I want to change my PCP. Seeking guidance on process

Zach's post about the procedure is good.

For "researching the doctor," I would include asking the following people for recommendations:
nurses/office staff at the offices of your specialist doctors;
your specialist doctors;
other patients;
family, friends, etc., especially anyone who works in any medical field in your vicinity.

Nurses and office staff can be really helpful; if a doctor is a jerk, then the office folks know it, from experience or from the grapevine. But they can be really hesitant to talk about the doctors, so try to ask them in a quiet, private space where they can't be overheard by anyone.

Good luck! Happy hunting!

Hey, there, sorry that my previous post merely recaps what you already know...Not sure why I didn't see your full post before I starting writing mine...I'm not that competent with this site and how posts are connected.
Let us know how it worked out?

When looking for a new doctor of any kind, I start by looking at their educational background, where they did their internship, etc, did they have any fellowships.
Then I check for their board certifications, if any. I only see specialists who are board certified, and in the area I need the specialist for.
Then I check their reviews from patients.
Then I google for any "best doctor" awards they've attained. I check on whether the "best doctor" award was given by other doctors, or by their patients.
I also google for news articles about them. I found one doctor who'd been in a scandal for having sex with hospital staff and patients in the office.
If it's a referral from a doctor I'm already seeing, I ask them if they personally know the doctor, or if their staff just picked them off the list of providers from my insurance company.

I know I'm picky, but it's literally my life in their hands. And I've learned the hard way that all of these things matter to various degrees. And I finally have a PCP and specialists I like and trust.

Hello I had multiple contacts to the Mayo clinic of changing my PCP. Keep getting we are unable to change your PCP from the phone contacts. Is there a way to contact whomever is making the decision? My last PCP retired while back and Mayo unfortunately auto-assign a PCP for you. I'm not getting the advice that is needed for my health issues. Frankly insurance company contacted me that nothing has been scheduled for my diabetes A1C check. Multiple questions online was not answered and I was referred to a specialist directly without my PCP talking to me. So, just going on the platform before jumping into wider social media to ask why is it so tough to change my PCP? It's just not working for me. Thank you

Hi @zuluniner, I am sorry to hear about your frustration with trying to find a new PCP after yours retired. You may wish to contact the Office of Patient Experience:

Mayo Clinic Office of Patient Experience
Phone: 844-544-0036 (toll free)
Email: opx@mayo.edu
https://www.mayoclinic.org/about-mayo-clinic/patient-experience
Staff are available to discuss comments or concerns you may have regarding your medical care or privacy at Mayo Clinic.

I have an update. Shortly after post this originally +putting out some private effort to identify a replacement, the PCP I was seeking to replace behaved outrageously, dangerously and violated three AMA tenants of practice. He caused harm on several levels. He concluded by terminating me + refusing to help me when I passed out and suddenly collapsed in his office. He watched me leave, driving myself home, without saying a word when I regained consciousness and I picked myself up, literally. He then trashed me in every way possible in my medical records.
I went thru much aftermath. Skip, fast forward two months later. I was traumatized but I needed a doctor. I have medical problems. I found a husband and wife team who practice in a small, no other employees office. They have excellent medical background+ prior affiliations. Every appt is 50-60 mins. They want to practice medicine as they believe is best to truly meet patient needs. She did more for me in the first 1+ 1/2 hr visit than can be described. She diagnosed and treated several unrecognized conditions. 1st thing she did was increase my blood volume to immediately address low BP +orthostatic hypotension. She dx and treated an episodic cardiac arrhythmia, SVT. She called the pharmacy and instructed them to have 2 EpiPens ready for pick up in 2 hrs (mine was 3 yrs expired. She checked it.) She began a Long COVID protocol they use. She changed my already healthy diet. She put me on a sleep pattern to regulate my Circadian rhythm. The list is long. The best part for me is that because their office is small, she does not have to use EHR. I opted out of that to regain some privacy and recovery after the trashing. That also means she only accepts cash payment. But she's reasonably priced and doesn't order anything unnecessary.
What was meant for evil, turned out to be used for my good. She respects my professional views, as we are both avid study outcome researchers. So we have productive discussions when necessary regarding certain decisions. She does not take off hours call. If you need urgent services you go to Urgent care or ER. I have no problem w that. I text her off hrs and she accepts my decisions to self treat or go. She has changed my health in 6 months. I'm on a dozen supplements and am amazed that they really work like pharmaceuticals, at least for me. She tells me she wants me to look forward to good days and a good life without limitations, because all things are possible.
They are part of a segment of the medical provider population who left the mainstream corporate medical system. They gave up money and more. But she told me she could not function the way Medicine became any longer.
Some of you may be happy with a small independent practice. No frills. Try it. I can say I am rapidly getting my life back. I perform all activities of daily living everyday. My muscles WANT to move again. I walk because it feels normal, like before. I don't have the death-like 'fatigue' that paralyzed and stole my life for 2+ yrs. My cognitive function has improvement in memory, reading/ comprehension and administrative capabilities.
I wish I could tell you the magic formula for my great improvement, but I had additional medical problems along with Long COVID/PASC. I'm just saying that I 'reimagined' primary care medicine for myself. I left the'standard' model and gave an 'old fashioned' model of a mere partnership of two docs with no frills a try.
Just today, I've learned that the best advanced specialty surgical group in the area, remarkably talented and credentialed doctors, closed their doors today. They're staff said they're hoping to open as a re-formed INDEPENDENT specialty surgical practice in a few months.
Shifting sand of today's medical practices. Some of this will be of benefit to we, the patients. If you have the courage, give small independent practitioners a consideration.

Written but not reviewed due to time constraints.

@rsfcowgirl Thank you for giving us an update. You have had quite the journey to be the best you can be. Congratulations for "sticking it out" and being persistent. You're an inspirstion for those of us who may feel lost.
Ginger

Great Process!!! I do much of the same, but you gave me a few new ideas.
I am not so convinced by local "Top Doctor" lists - I once had a dentist who was a Prosthodontist, with MS extra training, board certified and university professor and he didn't think much of them. Many people "vote" for who they like and do not look at the background. I look at Castle Connelly for doctor lists to start with. then I check their background.
And you are so right....it makes a difference. Having many issues now and reason to see many doctors, I have seen the difference in approach by various doctors. I helped myself a great deal by checking things out.

How about calling your insurance company coach and ask. Then you will also know if the doctor accepts your insurance.

What a frustrating problem. I can't answer this question "...why is it so tough to change my PCP?"
I can tell you what I did in my (non-Mayo) network. They assigned me a PCP whom I knew and didn't want to see. My retiring PCP suggested a different person, I selected (and saw) them, and tried to change my primary on the system. Nope, every call or appointment, I was asked "when are you going to see Dr X?" I said "Never, Dr Y is my provider." But it never got changed. It finally took a chat with the coordinator in one of my specialty clinics to get the info changed.
When I needed a new pulmonologist (the old one "fired" me - long and not relevant story) I asked the ID doc who was working on the same health issue "Who do you recommend I see with this condition? Who works well with you?" That got me to my current, much better doc.

So, I recommend you go to see the specialist - I assume endocrinologist. At the appointment ask them which doctors in your network they would refer you to who works well with people with diabetes.

If that doesn't work, as @JustinMcClanahan suggests - on to the Office of Patient Experience.

Sue