New Digs, New Docs!
Filed under Myrtle Beach Real Estate Blog
Since making our home in Myrtle Beach, SC, my family has been blessed enough (and klutzy enough, ahem) to have both needed and found amazing medical providers in the area. Caryn is the consummate klutz, as well as hypochondriac, so I suppose it is fitting that she has situated herself smack dab in the middle of Nursing Administration at Waccamaw Community Hospital. I, on the other hand, am petrified of needles and in the past have avoided going to the doctor unless I was bleeding or something was broken. Since she began working there, I’ve sent her to work on countless occasions with a list of symptoms with the request to “ask the nurses” (as I so affectionately call them). All sorts of conditions have been diagnosed from a weird pain in my big toe to sinus headaches to spider bites. We’ve had the amazing experience of Riley being born at WCH, as well as the not-so-graceful tumble which led to Caryn’s elbow surgery in their Outpatient Surgery Department. Through all of this, we’ve become very comfortable with our family doctor (Dr. Jasen Rowles, Waccamaw Community Care), pediatricians office (Inlet Pediatrics), orthopedic surgeon (Dr. Eric Heimburger , Carolina Orthopedic Specialists), and all the nurses at Caryn’s fingertips at work. We enjoyed the inside track on local healthcare from Waccamaw Community Hospital up to Grand Strand Regional Medical Center.
But when moving to a new area, your focus is to get settled in. You begin trying out the local businesses. You find your favorite coffee shop, dry cleaners, and lock in a new gym. And sooner or later, you pick a new health care provider. You may not have someone you know and trust work in a healthcare facility. How do you know who to choose? In addition to checking which practices take your insurance and what the office hours are, here are a few more things you’ll want to look into while trying on your new doctor for size.
1. What hospital does the doctor have privileges in? You could be sent there for lab work or diagnostic tests. If the hospital isn’t convenient or you don’t like the hospital, you may want to find a new physician.
2. How many doctors are in the practice? If the practice is large, are you comfortable with all the doctors? Would you prefer seeing the same doctor every visit?
3. Are the nurses and office staff friendly? Many times you need to consult your medical office without needing an appointment. You’ll want an office staff who are familiar with you and your family, and respond to you quickly.
To find a physician you can trust and be comfortable with, be sure to pick a provider BEFORE you or your family need one. Make an appointment to meet with the physician(s) that meet your needs.
