You may be looking for a primary care provider, physical therapist or midwife to be part of your health care 'dream team'. But how do we find the health care provider who knows our name, understands our preferences and meets our needs? Finding the best match between you and a health care provider requires that you align your priorities, do some research, and most importantly, effectively communicate your needs.

Here are some considerations from A to Z.  

Appointment Duration
You have a list of concerns you would like to address during your visit. When scheduling the appointment, determine the duration of the appointment and is it adequate to meet your goals? Do they schedule multiple clients for the same provider at the same time, also known as "double-booking"? Start your appointment with one or two key questions and refrain from squeezing questions at the end of the visit.

Pros : A shorter visit may cost less, enabling you to get more for your money.
Cons : If the visit is too short to address your needs, it is frustrating for both you and the provider.

Ambience
Your provider's office may be in a strip mall, a spa or a free standing office. Aesthetic impression can impart a sense of value to many clients. Some folks don't care as long as they receive the care that they expect that meets their needs.

Pros : It is enjoyable to receive care in a pleasant environment.
Cons : Medical care should be delivered in an environment that appears professional, clean and appropriate to the services delivered. If you feel uncomfortable, listen to that.

Accessibility
Firstly, is there physical accessibility to their office with adequate parking to enable you to easily move from your car to their waiting room? Secondly, is the health care provider accessible by phone or email if you have questions or concerns? Some offices will charge for access to their health care providers for further questions and discussion about your care.

Pros : It is helpful to be able to reach your provider when you have a question. Physical accessibility to the office is mandatory for many and worth enquiring about before your first visit.
Cons : If the office is physically inaccessible for you due to stairs or inadequate parking, that provider is not be for you. Check the Americans with Disability Act to understand the law regarding accessibility requirements. With regard to phone or email accessibility, it can be aggravating to pay another co-pay simply to ask a question.

Buzz
Word of mouth recommendations from friends, family or physicians can be valuable information when selecting a health care provider. These endorsements may be because of a strong clinical reputation in the community, the positive client feedback, social connections or financial gain due to ownership in the business. High quality health care providers have adoring clients, as well as other clients who didn't recognize significant value in their services. If the same provider is endorsed by a number of different sources, they may be a good match for you.

Pros : Positive opinions in the community are usually a good sign about that individual or provider. It is valuable to get an endorsement from someone you know and trust.
Cons : Someone's opinion about a provider could be based on financial gain, habit or social connections. What is important to them may not necessarily important to you.

Communication Style
Understanding the reasons for your medical issues can be complicated. If you are in pain and emotionally exhausted, how can you possibly retain all the details of your plan of care? You should ensure that details are written down by you, a friend or your provider, in an understandable manner that you can reference in the future. Written and verbal explanation, as well as demonstration of exercises, can be most helpful in ensuring that you understand and retain the information you get from your health care provider.

Pros : Effective education about your condition can serve as a reference in the future.
Cons : A stick figure and a couple notes may make sense at the time, but may not make sense in a month from now. Make sure you understand and have a friend come along with you to make sure that anything written can serve as an ongoing reference.

Credentials
There are many businesses that are fighting for your health care dollar. These include a variety of licensed health care providers, as well as an expanding number of unregulated and unlicensed professions. Do your homework, find out what the individual needed to do to acquire as well as maintain their credentials.

Pros : The Department of Health in your state allows for regulation, credentialing and accountability of the health care providers to ensure public safety. Be sure to have a clear understanding of the scope of practice that non-licensed individuals have.
Cons : It is tough to argue against higher education, licensure and rigorous credentials when it comes to safety and your health.

Likeability
Once upon a time I had a friend who said, "I only care if the guy is a great surgeon, I'm not asking him out to dinner!" Some clients really do not care about bedside manner as long as the doctor has a great post-operative success rate. Others feel that quality of care is contributed to by the doctor's communication style. Determine your preference and choose a provider accordingly.

