Choose Wisely and Get Checked

By Maceo Keeling –

When I moved to Asheville I had to find and choose a doctor.

During my search I was asked questions like, “Are you under a doctor’s care now?” “What medications are you taking?” “Do you have issues with blood pressure or diabetes?”

This was before I was even informed as to whether or not the doctor was taking on new patients. I am very thankful that I had no known medical issues, but it took four attempts (I suspect because of my age) before I was able to get a primary care physician.

Clearly, choosing a new doctor can be a challenge, especially in a new community. I asked coworkers and my friend about the best available physicians, but everyone’s suggestions are different.

Also, some medical insurance plans restrict your choices to a group of “plan-approved physicians,” while others offer financial incentives to use plan-affiliated doctors. That means you have to check the terms of your coverage to know whether your plan will cover the physician you are considering. If the doctor you choose does not participate in your plan, find out how much your out-of-pocket costs will be for provider visits.

A section of the Patriot Health Alliance Special Report states, “One of the 13 deadliest mistakes doctors and hospitals are making is that treatment varies dramatically depending on the patient’s location.” That is, it matters where you live and where you go for care.

Ask the local hospital(s) for their statistics on your platform of care, on medical groups, medical plans, doctors. Some hospitals specialize in different care platforms better than others. With cancer, for example, consider a hospital that specializes in cancer treatment, or a medical center that has a cancer focus, where you’ll stand a better chance of getting more advance information and care. Check the statistics on the hospital for specific services like dialysis or organ transplants.

There is no question there are disparities in the health care deliverables between cultures and demographic groups. That is why we must be vigilant and do our homework in choosing doctors and medical institutions for services and healthcare. We are just as responsible for our well-being as we ask our doctors to be.

The bottom line

Choose your doctor carefully and participate in your own healthcare. Here are some ways to take an active role:

• First, check to see if the doctor you like accepts your health insurance plan;
• Ask your physician how various medications affect each other, and how they work in combination;
• Speak up if a medication makes you feel bad, or if its side effects are intolerable;
• Ask what pro bono (free) work the provider does in your community.

Then, when you’ve got your insurance in place and found a medical group, sign on and get the care you need. Schedule all the health maintenance procedures your physician and your plan recommend: annual check-ups, blood pressure screening, mammograms, colonoscopy screening, etc.

Take yourself and your health seriously: this is the only body you’ve got!

“Vision Is Not Enough – Clarity is Vital to Achieve Your Goals.” Speaker Requests Contact (828) 989-6999.

The opinions and statements made in this column are solely the opinions of the author and not necessarily those of The Urban News.