So it’s time to find a “family physician” or primary care doctor or general practitioner – someone who can help your whole family, adults and children, stay healthy. What should you be looking for?

1. Availability. Does the doctor have available appointments? Does he or she offer virtual visits? Most Norman Regional physicians offer both in person and virtual visits for patients. You can also check the clinic’s hours of operation and factor in if they offer extended hours.
2. Location. Should you look for a doctor closer to home, to your work or to your kids’ school? Which will be most convenient for you?
3. Insurance network. Check with your insurance provider to make sure this doctor is in the network – it will be less expensive than visiting an out-of-network doctor.
4. Access to a health system. If you will ever need a specialist or a hospital procedure (most of us will in our lifetimes), it’s often easier to get a referral when your doctor is connected with a comprehensive health system.
5. Personality. Of course, you want a doctor you feel comfortable with. Look up your potential doctors on review sites like HealthGrades, RateMDs or Vitals. Norman Regional also publishes star ratings and patient comments on doctor’s profile pages to help people searching for a doc make a decision. It’s also OK to make appointments with a few different doctors to find one you like.

Now that you know what to look for, where should you start? Try our handy Find a Provider tool to find local primary care physicians who are part of the Norman Regional Health System.