Why is it so hard to find a primary care doctor taking new patients?
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Anonymous
| This is partly just venting and partly a question of is there a better way to find a new primary care doctor (mine retired). I have spent hours looking for a new primary care doctor that (1) takes my insurance (united healthcare which I expected would have a decent network), (2) is taking new patients, and (3) has decent reviews (meaning, generally positive minus a few disgruntled patients which is pretty normal). I am striking out as none of the ones I've contacted are taking new patients. All the recommendations I've gotten from people I know haven't panned out because those doctors no longer take new patients. Are they all just going concierge and ditching insurance? Is there a better way to search besides starting with my insurance company's provider directory? I am looking in the areas of Rockville, Gaithersburg, N. Bethesda -- and would be willing to go to Germantown, too -- so basically the 270 corridor. |
Anonymous
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Why is it so hard to find a primary care doctor taking new patients?
The average panel of general practice doctor is somewhere around 2200-2400 patients. At some point, they have to cap patients -- the more you have, the more you are responsible for. The more problems to address, messages to answer, people who expect you will be able to fit them in around other patients for post-op checks, to see after ED visits, for crisis events, etc. A lot of your established patients also assume you will accept new members of their family -- newborn infants, adopted children, cousins and nieces or nephews that move to the area. Your colleagues who are subspecialists with complicated patients who need a primary care doctor are going to be asking you to add in patients with newly diagnosed cancer, heart disease, kidney failure, genetic disorders, chronic pulmonary disease, etc. You know those patients are going to need to be added on top of the list you are already responsible for, and they need good care. They need attention and thoughtfulness. They need your energy and time to address all the acute problems that arise as well as regular visits for chronic disease management. So wherever you cap, that census is going to keep climbing. The most clear-cut people *not* to take on are the ones looking for a primary care doctor who have no connection to you yet. And let me be clear -- if you do not put a cap on it and say know, you cannot take care of the people you are already promised to. And you owe them care! You already have an established relationship. This isn't about new people looking for a doctor not deserving it -- it's just that you can't be that doctor, at some point. I know a family med doctor who converted to an electronic chart system and discovered he had over 6000 patients. To see all of them for one visit would take something like a year and a half if he took no vacations and worked 10 hours a day. That's not "being someone's doctor" -- and that is why it took months to get in to see him. So you have to say no. I'm sorry, OP. |
Anonymous
| I wouldn’t worry about online reviews, I’d just pick a doctor that someone you know recommends. If none of those pan out, just pick a random one. If you don’t mesh with them you can always pick another , but, if you go to Hopkins Community Ohysicians there will be someone who can take you as a new patient because there is enough turnover, new docs, etc |
Anonymous
| I have not been to one in I think 8 years. I just go to derm, gyn. Next time I need to remember to ask gyn to do a blood panel, but GP to me was simply not useful. For sick visits I do either telehealth or minute clinic and it's been great. |
Anonymous
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My neighbor gave up on primary care appointments and just goes to the local urgent care. He says they are more dependable than his primary ever was, and now they now know him as a regular (he is 80ish). I did go one time myself, and the doc was terrific. As was another urgent are a little further away when I could not get into my local one.
it did take me a couple of months to find a doc in my area taking new patients. I called a half a dozen practices after my previous 2 docs retired. I still had to wait 2 months for my first appmt. |
Anonymous
Ugh I have been unhappy with Johns Hopkins comm physicians because of the turnover! |
Anonymous
| Skip the reviews and just find one that is taking new patients. I picked one at random (because they had an opening) and she's been the best Dr. (actually she's an NP) I've ever had. |
Anonymous
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Maybe look at a younger doctor in an established practice who is still building their roster of patients.
I got sick of so many different portals and passwords with different specialists that when I had to find a new PCP, I went with someone using the same portal system as my key specialist. That way they can read each other's reports and labs. |
Anonymous
| I went through this too. There is really a crisis in access to primary care right now for those who can’t pay for concierge. We ended up signing up for one medical and have been happy so far. |
Anonymous
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Have you tried the big groups first? You should go in and meet with the doctor first, instead of reading reviews.
https://www.adventisthealthcare.com/locations/profile/amg-primary-care-gaithersburg/ https://comprehensiveprimarycare.com/contact/rockville-md/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=gbp_Rockville&utm_campaign=seo https://www.allisonwinmd.com/our-office-location/ |
Anonymous
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I've had a different PCP every year for the last five years, no kidding. Due to moving twice, a new job, and switching health insurance plan. It sounds very unsettled but that's what it was.
So I know the frustration. But at the same time, most of the PCPs were broadly useless. I always went in for the annual physical and to establish a relationship with what I'd thought would be my PCP going forward. I tried to find smaller doctors with independent practices like the ones I remembered from childhood. In reality they were indifferent, the quality of the physical ranged from useless to moderately ok. After a few visits I realized it was really only the labs they cared about (and even with one PCP I had to push to have the labs ordered). I am switching to a new health insurance next year (again!) so will be on the hunt for a new PCP but this time I will be realistic and just sign up with a hospital group. |
Anonymous
Meet the doctor before choosing? How much are you willing to pay to do this? Nobody does this. |
Anonymous
| My doc went part-time , 3 days a week. there is one other doc in the practice so he is now overloaded. Twice I have gone to urgent care instead. I asked my specialist -- who I see monthly -- to do extra urine and blood work, as I told her of my difficulty getting an appmt and she was also happy to help out with labs /medications needing to be ordered. |
Anonymous
So you've never gone to a doctor for a problem without reading a review first? Well, it makes sense why you still don't have a PCP then. |
Anonymous
| Can you do One Medical? They want you to choose a PCP, but you can go to whomever you choose at any of their clinics. The Dr I love can’t take anymore patients for primary care, but is beyond amazing and is managing my care after I saw him for a sick visit…helping me navigate specialists and tests, everything. You can try out several doctors and it’s always easy to see someone. |