Finding doctors who take new Medicare patients proves a puzzle
About half of the county's 103 health care providers at family medicine practices take new
The county health department and
Quist received nearly a dozen doctors' names during her search for one who would take her.
Her husband saw a cardiologist, who recommended two general practitioners, Quist said. She called them, but they weren't taking new
Quist's dermatologist gave her two doctors' names, but they weren't taking new
She called the dermatologist's office back, and a staff member gave her three more doctors' names. Quist then saw a second dermatologist, who recommended a doctor within walking distance.
That doctor wasn't taking new
"One of those said they would take me," Quist said.
Quist now has a doctor, but the process took about three weeks.
Her neighbor,
"I don't feel like I have much choice in doctors at this point," Daiger said.
But according to Culpepper, the number of doctors in the county -- and doctors who accept
In 2013, according to the health department, there were 45 family practice providers in the county, and 36 served
"We're likely to see an increase in providers, at least in primary care," he said.
Dr.
"Physicians are declining or basically removing themselves from the
Doctors were required to start recording clinical data for
"You need information technology services to make the record complete, and that means paying to keep the system working," Vitarello said.
Doctors are paid less to serve
Taking new
All 16 cardiologists in
"
Dr.
A few years ago, about 25 percent of his patients were paid for by
"There's too many patients and too few doctors," Krantz said.
According to the
By the end of 2015, that number had risen to 31,515.
As of June, 32,661 county residents were enrolled in
Those calls are generally referred to
"It's certainly a needed and necessary service," True said.
Twice each year, the hospital staff updates a list of local doctors who take new
The county health department has a similar list, with information drawn from a survey they administer to doctors.
But, the survey process takes time.
"As soon as we have a list of
The
True doesn't recommend that local residents use the database, called "Physician Compare," because it may be outdated.
Because of Daiger's and Quist's concerns, the county health department discussed the possibility of making its list of
Culpepper declined, saying the list is not part of department staff's responsibilities.
"It isn't what my staff are paid to do, so I'm reluctant to release that information," he said.
Frederick
"We can't market doctors that don't work for us," hospital spokeswoman
However,
"Typically, we're able to find them someone to connect with," Kirby said.
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