Why Patients Change Physicians

Posted: Jan 19, 2011 |Comments: 0 |

Question:
What are some reasons that patients change physicians?  We're noticing a growing number of our patients are transferring their records to another doctor and we're not sure why.  None of the patients have complained about the service or treatment.

                                                                                New-doctor - practice-manager-network

Recommendation:
It can be very difficult for a physician to find out the true reason why a patient is transferring records to another physician.  Some of the reasons may be outside the control of the physician while other reasons may be within the control of the physician.  For example, patients may seek treatment elsewhere because of:

  • Geographic reasons:  The physician's office may not be conveniently located to the patient's residence or work location.  Many times, patients want physicians located in an area that they can visit before or after leaving for work, on their way home or during the lunch periods.  If the patient or physician moves, the patient may have no choice but to seek treatment elsewhere.
  • Insurance coverage:  In some cases, a physician may not be part of the network of the individual's new insurance coverage offered through an employer. 
  • Service:  Even though a physician has not received any formal complaints regarding the treatment or service, some patients may not be satisfied and may not feel comfortable providing feedback.  Perhaps it was the long wait time, the way they were greeted by the receptionist or the way the nurses spoke with the patient.  In other cases, the dissatisfaction could be the lack of follow-up regarding prescription refill requests, lab results or the ability to schedule appointments or speak to a medical professional regarding side effects or symptoms.

Physicians may implement several procedures to determine why a patient is seeking treatment elsewhere.  For example, the patient may receive a questionnaire through the mail or email with questions concerning the level of service during treatment and the reason for leaving.  If done professionally and with sensitivity, the patient may also be asked over the phone if there was a particular reason for their terminating the relationship.  A new patient form may also inquire into how and why the patient selected the physician.  This information can help the physician determine if proximity, referrals or other factors were the motivating factor for the patient selecting the physician.

This article should not be construed as legal advice.

If you have any questions please call 877-315-3338 and we will be happy to assist you or to find out more please visit: http://www.practicemanagernetwork.com

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