Finding good primary care docs...

 How have you guys done it?  Will doctors really do "interviews?"  I have never done that, but heard about it.  I confess I have a bit of a problem being intimidated by medical personell.  Not to the point of letting someone DO something bad to me, just to the point where it is not the easiest thing in the world for me to be all "let me interview doctors!"  But I really need to find a new PCP who is not going to suck.  I *thought* I vetted the one I had, and clearly was wrong.  So how did you find your PCP? 

Thanks everyone :) 

personally I have interviewed many surgeons via phone but not pcp, different relationship between you and a pcp, essentially your pcp is with you all the time, the surgeon can be a one time deal, surgery and never have to see them again, so it is imp. to have a 1:1 with your potential pcp....

 My PCP knew Nothing about DS surgery.  Had never heard of it.

But he is Willing to learn and has learned (from me)

I give him diagram of my surgery to put in my record.  I have given him copies of research studies etc.

I let him know the labs I will need and what medical considerations I have related to my DS

Just finding a doctor who is interested in you, who listens, who is willing to listen and learn, who is pro weight loss surgery or at least isn't anti weight loss surgery.

My doctor is very good about going along with my requests LOL.  I got lucky, I think.

Still .. it's all on ME to see to it I get what I need

I am bringing him a new patient today, my friend.

So he is going to have two DS patients now LOL (hopefully if my friend get his DS surgery approved)

Loretta

What I did was find a hospital close by that has a Bariatric Unit. I asked the nurse, the clerk, and the insurance guru who they would recomend for a PCP. Reason why I did this is because they will refer you to a PCP that has refered to them and has worked with them before. Meaning they have a little more insight then a regular PCP. Also they are not afraid to refer you to a WLS surgeon.

I also asked the Bariatric Unit for a dietician that referes to them as well. You will find that dieticians dont' like to refer you for WLS.

Even if you are not planning on useing this place as you surgeon place that is ok. They will still work for you and have open minds to the idea of WLS. I hope this helps. I know it really helped me with choosing the right medical proffesionals. They understand me and work for my common goal of WLS.

 Thanks, that is a great tip!

Wow you are super-sharp. Way to go on this!

I work in a medical office and it is totally normal to make an appointment with a doctor "to establish care" even if you don't have an actual urgent medical need.  You'll have to pay whatever copays, coinsurance required by your insurance for each one that you go to, though.  Some may respond to telephone or email inquiries about them, but in general...they may be too busy to respond and you may need to make an appointment and the office staff is not always aware of what the doctor will and will not do if questioned on the phone, but it is worth a try.

It is always best to get a recommendation, even if it happens to be from a stranger on the internet based on internet reviews...but keep in mind that doctors good enough to have amassed good internet reviews may not be accepting new patients, and may be such good docs that they have a long wait in the office.  That is definitely something to ask the office staff about...."how far behind does this physician usually run?"  We have some great docs in our office, but I see some of them run 1 hour behind everyday and I certainly wouldn't want to deal with that as a patient.

I stumbled on my PCP by sheer luck.  He doesn't lend a lot as far as information goes, but he knows a lot of docs to refer me to when I have problems and he generally does anything I ask him to do and he's a super cool dude.  As a general rule, I've found male physicians to be easier going and more open-minded than females, but that's really up to your comfort level.

I have a wonderfuil internist...she is smart, openminded,  and assertive about my care.  And proactive.  She is also more than willing to be open about the limits of her knowledge,  and she works with  my hematologist and endocrinologist as needed, refers me whenever appropriate.  But I am very, very lucky in this regard.  In my experience with physicians (as a patient),  it is extremely important to remember that they are not all-powerful,  that they are service providers,  that you pay their salary,  and that their job is to take care of you.  Many physicians are not so smart,  are lazy,  and very stuck in their ways and not able or willing to see beyond their (sometimes limited) experience.

BE AGGRESSIVE and be your own best advocate.  That is the only way.

I wouldn't bother with any doctor who won't do a "get acquainted" appointment.  Of course I expect to pay for his/her time.  As for how I found my PCP, I was denied for WLS in 2005.  I just did not feel like fighting my employer since at the time we were self insured.  At my appeal, I was essentially told that if I didn't like the outcome, I could go work somewhere else.  Yet I still was morbidly obese.  I went to the web site for the society of bariatric physicians hoping I could find someone who understood this is a disease and not just an eat less exercise more thing.  I found a physician who practices non-traditional medicine mixed with traditional aspects.  He treated me; he did not try to name, blame, and tame as is so commonly seen.  Of course, my metabolism was shot as we discovered the specifics. 

He helped me prepare for WLS in so many ways.  It has always been a collaborative effort except for one time when he said he was going to make me stay in the office until I made an appointment for mental health counseling.  That is the only time he pulled the "I'm the doctor.  Do. Not. Question. My. Authoritay". Of course he couldn't do that, yet I appreciated his concern that I needed help and needed it then.  Two of the more objective things about his practice are that he is board certified in nutrition and he practices functional medicine.  You can do a Google search for functional medicine practitioners and see if that approach appeals to you.  Don't be afraid to look out side of the realm of MDs and be open to DOs. 

Barring that, get to know nurses or other health care workers.  Meet them at church, PTA, political rallies, garden clubs, where ever.  I wouldn't tell anyone who calls me at my workplace (a hospital) who to go see because of the liability issues.  But I will always watch the back of a friend. Or you can move to TN and see my perfect doctor.