Moving? How do you find a new primary care doctor from a shrinking pool of practitioners
When we both made moves to new cities, we knew as writers our work was portable and that we’d easily adjust. And we have. But one item on our agenda that we had to grapple with, that caught us a bit off guard, was trying to find new physicians.
The task can be daunting for the pool of practitioners, especially internists, is shrinking. Many are going the concierge route, are retiring or no longer take insurance, including Medicare. This is all happening at a time when we’re spending longer lives stressed out by the pressures of conforming to systems that don’t’ really fit…not in the later stage of life.
A large portion of the physician workforce is nearing the traditional retirement age. Some sobering facts about this come from a recent AAMC report (the American Association of Medical Colleges). “Physicians aged 65 or older are 20% of the clinical physician workforce, and those between age 55 and 64 are 22% of the clinical physician workforce. As a result, a significant number of physicians will reach retirement age within the next decade — if they have not already. The AAMC projects that this will significantly decrease the physician supply in the coming years.” But in some areas it already has, and it includes large cities with good hospitals, not just small towns.
When making any move, there are a lot of moving parts and finding medical professionals, including dentists, is now challenging, can be expensive, time consuming and disheartening. Consider your options and plan ahead. Here are a few tips to help in this search that can seem overwhelming and a dead end most everywhere you turn.
We tapped into a good website www.moving.com, which published an article titled, “A Guide on How to Find New Doctors After a Move,” by Teresa Bitler, Nov. 12, 2021. First, we suggest tapping in and researching long before you move.
Here are some takeaways culled from the article and from us in our own experiences making moves through the years.
--Ask your current primary care doctor for referrals, along with their staff for suggestions. Maybe your current physician knows someone with whom they went to medical school or interned or practiced. Let them make the call and ask to admit you to their practice as a favor.
--Tap friends and family in the area to which you are moving for suggestions. Ask your new neighbors and, if still working, co-workers are a good source. If they share names, inquire about what they like about the doctor and his office (staff). The upfront office staff is important too. We like it if the office manager or PA listens to our concerns and gets back to us promptly regarding how soon we can get in and also with results from tests if we don't understand what's on the patient portal.
Ask also what they don’t like, if anything. Maybe there are long waits to get an appointment or to get in to see the doctor if you do have an appointment (Barbara got one from one doctor for April 2026; she wonders if she’ll be around then. She kept looking).
Other concerns. Perhaps the staff is unfriendly and dismissive. What are the doctor’s hospital affiliations? Where did they do a residency and other training? How many are in the practice to fill in if your doctor is unavailable? Any concerns? Is the doctor difficult to reach? Will you be able to reach the doctor out of the office for emergencies rather than just leave a message by phone or in a patient portal? Is the doctor easy to talk to and give you enough time or only 15 minutes before it’s “Goodbye, see you next time.”
--Use pull if you know someone who is related to a good internist or if you’re friendly with a doctor who knows a good internist in the location to which you are moving, ask him to pull a few strings to get you into a closed practice.
--Look for a concierge doctor who doesn’t charge a big fee. In some places like New York City the fees are sky high. In other smaller cities the fees might only be a couple thousand dollars a year which, if you can afford it, might be good for a start so you’ll have a doctor on speed dial 24/7. But ask exactly what that fee covers? Just access occasionally or access all the time?
--Call the number on the back of your Medicare card to ask for doctors in your area who take insurance or go on the Medicare website. This might take some time as many will pop up but might no longer be taking new patients. Make a list and then pare it down.
--Search for a doctor through various health-care sites and other online resources such as Yelp, which might also offer reviews and information on each doctor: where they went to medical school, where they interned or did their residency, what fellowships they went through that relate to our problems and any extra training they have. It's also a good idea to check their age; it would be disappointing to find a good doctor after lots of research only to be told soon after you start with them that they are retiring.
And here are some online resources, some of which were cited in the moving.com article:
• AMA DoctorFinder
• Yelp Reviews Best Physicians Near Me - October 2024: Find Nearby Physicians Reviews - Yelp
• Castle Connolly
• Healthgrades
• Physician Compare
• Zocdoc
• S. News & World Report
Remember, nobody is perfect even after you find the one who seems like a Dr. Kildare for those of us old enough to remember that warm, compassionate doctor. In the beginning, the relationship may seem right and then go South. Or, you like the doctor, but he decides to switch to a concierge-type practice, which doesn’t take your medical insurance, or he never takes the time to answer your questions. Or provides all vital information and test results only on a portal. We like to hear such information and discuss it and how dire or OK the situation may be.
Of course, if you’re unsuccessful at first in finding a new physician and need one immediately, there is the plethora of online doctors. Assuming you don’t have major medical issues, a virtual doctor visit can at least tide you over in your new city until you find one that you like in person. Best of all, in the meantime, follow good healthcare practices so you hopefully stay healthy!
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