Choosing a GP's office is an incredibly important decision, as you will be deciding who to trust with your healthcare and that of your family. You may have just moved to a new area, or you may be unhappy with your current GP and want a change. Whatever your situation, there are a few essential steps you should take when making your decision.
Consider What's Convenient For You
Remember that you will need to get to your GP's office when you are feeling ill, so you should choose an office that you can easily access by the transport available to you. You should also consider your financial situation and how you intend to pay for your healthcare. As the Department of Human Services explains, healthcare providers get to decide whether to offer bulk billing to patients who have a Medicare card. Therefore, you should look for bulk-billing doctors if bulk billing is important to you. Finally, find out about opening hours and whether they suit your schedule. Make a list of the practices that would work for you, and get ready for some research.
Do Some Research
Armed with a list of potential practices, it's time to start researching your choices. Look online for reviews and comments from current patients, and look for any red flags that keep coming up, such as appointments being cancelled or patients not being listened to. You should also look at the practice website, as this will help you to get a feel for the atmosphere of a practice. The website will also have information about the individual doctors at the practice, which should be of interest to you. ABC News suggests that you look for doctors with an RACGP fellowship, as this indicates that they continually take part in professional development activities and try to keep up-to-date—however, as they explain, some very good doctors may choose not to have this fellowship. You may also want to look at what each doctor specialises in and how well it suits you based on your family and medical history.
Visit a Few Practices
The next step is to visit a few practices and see how they make you feel. Look for a clean, tidy waiting room and patients who seem relaxed while waiting. Speak to the receptionists and evaluate how friendly and welcoming they are and whether there seems to be a range of appointments available. A good GP's office will not mind potential patients visiting, as they will understand that this decision is an important one for you. You should trust your gut feeling about each of the practices you visit, and don't be afraid to walk away from one that doesn't feel right.
Deciding which GP's office to register with can seem like an overwhelming decision, especially for those who have just moved to a new area or have had previous negative experiences. Think carefully about what you require, whether that's bulk-billing doctors, evening appointments, or a skin specialist, and keep looking until you find the practice that's right for you.
Share25 May 2018
Yo! Welcome to my blog. The most important thing you have in life is your health. You can have a big car and a nice house and a great career but without your health, all of this is worth nothing at all. I didn't realise this until my dad became unwell and a man who seemed like a giant among the men of this world was suddenly stuck in a hospital bed. I nursed my dad and supported him throughout his recovery. During this time, I learnt a lot about the health and medical world. I hope you like this blog.