Finding a good healthcare provider is a critical aspect, especially if you’re looking for ways to stay on top of your health and that of your family. However, this remains one of the most challenging tasks, given the overwhelming number of healthcare providers that exist today.
While there are various reasons you might need a healthcare provider, the primary objective is to have someone you can share your health concerns with and the surety that comes from knowing that they’ll help in managing your existing health conditions. It may also be that you have moved to a different location and would want to switch to a different doctor or health facility. Either way, having one will help to improve your family’s overall health as well as your overall quality of life.
Below are six major factors patients use when choosing a healthcare provider.
1. Reputation
Before choosing a healthcare provider, many consumers prioritize checking the patients’ ratings on particular treatment facilities. Patients’ ratings are influenced by the quality of healthcare provided in treatment facilities. Most patients will be willing to endure the lengthy admission processes and long wait times for higher-rated doctors, especially when confronted with chronic ailments. This article from Phase5Analytics.com explains that 8 out of 10 people trust online user reviews when choosing a healthcare provider. Low patient fatalities and low risk of complications are among the other factors that can positively affect a healthcare provider’s rating and reputation. So before you decide on a healthcare provider, ensure that they have a good reputation depending on the services provided.
2. Location and Accessibility
The satisfaction provided by a healthcare provider is on a granular level dependent on the type of care needed. Most patients would prefer a treatment facility that gives its highest priority to emergency care. The greatest concern most patients have when it comes to urgent medical care is accessibility. Before setting up an appointment, it’s important to visit the clinic or hospital to get a sense of the following:
- The atmosphere in the clinic – It’s imperative to ensure that the treatment facility is conducive for patients, clean, and pleasant. Having a spacious and welcoming area is a plus.
- Connection with the staff – It’s very important that you feel comfortable around the staff, including the doctors, nurses, and other caregivers.
- Parking – The hospital should have ample parking for patients’ vehicles as well as for its standby and emergency medical vans. In addition to this, they also should include elevators and ramps if need be to allow easy accessibility.
- Distance – It’s important to take into consideration the time it takes you to get to the hospital either from work, home, or from school. It needs to be centrally located to also allow patients commuting by public transport easy accessibility.
3. Cost: Insurance Coverage
Before choosing a healthcare provider, it’s important to ensure that they accept your type of insurance plan. By this, it also means that the healthcare provider must also be covered by insurance. Healthcare costs have a huge impact on consumer choices. Unfortunately, most healthcare providers are not transparent with treatment costs. Nonetheless, you should always ensure that your health insurance is within the health provider’s network. Providers outside this network will charge you extra, meaning that you may need to pay out of pocket for certain services. For more help, you can contact your insurance provider to know more about your coverage and if you have other options.
4. Range and Quality of Services Provided
Most patients would prefer a healthcare facility that provides a variety of healthcare services under one roof. This offers a lot of conveniences, meaning that you can schedule your appointments with different specialists in the same facility, on the same day. However, the fact that it’s an all-inclusive facility shouldn’t compromise on the quality of services provided. They need to have enough staff to cater to the needs of the patients. Most facilities operating in such a system have a walk-in clinic, a diagnostic unit, and a pharmacy that helps to cater for outpatient needs and emergencies, all these under the same roof.
5. Quality of Care and Patient Safety
It’s important that when choosing a health provider, you consider your existing health condition/s. Most chronic health conditions require careful monitoring, targeted patient education, improved care and coordination, and implementation of safety measures. These health conditions include:
- HIV/AIDS
- Cancer
- Mental health
- Substance abuse-related ailments
- Injuries
These are only a few of the various healthcare issues that require the provision of quality care. Others include diabetes, hypertension, blood pressure, and communicable diseases. For instance, it’s important to consider a healthcare facility that can offer home-based care, especially when dealing with the elderly or patients with palliative care.
6. Credentials
Last but not least is the fact that healthcare providers must have professional credentials and certifications in proving that they are qualified healthcare providers. They must have the experience required, be compliant, and board-certified by the relevant authorities. One thing to note is that the stakes in the medical industry are so high, providing no room for unwarranted clinical variations and errors. No one wants to deal with a quack doctor.
When searching for a healthcare provider, most patients look for an institution they can trust. You also need to ensure that you are getting the best care there is. The above pointers will, therefore, provide you with insights when choosing a healthcare provider best suited for your needs.