Are you in a location where you have many choices of doctors? If so, study the system, look for biographies and reviews. And that's just a start. Ask friends about their doctors.

At least once a year you can schedule a new doctor for your Annual Wellness Visit. Some clinics will also support "new patient" visits if you change to a new doctor.

In preparation for any visit I suggest you create a one page "Health Concerns" document. Write direct sentences with bullet points. Name each concern, but don't overload details. Edit as necessary to one page or less. This shows you take your health seriously and will invest time and thought into your health needs. Make two copies, one for the doctor and one for you. Take charge of the visit, going through the list point by point with the doctor. A doctor who wants to give whole care will be grateful for your effort. You should be able to go through the list with time left for the doctor to pursue and issues she wants to add. [Keep a copy of this list and update it for every visit.]

Doctors are under great time pressure, but I've found that there are doctors who manage to get a lot covered in the standard visit, and they will usually continue the visit if you stay on topics that matter. My doctor always ends the visit by asking if there's anything else I want to ask her, even when we're overtime.

When we moved to Durham we chose doctors in the Duke system because it is large and broad, offering lots of choices. My first doctor was yucky. I changed to a second doctor who I liked a lot, but she moved to a different location, and was close to retirement, so I found another doctor who is in a nearby clinic. In between visits I communicate with her and her nurse via text message, getting encouragement, self-care advice and quick appointments when needed. She has also referred my wife and me to specialists out of the Duke system when she thought they would offer faster care.

Good luck in your search!