you
• If you can work together for your health.

Decide:

• Is this the right practice and right doctor for me?
• If yes, schedule an appointment soon,so the doctor knows you before you need care.
• If no, start at the top with another practice or another doctor in the same practice?

See also:

To find data about Maine doctor quality, go to this web page:
http://www.mhmc.info/doctors