If you’re just not getting the care you feel like you deserve, or your current practitioner is retiring, it may be time to begin looking for a new pain care physician. Whether you’ve been with your current provider for a couple months or many years, it’s not always going to be easy to find a new physician who will be a perfect fit for your situation. With that in mind, we wanted to use today’s blog to share five tips for finding a new doctor when you need to switch pain care providers.

Finding A New Pain Care Provider

Here are some ways that you can transition to a new pain care provider if you need to switch doctors for one reason or another.

1. Ask Your Current Provider For Recommendations – If you are on great terms with your provider, but a situation out of your control is making it such that you will no longer be able to see them for care, ask your current pain specialist for a recommendation. For example, let’s say that your pain specialist is retiring, or you are moving away for a new job. Ask your current doctor if they have any recommendations of providers in your area that would be a good fit for your situation. Odds are they would be more than willing to pass you off to someone they have extreme faith in to continue providing you with a high level of care.

2. Online Reviews – It may also be helpful to do a quick Google search for pain care specialists in your area and see what current and former patients are saying about their care. Read some positive reviews, read some negative reviews, and perhaps most importantly, see how the provider responds to any negative reviews or criticism. If the doctor is willing to try and correct any perceived issues, that suggests they really do want to do right by their patients. See what the online review sites are saying about any new doctors you are considering.

3. Check Your Network – Of course, you’ll want to make sure that any new provider you switch to is still in your insurance network. Sometimes this information is available online, while other times you may want to call the clinic or your insurance company to ensure that any change in providers will not lead to any unexpected expenses because the physician is out of network.

4. Ask Your Inner Circle – It can also be helpful to ask your friends or family for care recommendations. Just remember that you are looking for recommendations for a pain care provider and not a family medicine practitioner, so try to source information from people who have gone through similar issues. If you have friends, co-workers or members of a support group who have had a really positive experience having a similar pain issue treated by a specific physician, consider giving that provider a try. We know that your situation is unique, but chronic pain is incredibly common, so more people in your inner circle have likely worked to overcome a chronic pain issue than you realize!

5. Know That Nothing Is Final – You can do your research and crowdsource recommendations from family, friends and your current medical team, but at the end of the day, you’re going to need to see how you and the doctor mesh in person. Set up an appointment and go see how the doctor and their team handle your care. If they seem like they are willing to take the time to get to know you and listen to your concerns, they may be a good fit. If you’re turned off by the visit, look elsewhere for care. Know that whoever you switch to, the move isn’t permanent unless you decide it is. You can always work to establish care with a different provider if your first choice doesn’t seem to be a great fit.

For more information on switching providers, or to get answers to other questions you have about pain management, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today at (952) 738-4580.