How to Find a Doctor or Hospital

Finding a doctor or hospital and then selecting the best for your needs is an important decision. According to MedLine Plus, you need to consider several factors when looking for a doctor or hospital. These factors include how close the provider is to your home, insurance or financial arrangements, the credentials of the provider, and how well you like the provider. Making an informed decision is the key to a successful patient-provider relationship.

Instructions

Finding a Doctor

• 1

  Obtain a list of doctors. Look in the phone book, online or in your insurance provider book to find doctors in your area who provide the services that you need. Consider how far away each doctor is from your home.

• 2

  Verify with your insurance company which doctors are participants and ask about any co-payments or deductibles that will apply with each. If you do not have insurance, contact the doctors' offices and ask about costs and fees and any payment options or plans they offer.

• 3

  Look into the doctors' credentials. Find out if a doctor is accredited or board certified in his specialty. Call to make an appointment to speak with the doctors and check out their offices.

• 4

  Observe the flow of patients in the office, the cleanliness of the facility and friendliness of the staff. Ask the doctor any questions that you have and decide if you like his personality.

• 5

  Select a doctor based on the information that you have and make an appointment to become an established patient.

Finding a Hospital

• 6

  Obtain a list of hospitals. Look in the phone book, online, or ask friends and family for recommendations of hospitals in your area. Consider how far away each hospital is from your home.

• 7

  Verify with your insurance company that services provided at each hospital will be covered. Ask about any co-payments or deductibles that will apply with each one. If you do not have insurance, contact the hospital directly and inquire about the costs and fees. Ask about any payment options or plans they offer.

• 8

  Look into the hospitals' credentials and verify that your doctor has privileges with each facility. If you go to a hospital where your doctor does not have privileges, you may be assigned a hospitalist, a doctor employed by that hospital.

• 9

  Visit each hospital and make an appointment to speak with a representative. Observe the flow of patients and visitors in the hospital, the cleanliness of the facility and friendliness of the staff. Ask any questions that you have about the facility.

• 10

  Select a hospital based on the information that you have. Inform your doctor and family which hospital you prefer in case of an emergency.