How do you choose a primary care doctor in San Francisco?
You are choosing someone who will know your history for years. Here is what I would want to understand before picking.
Short answer: choose a doctor you will actually be able to see, reach, and talk to honestly, who covers the range of care you and your family need, and who keeps track of what other doctors are doing. Credentials and location matter. Those three things usually decide whether the relationship works.
Will you see the same person?
Primary care works best when the doctor knows you. Ask who you will see for routine visits and who covers when your doctor is away. A doctor who remembers what you tried last year can notice a change that a new face would not.
How do you reach them between visits?
Most questions do not need an appointment, but they do need an answer. Ask how patients get in touch with the practice, who responds, and what happens in the evening or on a weekend. A clear answer is more useful than a promise.
Do they care for the people you need cared for?
Practices differ in who they see. If you want one doctor for yourself and a teenager, a parent, or a partner, ask whether that is possible. Family physicians, internists, and pediatricians train for different groups of patients, so it helps to ask directly. I wrote more about that in family doctor, internist, or pediatrician.
What do they do when you also see specialists?
This is where primary care earns its keep. Ask how the doctor handles referrals, test results, and follow-up after a specialist visit. Someone should be reading the reports and asking what happens next. I explain how I think about this in you have five specialists, who is keeping track?
Do you feel listened to?
This is hard to measure and it matters. After a first conversation, do you understand what the doctor said? Did you get to ask your questions? Would you tell this person something embarrassing or frightening? Patients who feel heard tend to bring up the things that matter.
Practical things worth checking
Confirm the location works for you, including parking or transit. Ask how the practice works with your insurance, your labs, and the hospitals you would use. A good practice will explain these plainly.
A few questions to ask before you commit
- Who will I usually see, and who covers when you are away?
- How do I reach you or your office with a question, and how quickly do I usually hear back?
- Which ages and kinds of concerns do you care for?
- What do you do after I see a specialist or have a test?
- Where do your patients go for labs, imaging, and hospital care?
I see patients in Noe Valley, and I like it when someone asks these questions. If you would like to talk about whether my practice fits, you can ask about becoming a patient.
This article is general educational information, not individual medical advice. What is appropriate for you depends on your history and circumstances.