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Yasmin Carina Ryan is a Board Certified Internalist and a professional with over a decade of experience in healthcare, and she recognizes the special importance of choosing the right primary care doctor for you and your family. Whether you have moved or recently changed insurance plans, you may find yourself in need of a new primary care doctor. Yasmin Carina Ryan offers some suggestions on what to look for in a primary care physician and how to make that decision easier. To start out, gather the list of professionals covered by your insurance, advises Yasmin Carina Ryan. Then narrow your list of doctors by looking at their specialty. Primary care physicians should have their board certification in an area such as family medicine or internal medicine. Try to avoid doctors who have done their board certification in a specialty – remember that you will be seeing your primary care physician for check-ups, colds, flu’s, and the like. If you have a specific health concern, explains Yasmin Carina Ryan, you will want to choose a separate specialist who is not your primary care physician. Interview your potential doctors, recommends Yasmin Carina Ryan. Call the office and see if you can set up a consultation. It is important that your primary care doctor be someone you can communicate comfortably with. Go to the office and ask questions about the practice. Some important questions to ask include: - Does this doctor treat all of your family members, including children?
- Is this doctor licensed to perform at local hospitals?
- How easy is it to get an appointment and what are the office hours?
- Does this doctor perform surgeries or attend labor and deliveries?
- Does this doctor make emergency house calls?
This appointment is mostly to gauge your comfort with different physicians, explains Yasmin Carina Ryan. Don’t worry about giving a medical history at this appointment; just focus on establishing a sense of rapport. If you are not comfortable talking to a doctor about questions of general practice, you won’t feel comfortable talking about sensitive health issues. Finally, consider questions of convenience, says Yasmin Carina Ryan. Find out where lab work like blood tests and x-rays are done, where the office is located, and whether or not you will need several additional specialists to handle certain medical concerns. The easier it is to get your medical concerns taken care of, the more likely you are to remain vigilant about your health. Sources: http://health.howstuffworks.com/medicine/healthcare/how-to-choose-a-doctor2.htm
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=47649
http://www.mbc.ca.gov/consumer/choose_doctor.html
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Yasmin Carina Ryan, Primary Care Doctor, Yasmin Ryan,
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