Need Help On Dealing With Finding Pcp

[ajw4790]

Hi,

I have recently moved to Springfield, IL and with every minute it is seeming like it is more and more in the boondocks... I am not a country/small town person if ya can't tell...

As everyone on here knows, not just any dr. is apt to understand or be able to effectively treat patients like us. So, by my previous drs. (and I agree) advice, they said to find a dr. that is affiliated with a medical school. So, Springfield has a small one, but getting a dr. as a PCP that is affiliated with the med school is worse than pulling teeth.

I need an internist as well, so I contacted the Internal Med. office. Depending on who you are talking to only 1, 2, or 3 drs are accepting new patients. I prefer female dr. for PCP and only one is female. I did actually end up deciding to go either way, but the first available was with the female dr.

The problem is none of the drs. were the ones on my list of drs I thought would be appropriate for me after doing research online. I called and asked, and even talked to the dr. who I wanted to get into see nurse. But, they all feed the same line that the dr. is not accepting new patients, and does not accept charts to review to possibly make an exception. URRGGHHH!!

So, then I am stuck with a person that does not seem to specialize in treating chronic illness or any other beneficial specialties/interests for a patient like myself. But, what I am most worried about is that their main focus is in treating/managing/researching obesity. In other words, I can just see going in there and everything having to be about my weight. I am overweight from all the meds, fluid retention, etc. But, that can not be the focus of my treatment. I do not want a dr. that gets hung up on things like that.

AND multiple people I talked to on the phone made it sound like most of the time I would be dealing with her residents. I do not like having multiple drs. to have to explain and re-explain to. And you have to "teach" each of them about all my medical issues etc... Because, few drs. actually have much clue about any of this.

I am SOOOO frustrated!!! What do you do when you are in a small place, with very limited drs, and none seem to be the type of dr that your medical issues require???? I feel like this is ridiculous for a state capitol city in the US. It seems like a very outdated bare bones system. How can I expect to get any positive results if I can't find one PCP (not bouncing around between residents) that can deal with a patient like us???

What do I do???

I am so frustrated and at the end of my rope on this! It should not be so hard to get a PCP! I do not even want to think about specialists yet.

Please help with any and all suggestions!!!

Thanks!!!

[mkoven]

I sadly can relate. Champaign is not much different from Springfield. My pcp is affiliated with the Carle system. He is not an ans specialist, but is open minded. I was randomly assigned to him in 2003, and luckily it has worked out. He takes me seriously, but usually has to let me ask for what I want/need. I doubt he is taking new patients, though. Do you have all your records with you from your previous place? Perhaps that will run home the idea of the complexity of your case. And if your old docs and your new docs are willing to talk to each other? I also bring a typed summary of my medical history whenever I go see a new doctor. I first write my goals for the appointment, briefly list prior diagnoses and testing that led to those, meds, family history, and allergies.

Sadly, I often have to travel for care--to Chicago and beyond. Chicago is actually not a great place for autonomic stuff, but there are good people for headache (Diamond), allergy (Northwestern), and joint-related stuff (rehabilitation institute of Chicago). I have heard that there are good people in Springfield for neurology, esp. anything seizure related. There is a good sports medicine guy in Champaign who knows about eds. (I don't remember if that's an issue for you.) And the sleep med people in Champaign are pretty good. PM me if you'd like more info on any of these folks.

[firewatcher]

I started my search with my OB/GYN; he knew I was having "unusual" issues and recommended several internal medicine docs who "liked odd cases" or were "naturally inquisitive." That's how I found my PCP. He is an internal medicine doc, and while he is no ANS expert, he is willing to read what I bring him, listen to me and refer me to the appropriate specialists. Start with the easier docs to find and ask their opinion, they have been in your area much longer and the medical personnel in small communities is usually pretty tight. It seems like you are looking for the "big one" first, but you are really just looking in the dark unless you get a solid referral from someone who knows the docs in the area.

[Mrs. Burschman]

I'm totally feeling your pain right now. It should be easy to find doctors in Washington, D.C. HA! Nobody's taking new patients, or if they are, my insurance doesn't cover them. Very frustrating.

[iheartcats]

I'm in San Francisco and have been dealing with finding doctors who are willing to work with my abnormal issues. :/

My PCP seems to tolerate me...he has other patients with chronic illnesses so, although he's never seen POTS, he's decent at helping me get referrals.

The health care system really limits doctors (in-network and all that) and my mother just read an article how there are less and less PCP doctors available. Many Med School Grads are specializing.

I took the print out from the DINET site about what POTS is, and told my PCP I was doing this because it's a rare condition I'd been diagnosed with almost two years ago and had a letter from my EP about how it's currently being treated. I guess with that information he could read more about it if he wanted.

Good luck to you.

[ajw4790]

Hi all,

Thanks for helping me feel like am not alone in this. I just find it ridiculous that at the most only THREE internists associated with the med school in this city are taking patients. And, even if you get in to see one you will likely be seen by their residents! Just what I need is to be passed around between all of an attending physicians residents. (And they are likely to rotate frequently). I need ONE dr. to oversee my care. I don't see why this medical system needs to make it so difficult. The problem is that the attendings all teach about half of the time, so they are not in the clinic all the time.

I even called the Family Practice clinic, and the said you are assigned an attending, but will never see them. You will be seen by one or more of their residents as well.

There are a few other internists here and there locally that are not affiliated with the med school, but most are a distance away etc.

Plus, I really just don't want a dr. that overly obsesses about weight (this is the dr I am scheduled to see's specialty). I need someone to help with everything.

This was so frustrating today, and it didn't help with all the long putting me on holds, and transferring me in circles, and ending up in the wrong place twice! It was so difficult to get answers, and they all read their scripted responses and never actually talk to ME, the patient. UURRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!

This is so frustrating after (being I guess spoiled, sadly ) with being within 10 miles of a major leading university medical center. I had a PCP (internist) associated with the med school, and never had to deal with residents when seeing her. I did not care a lot for that dr, but at least I had one, and didn't have to bounce between residents. I dealt with plenty of residents when I saw other drs., but it didn't lessen my care, because I still saw the attending...

Am I supposed to ask to be put on a wait list or something? Is that the secret to seeing the other drs??? Hope that someone moves or passes away to take their spot with that dr? This is crazy!

Has anyone ever written a letter pleading with a dr. to take on their case???

If so, any suggestions????

The U.S. really does need an overhaul of it's healthcare system!

[sandymbme]

I found my PCP by interviewing a lot of receptionists. I explained I needed a doctor willing and able to co-ordinate care with lots of specialists, who was also willing to learn a lot about a rare disease. Then I went and interviewed docs in person. My PCP is not an internist or affiliated with a med school, but her background was as an ER doc so she has a broad range of experience. She is patient and open-minded, and does a great job juggling all my specialists. I think the key is just finding a great relationship with someone who is willing to learn.