How to Find a Physician in New Hampshire

Timothy Soucy, public health director for Manchester, New Hampshire, says he strives to promote positive mental, physical and environmental health for individuals and families as part of improving overall public health. Individuals and families in New Hampshire need access to quality medical care to remain healthy and help fulfill this health care initiative. It can be challenging to select an appropriate physician for your situation, but simple research should direct you to good candidates.

Instructions

• 1

  Ask your family, friends or co-workers for physician referrals. Request them to share personal experiences and opinions about particular doctors or medical facilities. You also can perform background reviews independently online. Websites can provide patient reviews and comments and display any negative sanctions filed against a physician. (See Resources)

• 2

  Activate your GPS (cell phone or automobile). Type or say "physicians" or "doctors" using the GPS search engine feature. Review the list of doctors and office contact information within the preferred radius of your location. Some GPS search engine results include customer reviews.

• 3

  Visit websites such as drscore.com or www4.egov.nh.gov to locate a New Hampshire physician. (See Resources 2 and 3) Both websites let users search for physicians practicing in various fields of medicine. When using www4.egov.nh.gov, you can search for New Hampshire-based physicians by license number, last name or specialty area.

• 4

  Review the physician's patient ratings and reviews on vital.com or healthgrades.com's websites. (See Resources 5 and 6) For example, click "Check Up on Your Doctor" on vital.com's website and input the physician's name, city and state or five-digit ZIP code to view more detailed profile information.

• 5

  Contact at least two doctors and request consultations. Some physicians provide this as a complimentary service while others charge a fee. Ascertain in advance whether there is a fee; if so, phone your insurance company to learn whether this type of visit is covered in your policy.

• 6

  Arrive at the doctor's office at least 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment to observe the waiting area and complete any preliminary paperwork that may be required. Bring a list of questions as a starting point for dialogue with the prospective physician. (See Resource 1 for a list of helpful tips and questions.) The doctor should listen and answer each of your questions, remain professional throughout the consultation and make you feel at ease. Decide whether you and the physician seem to be a good match.