Benefits Of Keeping The Same Family Doctor, Even If You Move

If you've recently moved across the city, or perhaps even farther, you might be thinking about finding a new family doctor. It's often ideal if you can go to a physician who is just a short drive from where you live or work, and if your current doctor is a lengthier drive away, you may feel as though it's time to find a new one. Before you make this decision, however, it's a good idea to consider a few advantages of keeping the same family doctor. Even if you have a travel a fair distance for your annual physical, you may appreciate not making a change. Here are some reasons why.

Understanding Of Health History

Whenever you go to a new family doctor, you'll talk at length about your health history. However, when you decide to stay with the same family doctor that you've had for years — and perhaps even for decades — he or she has a better picture of your health history. A doctor who has treated you for a long time not only understands your physical health situation, but also your mental health situation. In some cases, the doctor may have also treated your parents, which gives him or her a clear picture of any health issues that may run in the family.

A Familiar Face

People often feel vulnerable when they visit their doctor, especially if they're doing so for an issue that feels a little embarrassing. While any doctor is someone you can trust, some patients find that it's a little more difficult to fully open up to a doctor early in their relationship. It's never a good idea to keep information from your doctor, but this can indeed happen until you build a solid bond. Conversely, when you keep your family doctor the same, you'll usually feel happy about seeing a familiar face and feel more inclined to discuss what's on your mind.

Less Time Investment

Perhaps you now face a 30-minute drive each way to your family doctor and you're thinking that this travel distance presents a considerable time usage. This may be true, but think about the time investment in finding a new family doctor. You'll need to talk to people you know in the area, do your research online, and perhaps even attend some initial consultations with a few doctors to identify the right one. All told, this effort may be fairly time consuming, and could actually take more time than the drive to your current doctor once in a while.

Reach out to your family doctor, someone from a place like Kinston Medical Specialists PA, for any suggestions they might have.