Plenty of public health announcements end with “ask your doctor.”
But what if you don’t have a doctor? Where do you start?
Sarah Prenger, vice president of operations at Sanford Health, has some ideas. She encourages everyone, regardless of age, to have a primary care doctor, someone you can establish and maintain a trusting relationship with.
1. Understand what to expect from a primary care physician
One of the main reasons it’s important to have a primary care provider is because it’s easier for one person to help a patient.
By engaging consistently with one provider, Prenger said a patient can have more confidence knowing their needs will be met, whatever they are, and all facets of their health will be considered holistically.
“There are so many cool things about primary care — it’s sometimes referred to as your medical home. A primary care provider addresses all of your health needs and gets to know you and your family over a long period of time.
“Part of knowing you and caring for you is making sure that you get the right care from the right provider. Your primary care provider will connect you to all of our specialties internally if or when needed.”
Prenger says primary care can include family medicine, internal medicine, general pediatrics, and OB/GYN.
She adds that even if an individual is healthy, they still need a primary care provider to keep them healthy.
“Make sure all of your preventive screenings like cancer and behavioral health screenings, and immunizations against preventable disease are all up to date,” said Prenger.
“You may have a broken ankle today, but you may also have diabetes, or depression, or a family history of X, Y, or Z. A primary care provider will see and know the entire picture.”
2. Search for a primary care doctor who matches your needs
If you don’t have a primary care provider, Prenger said a good place to start is Sanford Health’s website.
“You want a doctor that you can connect with, someone who has the same sort of values you have, someone who can understand and help you meet your health goals. On sanfordhealth.org, you can often find information about doctor’s ideas of care, personal interests, and even comments from actual patients about their experiences with that particular doctor. The star ratings even show how past patients ranked the doctor in certain areas of care such as listening, and explaining things in ways that you can understand,” she said.
Related: Sanford Health adds ratings, reviews to doctor profiles
Sarah Heinen, M.D., is a family physician experienced in rural settings who now practices at Sanford 26th and Sycamore Family Medicine in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She said those who live in rural communities have a great opportunity to choose a primary care provider who “aligns with their ideals and beliefs.”
“Not only can you go online and look at someone’s credentials and experience, but setting up an appointment to meet the provider and discuss your goals of care can be a great place to start,” Dr. Heinen said.
3. Schedule the first primary care visit
In scheduling an appointment to get to know your new doctor, Prenger said the best way to meet your doctor is face-to-face with an office visit.
“You’ll want to schedule an office visit and explain that it’s to establish care. That’s really the time to get to know the provider, and the provider to get to know you and your health history,” she said.
Prenger says you should bring a list of medications, medical history, family history, insurance information, concerns, goals, and questions to the visit.
“Your personal goals are important! Maybe you want to run a 5K; maybe you want to walk your daughter down the aisle; maybe you want to stop smoking. Your primary care doctor and their team can help you reach those goals,” she said.
4. Begin building trust
Dr. Heinen says that going to a singular provider can be of benefit for not only what kind of health concern you have, but also when you have it.
“It’s great to have a one stop shop where you can go to at any point in your life. From a young child to an older adult, and get your health concerns addressed. If your provider can’t address them, they have the tools and resources to point you to where you need to go,” she said.
And, seeing just one person, “builds trust and a relationship,” said Dr. Heinen.
“You get to know one another and address concerns in a personalized manner,” she added.
In seeking out help for behavioral or mental health, Prenger said she’d “always start with my primary care office.”
“In the Sanford footprint, we have integrated mental health therapists in most of our primary care offices. The therapists will partner with your doctor to get you the help you need and deserve.
“The therapist can triage, provide whatever acute care is needed in the moment, and also connect you with ongoing behavioral health services if needed,” she said.
To schedule an appointment, a prospective patient can either visit Sanford Health’s website or call the clinic where the provider practices.
Learn more
- Finding a pediatrician: How to choose care for your child
- Choosing the right behavioral health care provider
- Health guides help patients navigate health care system
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Posted In Children's, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Physicians and APPs, Rock Rapids, Specialty Care, Women's
