How to find a family doctor in Redding, Shasta County, when physicians are in short supply
A widespread physician shortage is leaving some people not having a family doctor to turn to for general medical care. Rural California counties — and the cities serving them, including Redding — are among those hardest hit by the state's doctor shortage, according to the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
But with persistence, there are ways to increase the chance of landing a family physician. There are also medical facilities that care for patients while they're on waiting lists or searching for a doctor able to take them on.
About 570 physicians practice in Shasta County. But the region needs approximately 50 to 100 more doctors — both general practice and specialists — to sufficiently serve its population, said G. Todd Smith, president of Mercy Medical Center in Redding.
Often a patient's first stop in the medical system, family doctors are in high demand because they manage chronic illness and often coordinate care provided by specialists. "From heart disease, stroke and hypertension, to diabetes, cancer, and asthma, family physicians provide ongoing, personal care for the nation's most serious health problems," according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.
The shortage of family medical specialists affects people with all kinds of health insurance, including those with Medicare, private coverage and MediCal plans for low-income people, said Shasta Community Health Center CEO Dean Germano.Many people without an assigned doctor are really struggling right now to find one who has openings for new patients, according to Germano.
Steps you can take to boost chances of finding a doctor
Checking insurance company websites for a list of in-network doctors accepting new patients is usually the first step to getting a doctor, but it shouldn't be the last, said Marge Beck, North State licensed health insurance broker and Shasta Community Health Center board member.
If your insurance company's website doesn't list a local in-network doctor that are taking new patients, don’t give up. The online information you see may be months old and the physician’s patient load may have changed in your favor, Beck said.
Here's advice from Beck, insurance companies and medical centers on ways to find a family doctor:
Call the phone number on your insurance card. Keep going through the phone tree until you can talk with a customer service agent. Ask them for names of a few in-network doctors in your area who are currently taking patients. Their lists may contain recent information the website doesn’t.
Get a current medical provider list. After you get the doctors' names, ask the customer service agent to also email you an up-to-date list of all in-network family doctors in your area, regardless of whether they’re taking new patients. You may need this list later if the doctors the agent named don’t pan out.
Start calling. As soon as possible, call the office of the doctors named by the insurance company agent and ask office staff if they're still taking new patients. If those doctors already filled any openings, ask if they know of other local doctors that are taking new patients. If they suggest any, see if that physician is on the emailed in-network list. If they are, call and ask if you can apply.
If you hit a wall, start calling other in-network doctors on that list emailed to you from the customer service agent. Ask office staff if they’re taking any new patients, or if they accept applicants for a wait list.
Take advantage of help. Some insurance companies provide free advocates to help customers find a doctor. Some employers have a human resource officer who can help.
How to increase your chances of getting and keeping a family doctor
When you find a doctor taking new patients, you’ll likely have to fill out an application for an opening. Act fast, especially if the doctor only has a few open spots. Download or pick up a blank patient application, fill it out and turn it in quickly, medical providers advise.
North State doctors look for patients who take their health and their doctor’s advice seriously, Beck said. Here's what you can do to prepare:
Make lists of health conditions, surgeries and vaccinations with dates you got them, and medications you take including doses and frequencies. Many applications request that information.
Have your health insurance information card and your driver’s license or other photo identification ready to show office staff.
Know your previous doctor’s address and telephone number if you want your future doctor to request your medical file.
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North State doctors also want patients who take responsibility for their health, Beck said. After a doctor accepts you as a patient, make a list of questions and things to tell them, and bring it to your first appointment. Their time is short, so make the most of it.
A doctor may "fire" (drop) a patient if they don’t come to be seen every year, Beck said. Doctors want patients who keep their appointments, take their medication as directed and get regular checkups, she said.
What patients can do to get medical help now
There are workarounds for people who need medical help, but don't have a family doctor just yet. Here are three ways to get health care while you search.
1. Go to an urgent care clinic
Doctors and practitioners at urgent care clinics see patients who need help with a non-emergency but urgent problem, like infections and injuries. These doctors may also be willing to renew medications for someone without a family doctor, according to care center service lists.
However, some clinics discourage people from permanently substituting urgent care for a family doctor because urgent care usually focuses on a patient's single medical complaint. Urgent care clinics aren’t usually designed for comprehensive and preventative or provide ongoing care and check-ups. They can’t observe family health trends like obesity and diabetes, something a doctor who attends multiple family members for years may see, providers said.
An exception — some urgent care centers offer patient membership programs, including Prestige Urgent Care clinics in Redding, Beck said. “They’re often effective for people with a high-deductible health plan,” she said, or for someone with no health insurance at all.
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2. Get telemedicine with an in-network doctor in another area
If your insurance covers it, consider long-distance help through telemedicine appointments with an out-of-area doctor who's still in your health care network, according to insurance providers. For example, insurance companies sometimes list in-network doctors in Chico for patients living in Redding.
The caveat is most doctors require an initial exam and annual check-ups that must take place in person. So, you might have to travel to see them at least once per year.
3. Ask insurance providers about alternative services
Some insurance companies offer phone-in and online services for their clients. Patients speak with a nurse, nurse practitioner, physician's assistant or a doctor. Usually these services don’t require an appointment, and some insurance co-pays for call-in or virtual visits are less than what you’d pay for an in-person visit, according to insurance companies.
A drawback — you may have a long wait on hold until it’s your turn to talk with someone, they said.
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Whatever they do to protect their health, Beck advises people not to be passive. “You have to be your own best advocate, for you and for your family,” she said.
That includes keeping copies of medical records, even if you have a longtime family doctor, and keeping digital copies of imaging including X-rays, MRIs and CTs. “Now that things are electronic, that’s a lot easier,” Beck said.
Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and news stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook. Join Jessica in the Get Out! Nor Cal recreation Facebook group. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Tips for finding a family doctor in Redding, Shasta County
