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Post by ksbruns on Jan 18, 2017 0:12:13 GMT
ksbruns I have a friend whose parents are alive and doing well and they are 95 & 94. So, Kathy....there's still time!! LOL!! I'd say the odds of my not moving again are *slim to none*, LOL.
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Post by limefan on Jan 18, 2017 0:34:53 GMT
I work at my local hospital (coder) and I agree with Fullmahina that you would probably see a hospitalist (either a physician or a nurse practitioner) in the hospital. My hospital switched over to this type of "practice" about 5 years ago. Your family physician could possibly be called in for a consult, but not likely. If you would need a specialist in the hospital, you would see the one on call for what ever you need. The hospitalist may, if needed, call your physician to discuss your treatment.
Just recently my physician moved out of the area. She worked at a family practice office with multiple physicians and I switched to the person who replaced her. I am not sure whether I will continue to see him or not, though. I much prefer a female physician (no offense to the guys here).
Perhaps you could make a consultation appointment with a few physicians to talk to them to see if you feel comfortable with any of them. I am not sure of the cost nor if any of the offices in your area does that or not.
For now, maybe just go with the practice your previous doctor friend recommended and then if not satisfied there get some ideas from friends of who they go to. That way you at least know you have a physician until you decide what you are going to do.
I really liked my physician as well. She always explained things to me in medical language instead of layman language since she knew I would understand what she was saying in medical terms. Now to get the new physician to know that.
Good luck.
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Post by linda72 on Jan 18, 2017 0:44:28 GMT
Thank you again, everyone, for the thoughtful responses. I just found out this afternoon that DD and her DH have been seeing 2 of the doctors in the FP group and really like them. My DH and I will make appointments later this spring and see what we think.
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Kitty
Transcendent Member
Posts: 1,450
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Post by Kitty on Jan 18, 2017 5:29:23 GMT
Linda - It might make a difference as to which hospital the new group would send you to. You could, of course, go to a different hospital but generally people will go to the hospital their primary care doctor is associated with if that doctor is the one sending you there. Also, if they want to send you for tests, etc. they may be more likely to refer to a particular hospital. Those things don't come up often but if you particularly like going to Hospital A then you may want a physician who refers to Hospital A.
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wildcat
Transcendent Member
Posts: 952
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Post by wildcat on Jan 18, 2017 12:10:38 GMT
I always saw an internist in the past, but I haven't had a "regular" doctor in years. I go directly to specialists for anything remotely serious, and on the very rare occasion that I need something like an antibiotic I just go to urgent care. It had gotten to the point that family doctors/internists around here just send you to a specialist anyway so I just skip the middleman.
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Post by alias123 on Jan 18, 2017 16:18:56 GMT
My family practitioner called me last night around 6 pm. Very unusual for her to call and at first I was worried some report came back bad for me until I realized I had not been to the doctor in months. She called to tell me she was retiring March 1 I would ask your current doctor for a recommendation since you seem to have a good trusting relationship with her.
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Post by pamthomas46 on Jan 18, 2017 22:09:51 GMT
Very interesting discussion. When dh and I retired and moved to CO it was an interesting experience replacing all our docs, nail tech, stylists, etc. We kept them all at the Univ. The problem was that EMS took dh to the nearby hospital. Oh well, it was a good plan and much easier to get to near hospital and rehab. Good luck!
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Post by linda72 on Jan 18, 2017 22:22:22 GMT
I'm lucky to live in Houston where there are numerous good hospitals. So I will make sure that any doctor I choose can go to one of these hospitals. I feel good about my options because one of the hospitals is the one where President George H.W. Bush and his wife, Barbara Bush, are both in at this moment.
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Post by luanne on Jan 19, 2017 0:26:25 GMT
All I want to say is I miss my doctors in California. I loved my female internist (and my male OB/GYN). But, when we moved to a different state obviously we had to find new doctors. The internist that dh and I both go to now is fine. But I just feel like the overall care just isn't there. I don't know if it's the area, if it's because we're not both on Medicare, or what.
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Post by linda72 on Jan 19, 2017 0:44:45 GMT
luanne I was told before I turned 65 that it was important to become patients of doctors I wanted to see. More and more, doctors are refusing to accept as many Medicare patients due to the low pay they receive. Some friends have been denied seeing doctors that wanted to after telling the receptionists they had Medicare. I really hope some of the issues with our health care can be addressed.
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Post by lmenglish on Jan 19, 2017 1:43:45 GMT
I got turned away from the largest GI group here because I have BCBS, no contract with them. Insurance is messed up regardless of what you have.
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Post by luanne on Jan 19, 2017 15:54:26 GMT
luanne I was told before I turned 65 that it was important to become patients of doctors I wanted to see. More and more, doctors are refusing to accept as many Medicare patients due to the low pay they receive. Some friends have been denied seeing doctors that wanted to after telling the receptionists they had Medicare. I really hope some of the issues with our health care can be addressed. When we moved here dh was already Medicare age, so we did look for a doctor that was a) accepting new patients, and b) accepting Medicare patients. My doctor doesn't do pap/pelvic exams, but they had a woman doctor in the practice who did. So I was fine my first year. Then she left. Dd needed an OB/GYN for a check and we found a woman doctor who was accepting new patients. I asked if she also took Medicare patients. They told me no, not new ones, but if someone was already a patient they would continue to see them after they started Medicare. So, I made sure to get in to see this doctor before I turned 65 so that I was be an existing patient.
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Post by lmenglish on Jan 19, 2017 17:28:33 GMT
FYI, I found out this past summer at my first Medicare visit, pap smears are not necessary after 65 every year.
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Post by linda72 on Jan 19, 2017 18:08:27 GMT
lmenglish I didn't have a pap smear this past fall. It was the first time since I was 22 years old! I was shocked but I'm happy about it. I'm 67 so evidently, I've had enough!
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Post by luanne on Jan 19, 2017 18:40:41 GMT
FYI, I found out this past summer at my first Medicare visit, pap smears are not necessary after 65 every year. Yep, I was told every two years. So I'm due for one this year.
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