Pros : It is nice to pay a co-pay to someone you like.
Cons : If they are inhospitable, it may compromise your ability to entrust them with your care.

Location, location, location!
Is there a location in your town or community that would be optimal for you? If your primary method of travel is walking, bicycle or the bus, this may be a major issue for you. If you have a tightly wound schedule already, a convenient proximity may help you be punctual to appointments. Keep in mind that you may trade off other factors for convenience of location.

Pros : You will find it easier to make it to appointments at all, or on time.
Cons : There is no guarantee that the provider closest to you is your best match.

Membership in professional organizations
Membership in the national professional organization that represents that field is an important factor. It requires that members comply with a code of ethics and provides many with a research journal or trade-specific magazine that keeps members informed of trends in health care. These memberships are usually an expensive yearly investment, but can enable the provider to attend continuing education courses at a lower price. Some providers opt not to join due to the cost, however as one friend said, "Would you go to see a physician who wouldn't join the American Medical Association because it was too expensive?

Pros : Professional membership shows a seriousness of intent and investment in their profession.
Cons : Membership doesn't guarantee that they will be a good match for you.

Professionalism and warmth of front office staff
Medical receptionists are in the hot seat in the medical office. They are the first voice that patients hear, and they understand the nuts and bolts of running the office. They can be a powerful voice of compassion, or they can be exhausted in a thankless job. Some clients will overlook a hard-edged receptionist and others will never forgive them. See them for the human beings they are and, if you find that they have shown their edge, share your negative experience with the health care providers they represent.

Pros : Be nice to them and they may be more likely to find an appointment that will meet your scheduling needs. Treat them as respectfully as you treat your health care provider.
Cons : They represent their providers and if they are rude, short or lack humanity, they can prevent clients from being willing to seek care at their facility.

Schedulability
If you work from 8-5, Monday through Friday, having scheduling options for evenings and weekends is fabulous. If you want to see a sought-after clinician, you may have to wait to see them or have the option of working with one of their colleagues. You want to ensure that the provider's busy schedule does not compromise of your care if you cannot get an appointment in a timely manner.

Pros : Having schedule options including evenings and weekends is enormously helpful for busy people!
Cons : It may be worth waiting for a specialist or highly recommended health care provider as long as it doesn't compromise your health.

Specialty and Practice Style
When it comes to a primary care physician, some families prefer to find a family practice physician who can do yearly visits, deliver babies, and provide health care for the entire family. In some states, ARNP's (Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners) are available for primary care providers for individuals and families. PA's, or physician assistants, are individuals who have gone through 3 years of post-graduate study, as well as internship, to provide care usually in partnership with a physician's practice. Many practitioners' websites describe the background of their providers. The openness of a provider to the discussion and incorporation of alternative health options may be an important consideration for some consumers as well.

Pros : If your health care history is complex or your needs specific, a specialist may be a good match for your needs.
Cons : Routine exams and evaluations can frequently be performed by your primary care provider. If you need a specialist, they can refer you.

Touch
If someone is in pain, generally they want someone to find it and make it go away. Some bodies are like the "princess and the pea": a little body work, stretching or massage results in a loud "echo" later. Other bodies prefer deep tissue work and the feeling of substantial interventions in order to feel better. It is critical to understand your own expectations, your body's response to body work and boundaries when it comes to your treatment. The health care provider should also inform you of the treatment they would like to do before they start.

Pros : Appropriate touch to evaluate and treat your pain is an important tool for any health care provider. Know your body's response to stretch, pressure and massage and communicate that to your provider before you get started.
Cons : If you have any discomfort or anxiety about the way that a health care provider touches you, immediately communicate those boundaries and your preferences. You should always feel safe in your health care. Report your experience to the referring physician or the Department of Health.

Co$t: The Bottom Line
The best way to save money is to clearly understand your personal financial responsibility for your health care costs. Whether or not they are a preferred provider can impact the financial burden of your medical care. If you have a health savings account or if you are paying out of pocket, you should know the cost of the services before you incur them. Many insurance companies have downloadable list of contracted providers in your area.

