I want to change my PCP. Seeking guidance on process

Posted by rsfcowgirl @rsfcowgirl, Nov 28, 2022

Hello Connect.
My problem: I need to find another Dr.
I'm in a new city+state and arrived here recently so I still know only a few people. I chose my Dr from an insurance list based on his credentials. But what he looked like on paper doesn't translate into good medical care. Plus his interpersonal skills are tainted by his 'issues.' It's just unworkable. The Nurse Navigator, who had been working with me, was displeased with him also and was concerned also that I'm not receiving competent care as well.
PCP is in a large Internal Medical group. The area I moved to doesn't have much high level care to begin with.
My other specialists (Opthalmologist, Neurosurgeon, Gyn) are in the same campus in different buildings.
I'd like to stay in the same large Internal Medicine group. This is the issue that's at the center of my challenge.
The Internal Med Drs are highly political when it comes to the ego/business aspect of their practice. That's not uncommon, but it's more pronounced here than I've ever seen before.
I want guidance on how to begin and implement this change.
I was considering reaching out to the Medical Director but that may be politically incorrect with counter productive results. I don't know. I want to ask for a referral from my Neurosurgeon I respect but I was referred to him by same PCP. They worked together closely in the past when PCP did a stint in ER.
Plus, I don't know who in the lg group in accepting new patients. It's a tight market of availability here There is a certain Dr. in the group who I think may be a good fit. I can't ask questions privately bc you have to leave an open VM or use patient portal (which I don't use) with their group as the only means of communication.
I'm not in competent medical hand with this Dr or I'd endure him. I need another Dr for certain. My options are limited by my location and I'm walking in the dark in finding another.
My Opthalmologist is also PCPs Dr so I can't ask him.
I intend on handling the separation from PCP as a "no - fault" decision.
I'd like guidance on the order of the steps I need to take I don't know what this process should look like in action. I don't want to be left without a PCP, which could happen here.
I had my former Dr for 16 years of excellent care and a wonderful interersonal therapeutic relationship. I was living in a large area with top hospitals. I was also previously in the medical profession so I knew who was who. I'm in an entirely new scenario now. Never anticipated being in this situation.
Thanks so much for considering my problem and offering your ideas or experience. I appreciate the opportunity to get your input.

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Thank you for your response. I truly like Mayo clinic’s innovations that said their patient handling for the day-to-day operations needs so much improvement. Their website/app took almost a year to get somewhere. No quality assurance. Anyway, I did call the patient experience finally and person was polite but they told me that they will review and let me know accepted or denied. Am I missing something here? I use a well known insurance plus Mayo is a non-profit organizations with lots of government grants despite all of this back and forth either give up patient family practice or hire some good coordinators. Anyway just ranting and wishing for a better service from a world class organization with weak management. Sorry had to mention that. My insurance called me for my regular A1C test missing or not scheduled but the nurses from the Dr X’s office called me and scheduled one. Thank you all!

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@cookierockwell

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.

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Excellent. I've done the same. Makes sense to check out a Dr. at least as thoroughly as we'd check out a product before buying on Amazon.
Patients have to feel they have the right to evaluate medical personnel and services. And they need to know where to find the tools to do that. And they need to participate in providing their input too, to inform others.
Thanks for posting this.

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@zuluniner

Thank you for your response. I truly like Mayo clinic’s innovations that said their patient handling for the day-to-day operations needs so much improvement. Their website/app took almost a year to get somewhere. No quality assurance. Anyway, I did call the patient experience finally and person was polite but they told me that they will review and let me know accepted or denied. Am I missing something here? I use a well known insurance plus Mayo is a non-profit organizations with lots of government grants despite all of this back and forth either give up patient family practice or hire some good coordinators. Anyway just ranting and wishing for a better service from a world class organization with weak management. Sorry had to mention that. My insurance called me for my regular A1C test missing or not scheduled but the nurses from the Dr X’s office called me and scheduled one. Thank you all!

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I am a little confused here - when you say you are seeking a family practice doctor at Mayo, was your former doctor practicing in one of your local Mayo clinics and then retired? And the problem was with the newly assigned one not being attentive to detail and not accessible?

Or were these doctors outside the Mayo clinics, and now you are trying to find care in a Mayo Clinic? If it is the latter, the link for locating a clinic near you is:
https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/

Mayo Clinic has a very limited number of Family Practice doctors on staff, so naturally their availability is much more limited than in a local clinic.
Sue

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No need to be confused. I’ve been with Mayo doctors for 11 years and haven’t seen any doctor other than Mayo Clinic’s. Just trying to switch my Mayo PCP to another Mayo doctor. Thank you

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