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How To Choose The Best Family Practice
As a parent it’s important that you choose the right practitioner to take care of your family and their health. Happy kids are healthy kids, and adults need equally good treatment and regular check-ups to ensure that we’re ticking over and able to look after our precious little ones. With so many practices out there, it can be hard to select the right one for your family.
Explore your local community
Make sure you do your research and explore all the options before you commit. You may wish to compile your initial list using online tools and word-of-mouth reviews from fellow moms before visiting practices and speaking with healthcare providers to find the practice that you feel most comfortable with. Look out for practices that have experience with families, especially if you have young children, so that you can find a provider with the expertise to handle your brood.
Think practically
Remember that you will be toting grumpy tots to this practice, so look into how far it is from your home, as well as the transport and parking options available. Also, explore how comfortable the waiting area is; after all, you’ll be spending time there and you may have to leave family members to wait there, so it needs to be warm, safe and kid-friendly. Basics such as clean facilities and a tidy appearance can really make a difference on how you and your family feel visiting the doctor so look out for those when making your decision.
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Appointments need to be fitted around your hectic schedule
As a busy mom it can be hard to fit in healthcare appointments, particularly check-ups, so make sure that your doctor has convenient opening hours, including late nights, early mornings and weekends. This will help you to make sure that you and your family members can fit appointments around school, work or hobbies.
Find a practice with friendly and approachable staff
Unless you are very lucky, chances are you will be making regular visits to your family practice, especially if you have a large family. Therefore, it’s important that you build a rapport with the staff at your practice and feel confident sharing the intimate details of your family’s health with them. If you feel that the staff are unsupportive on your initial visit, then look into other practices so that you can really feel confident in your choice.
Where did the doctors and nurses graduate?
Research where the medical practitioners graduated and any additional qualifications they may have. All this experience will be used to treat your precious family, so make sure that you are comfortable with it and feel ready to trust the staff with the lives of your loved ones. If in doubt, ask questions so that you feel completely comfortable; after all, this is a big decision and not one to be taken lightly. Most clinics will list their doctors on their website where you should be able to see their educational history. An example can be seen through the primary care clinic Supro Direct who feature their physicians on their about page.
Factor cost into your decision
Healthcare can take a significant chunk out of your budget, so make sure that you have explored all the options. Make sure they accept your insurance provider as payment, or explore concierge medicine services for your family’s primary care so that you know how much money you will be paying for healthcare and can factor this into your yearly spend.
See how they behave in an emergency
Health emergencies are a fact of family life, and when they occur it’s important to have a supportive family practice on hand to provide help and support. Find out what each practice’s out-of-hours system is and look for one with a number of doctors so that there will be a lot of options should you need an urgent appointment.
Do they have the latest technology?
Try to find a practice that regularly updates its equipment and technology so that you can have all your tests in-house, without having to visit multiple practices or hospitals for every treatment and test you need. Innovative practices will be led by experienced and dedicated practitioners, making them a great option for those looking for quality care for their families.
Explore which hospitals they use
Find out which hospitals each practice sends its patients to if they need care that cannot be provided in-house. When you know this, you can investigate these hospitals and see if you are comfortable receiving treatment there. Find out if your insurance provider covers these hospitals, as well as whether or not they have any accreditation from respected healthcare organisations. Collect as much information as possible so that you feel comfortable knowing that you or your family will be safe if referred to this hospital.
Every family is unique, so make sure you investigate every healthcare provider and practice before making your choice. Use the tips listed above to help you on your journey towards finding the perfect primary care provider.
