There are few people in the world you need to be able to trust more than your health care professionals. However, if you have recently relocated, are visiting the doctor for the first time since leaving your parents care, have switched health insurance providers, or have a specific ailment that needs treatment, finding a new health care professional can be tough.

There are a number of factors to consider when choosing a new health care professional, such as:

– Is the doctor or medical professional reputable?

– Are they affordable?

– Do they accept your health insurance?

– Are they convenient (both in hours of operation and location)?

Luckily, there are a number of resources available that can make finding a new health care professional a breeze.

Use the AMA Directory

The American Medical Association keeps a directory of all medical doctors and specialists in the United States. You can search for doctors by specialty, region, and other factors.

Check the website of your insurance provider

Many times, your insurance provider will have its own health care professional search engine that will only turn up people who accept your particular insurance plan. Cigna is a great example. They offer a search engine that features a portal guiding you toward the specific type of professional you need (or place you need to visit).

The portal breaks health care providers down into “Doctor”, “Dentist”, “Eye Doctor”, “Mental Health” and “Other.” Alternatively, you can search by hospital, x-ray or radiology center, pharmacy/drugstore, lab, or specialty center.

The most useful tool on the site (and the recommended way to search) is by plan. You can enter in your specific health insurance plan so that only providers who will accept exactly the plan you are under will show up.

Check Their Personal Website

Find the website of the private practice or hospital that you have chosen. Is the website clean and easy to navigate or does it look thrown together? A quality website is a sign of a successful medical professional and success in the medical field typically comes along with high patient satisfaction rates.

Checking the website is especially important for private practices so that you can research on their specific policies regarding patients and insurance providers. Also, unlike hospitals, private practices have certain hours of operation. Knowing these hours is vital to understanding if this is a practice that will work for you.

Research your decision via Healthgrades.com and Google Reviews

Health Grades helps you find and filter doctors via a number of criteria. Health Grades allows you to sort health care professionals by distance, specialization, gender, and insurance that they accept. Want a doctor that is Board certified? Just check the box. The website also gives you patient satisfaction rates on all health care professionals and allows you to filter out doctors and others that have malpractice lawsuits or other sanctions against them.

A less reputable but viable option lies in Google reviews. Search the name of your health care professional or clinic and take stock of the reviews that former patients have written.

Trust your gut

If you don’t feel comfortable with a certain health care professional, do not use their services. If the state of the waiting room or building leaves you uneasy, go somewhere else. High quality healthcare professionals want to put the patient first. Smart health care professionals understand that the patient experience starts from the moment their patients walk through the door, and their office upkeep and decor will reflect this.

John Soland is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications. As a lifestyle expert, Mr. Soland is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to healthcare professionals.

John Soland is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications. As a lifestyle expert, Mr. Soland is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to healthcare professionals. http://www.lsiphysicianrelations.com/

Author Bio: John Soland is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications. As a lifestyle expert, Mr. Soland is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to healthcare professionals.

Category: Medical Business
Keywords: Healthcare Professionals, Medicine, Doctors