How to Find a Primary Care Physician You Click With

“What is the doctor saying about health and their opinions on social media?” he asks. “Learning these views can definitely be red flags for people and a sign that a doctor isn’t a good fit for you.”

3. Verify the basics.

Before you commit to an appointment, make sure the boring-but-essential stuff checks out. For example:

The office is convenient.

Sure, maybe you won’t mind driving a little further for a better doctor, but if it’s a serious schlep, you’ll be more likely to put off appointments when you really need them.

They offer telehealth, which can come in handy.

Most people would prefer to have the option to have a quick telehealth check-in, a 2022 study found. (Think refilling a prescription, reviewing a medication, or getting test results.) And telehealth may be even more crucial depending on where you live: Research has found it can hugely expand access to care and reduce costs if you live in a rural community.

They take your insurance.

This is a biggie! You can sometimes figure this out on the practice website, Dr. Sevilla says, but call your insurance provider if you’re unsure. And if you don’t have health insurance, ask if they accept self-pay or offer payment plans.

The clinic hours work within your schedule.

Not all GPs are open on Saturday and Sunday, for example—so if weekday appointments will always be stressful to make, look for a doctor with extended evening or weekend hours. “I like to see how the office answers the phone and schedules new patients,” Dr. Weissman says. If the next appointment is months away, ask how typical this is and whether existing patients are also having trouble getting on the books. (A wait for a new-patient appointment isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though: “If [it’s] because they’re fitting in their current patients, [that] can be a green flag.”)

4. Look for green flags on your first visit.

Speaking of green flags: Your first face-to-face with a new doc is a chance to gut check your compatibility. Green flags vary from person to person, but experts say these are a few sure signs you’ve found a keeper:

They’re easy to talk to.

“You can tell they’re listening and care about your needs,” Mohit Gupta, MD, an internist at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital, tells SELF.

They allow you to be in charge of your health.

You know your body better than anyone, so while your primary care doctor can use their expertise to offer guidance, “they should also be open to your health care goals,” Dr. Leong says.

They take time to explain things.

Medical jargon can be difficult to wrap your head around, but a good GP will always help you understand what’s going on with your body. “At the first visit, I like to see how much attention they’re paying,” Dr. Weissman says. “Are they making sure all of your questions are answered?”

They’re honest about their limitations.

Even the best doctors need a second opinion sometimes, so it’s not a bad thing if your GP can’t answer a question or is stumped by a tricky symptom, Dr. Leong says. But they shouldn’t be offended or take it out on you if they don’t know the answer to a question or you bring up something you read online. They should be eager to find out that answer, “or refer you to someone who does know,” she says.

They respect and understand your beliefs.

Culturally competent care is more than a buzzword; it’s been shown to improve health outcomes and help bridge vast disparities. “On a first visit, I would have an open dialogue and [ask] questions about cultural issues that are important to you,” Dr. Sevilla says. Someone who shares your identity, cultural traditions, or beliefs will likely be easier to relate to, but due to the ongoing primary care shortage—plus the disappointing fact that the medical field continues to have a serious lack of diversity—it might be tricky to find someone who checks all your boxes. (The HRSA’s 2023 report on the primary care workforce, for example, found that just 6.7% of family medicine doctors and 7.8% of internists are Black.) At the very least, your doctor should make you feel heard and be willing to work with you to accommodate traditions and beliefs, Dr. Sevilla says.

They make you feel empowered.

Even if they’ve had to deliver difficult news, your primary care doctor shouldn’t send you off without helping you feel in control of the situation. “When leaving a visit, you [should] feel heard and understood with a clear plan on the next steps,” Dr. Leong says.

5. Keep an eye out for red flags too.

A doc might not be a good fit if:

They make you feel rushed.

When you walk into that exam room, you should feel like you’re your GP’s number-one priority. A major red flag is a provider who “continually interrupts you, doesn’t appear to be engaged or listening,” Dr. Leong says.

They dismiss your concerns.

Everyone has heard a horror story about someone whose doctor said their symptom was no big deal, only for it to turn out to actually be a very big deal. (We’ve heard many, like these people who were diagnosed with anxiety even though they had colon cancer or lung cancer, and another with dementia that was mistaken for psychological distress.) Women and people of color are more at risk of what is sometimes called “medical gaslighting”: In one 2009 study, researchers found that middle-aged women with heart disease were more likely to be misdiagnosed with a mental health condition; in another more recent study, women and people of color who reported to the ER with chest pain had to wait longer to be seen by a doctor. So if a GP ever acts like your symptoms are all in your head, run, don’t walk, to the exit. You can find someone else who will take your concerns seriously—your health depends on it.

They’re rude.

A primary care doctor doesn’t necessarily have to be warm and fuzzy, but don’t settle for someone who makes you feel disrespected or uncomfortable in any way. You should never leave “feeling belittled, or that your provider has been condescending,” Dr. Leong says.

The vibe just feels off.

Sometimes a great primary care doctor practices in a not-so-great office, but a chaotic setting is certainly not going to make you feel calm and comfortable. If the waiting room looks dirty or unorganized, the reception staff is rude or unprofessional, or the schedule is chronically late, you may be better off finding a doc who operates (heh) someplace that is a bit more hospitable.

6. Ask how they communicate with patients.

Finding a primary care doctor who communicates effectively during office visits is one thing. But you’ll also be hitting up your primary care physician after you get back home. Maybe you have a quick follow-up question, you’re having an Rx reaction, or you need a refill, stat!