Pros : If they are a preferred provider, you will likely pay less for your portion of the bill.
Cons : Just because they are a preferred provider, doesn't mean that they are the best match for your clinical needs.

Review your list above, consider your priorities and start your search in building your health care 'dream team'!

Author: Elizabeth Hampton is a physical therapist, educator and author who supports the public in getting the integrative medical care that best meets their needs. She lives in Bellingham, WA. Requests for reprint permission for this article can be directed at info @ corept.org

College
Clinical health care providers are required to complete a college degree in that field. Acupuncturists, Chinese Medicine, Naturopathic physicians, physical therapists among many others mandate graduate or post-graduate degrees in order to sit for their licensure exam.

Continuing Education
Most health care providers are required to complete a specific number of educational hours to renew their license and ensure that they keep up with the advances in their profession. It is interesting, but not mandatory, to find out what the state requirements are in order for them to renew their license, and if they meet or exceed these standards. Certainly, individuals who demonstrate an ongoing curiosity with their profession and seek educational opportunities would be most likely to be the most informed on changes in their field and the latest evidence-based treatment and testing for their clients. "Evidence-based" means that there is valid and reproducible research that supports a specific intervention or condition.

Certification
Educational companies may grant a certificate upon completion of a course, or upon completion of additional testing or practicum on the material. It is helpful to know the credentials of the certifying body, their criteria for certification and if re-testing and credentialing down the road is required for renewal of certification. This information can help you appreciate the depth of knowledge required to attain that certification.

Board Certified Specialty
Medical specialties require extensive educational background as well as exams to prove clinical reasoning skills and practical skills relating to orthopedics, sports medicine, neurology or pelvic floor rehabilitation. If a clinician is board-certified through their professional national organization, this demonstrates a seriousness of intent as well as a rigorous trail of study and academic proof of their knowledge base.

Fellowship
Primary care providers, researchers or surgeons may have attended a fellowship that immersed them in the study of a particular field of medicine or clinical specialty associated with a university or specific hospital. This prestigious study demonstrates a seriousness of intent of the practitioner as well as the certifying body.

• Making a series of appointments : Before you make the phone call to your provider, look at your schedule and consider days and times that work for you on a regular basis. Imagine the patience required of scheduling staff to walk through scheduling clients who are not prepared! Your preparedness with make their day, as well as enabling you to complete the scheduling process quickly.
• Registration and paperwork : Ask if you can download paperwork off their website or if you need to come in early to fill it out. Keep in mind that your preparation of paperwork beforehand will likely enable you to start your appointment on time.
• Punctuality of clinicians : You may have one appointment that day, but your clinician could have 10 or 20 appointments with clients. Some clinicians may need to cancel or delay appointments in order to attend to a client in the hospital, deliver a baby or tend to an emergency. In order to make the most of your appointment, be prepared by:
  • Complete your paperwork beforehand.
• Consider your goals for each appointment and write down any questions or concerns before your visit. Treat each visit as a precious commodity. Allow your clinician time to assess the situation, answer your questions, develop a plan of care and provide treatment during your appointment time. If you want to discuss multiple complex issues, you need to let the scheduler know so that they can allot adequate time or schedule more than one visit.
• Arrive on time and allow extra time in case the provider is running late.
• Call ahead to see if your provider is running on time.
• Be patient and understanding if the clinician is running late. If repeated waiting is unacceptable, communicate this to your provider. If they are not worth the wait, consider changing to a new provider.

• Medical Questions:
  • Do not ask the receptionist for treatment advice! DO let them know when and where you would like to be called back and if the clinician will be able to do so.
  • If you require immediate and emergent medical attention, call 911. If your need is one that requires rapid evaluation and treatment, such as a urinary tract infection or flu, you may ask to speak with the triage nurse or with the clinician in order to determine how quickly you need an appointment. Many primary care providers will have some emergency appointments established each day for these types of needs.