Going to the doctor and the overall medical experience has become something that many people dread doing. What was once an activity to help ensure your health was in order is now an entire experience, filled with masks and hand wipes and the awkward avoidance of nearly everyone in sight. And if going to the doctor made you nervous before, there’s no telling what it might do to you now.
But it doesn’t have to be this way!
Your Huntington Beach Family Doctor in Huntington Beach, CA should make certain guarantees that can help you feel comfortable and help maintain the health of you and your family. To help you out, we’ve put together a list of things to help you determine whether or not you are getting the maximum benefit from your family medicine doctor.
Here are four guarantees your Family Doctor should make:
Put your health first. Since the main reason you go to the doctor is to check up on your health, your health should be your doctor’s top priority. During a pandemic, this can mean only visiting the doctor’s office for appointments, spreading appointments out and offering help over the phone instead, or even asking you to sanitize your hands in the office. No matter what, everything that your family medicine doctor does should be in the best interest of your family. For example, all prescribed medicine should be considered safe enough for you to use so that the benefits gained from using them far outweigh the possible side effects you may experience.
In addition to this, when your condition requires further help, your doctor may refer you to a specialist. Rather than handing you off to someone who they know little about or who has a track record of poor patient assistance, your doctor should refer you to someone who they know they can trust to help you.
Don’t let insurance ruin your experience. For many patients, insurance is a determining factor in the quality of service they receive and the type of doctor that assists them on their health journey. However, with direct primary care (DPC) in California, there is no insurance involved. Therefore, your healthcare provider can avoid the costly documentation and other intrusive demands that go hand-in-hand with insurance. Because less time is spent on meeting the demands of different insurance companies, more time can be spent on you and offering you quality healthcare. As the patient, you end up saving money, getting real answers to your questions, and living a healthier life. It’s a win-win!
Spend as much time with you as you need. Have you ever walked into a doctor’s office, sat down, and before you knew it, you were being ushered out the door? Well, it’s not just you. Unfortunately, this happens to many people and is one of the main reasons a patient may feel as though they lack a connection with their doctor. Having a strong doctor-patient relationship can help you feel comfortable sharing things with him or her. This information that you share might even help your doctor learn important details about your health and lifestyle that will allow him or her to tailor their treatments for you.
Spending time with your doctor is essential as it not only helps you form a relationship but also gives you the opportunity to ask as many questions as you would like without feeling like you are being rushed out of the doctor’s office.
Offer your family as many physical check-ups as needed. In addition to spending time with your doctor, you should also feel comfortable going back for visits as often as you feel is necessary. In traditional medical systems, you have to set a new appointment with your doctor every time you have a simple question to ask, meaning you rack up a hefty bill however big or small your concern was.
A direct primary care system helps avoid this with a membership model. You pay a fixed membership fee that covers physical check-ups for school, sports, annual routines, and more in addition to acute illnesses and minor injuries. The best part is you get unlimited office visits and 24/7/365 access to your family medicine doctor!
At Elevated Health, we know how important it is to maintain a relationship with your doctor and to have your doctor truly know you and your family. That’s why we offer DPC in California—so you can feel confident with a doctor you know you can trust and who has your and your family’s best interest in mind. We’re confident that you’ll enjoy being a member of a family of healthcare professionals and patients who seek only the best service in the industry.
For more info on direct primary care or to speak with a Huntington Beach family doctor in Huntington Beach, CA, please don’t hesitate to reach out today!