By Mitzi R. Krockover, M.D.

Powerful allies in your role as a caregiver are the team members you recruit.  Your entire health team—which includes your loved one, doctors, nurses, specialists, pharmacists, family members and you—works together on behalf of someone who, in many cases, is not able to make their own healthcare decisions.

Healthcare Coach

Your loved one’s primary care physician will probably be the team’s “coach” so as the team manager be sure you’re comfortable working with him or her and have great confidence in his/her abilities. Your first step in evaluating the qualifications of a primary care physician will be medical education and training. Your state’s medical board will have information on its Website such as where and when doctors were trained, licensing information, and board certification. You will find how many years of experience a doctor has and any sanctions or disciplinary actions against him/her.

What to Look for in a Doctor

After creating your short list of potential candidates, think about what you and your loved one need from a primary care doctor. Ask yourself and your loved one (if you are able to communicate with him or her about these decisions) the following questions:

• Would you and your loved one prefer a male or female doctor?
• Someone younger or older? 
• Is location a factor? 
• Who else is in the group and how does the group handle situations after hours? 
• Will all the group doctors have access to your loved one’s medical records, or are the doctors working independently?
• How soon will you receive a call back?  Will the call back come from the doctor or from a nurse? 
• How will you be notified about test results and if you have a question about the results, how will it get answered? 
• How long does it typically take to get an appointment? 
• Does the doctor accept email from patients and how does the doctor prefer to respond? What can you expect if you leave a message?  
• What is the cost of an office visit? 

Consider your needs as well as those of your loved one. Many of these questions can be answered by the doctor’s office staff. Others are purely personal preferences. Still others will be answered only as your relationship with your doctor unfolds.

Meeting Your Loved One’s New Doctor

So you’ve done your research, called the offices of your candidates, and made an informed decision on your first choice for team coach—your primary care physician.  It’s time to “kick the tires,” and make an appointment. 

Once there, take note of your surroundings. What are your first impressions of the office appearance and the professionalism of the staff?  Are the receptionists and nurses helpful and cheerful? Do they respect your privacy?  Is the exam room clean and comfortable?  Is the doctor punctual, showing respect for your time, or if late, does he or she acknowledge the inconvenience?  How is his/her bedside manner?  Does the doctor listen to you and your loved one, and ask questions?  Does the doctor talk to both of you, not just you?  Are you both encouraged to ask questions?  Do you feel the doctor is taking time to answer all questions to your satisfaction? 

Meeting Dr. Right

Two final questions should help you decide if you’ve chosen well.  How does your loved one react to the doctor?  Lastly, what does your gut feeling tell you?  Caregivers sometimes have the added burden of choosing on behalf of another, but among all the important considerations, knowledge and experience are the primary qualifications for helping choose Dr. Right.