There are so many tasks to do before, during, and after a move–and sometimes, the ones that seem least important can slip through the cracks. Finding new medical professionals for your family may seem like it’s at the bottom of the list–but if anyone in your family gets sick soon after your move, you will need a doctor!
New patient appointments for doctors (especially popular ones) can take months, so it’s a good idea to start thinking about your new doctors as soon as possible–even before moving! Here are a few steps in thinking through this important aspect of moving by Wyoming Self Storage.
Determine what types of doctors you may need right away
For the most part, everyone needs to be set up with a primary care physician. You may not have any health issues at the moment, but they could arise, and it would be best to already be an established patient with your new doctor instead of calling to try and get a new patient appointment.
If you have other health issues in your family, you’ll already know what other types of doctors you’ll need. Unless your primary care physician is a family doctor, you’ll also want to find a good pediatrician for your children. Every woman will also want to set up an appointment with a gynecologist for a yearly check-up.
Find a list of doctors who accept your insurance
If sickness comes up, you’ll definitely want to have a doctor who takes your insurance. You can print a list off your insurance’s website to find out which doctors are in-network in your new city. You’ll also want to decide if you want to be part of a doctor’s practice in a hospital area or more of a private practice. If your family has health issues, having a doctor in a hospital setting can make it easier for tests and procedures to be all under one roof. If you want more one-on-one time with a doctor who needs to know your family, a private practice may be right for you.
Start getting recommendations
One of the best ways to find good doctors quickly is to ask the locals! Joining apps like Nextdoor or groups on Facebook for your town can let you quickly post and ask about which are the best doctors. Once you start getting responses, check the names against your list of approved doctors, and then start reading up on them online!
Make new patient appointments
Once you’ve picked a doctor to try, call and schedule a new patient appointment right away! If your doctor is busy and popular, it could take up to a year to get that new appointment–so don’t delay it! If the appointment is far away, try calling each week to see if anyone has cancelled–you can find out what day they send out their reminders to all their patients that week, and call sometime on that day. Usually the office will have open spots from people responding to that reminder saying that they can’t come anymore!
Moving can be a full-time job for families–it’s not just about the boxes and trucks! If you need help storing your things before, during, or after a move, consider an affordable self-storage unit! This can be a great tool to take care of some of your stuff for a time so you can focus on other areas of life until you’re ready to tackle it. Give us at Self Assured Storage a call today and see how our experts can make your move a bit easier!
