Do people see the same GP every time or do they just pick whoever is available? If a follow up was needed would you choose the same GP?
I saw a GP who told me to come in for a follow up after 3 days but then I found out she wasn't even in on that day. Under the circumstances, I couldn't wait the extra day for when she was in so I just went with whoever was available on that day. Not really much I could do about it. It is what it is.
+1 to go see the same GP every time, assuming it's not "urgent". A relationship with a GP imho is like a relationship with a drycleaner, or barista (of course in different lines of business) … you don't need it, but it is that much nicer over time when you get to know the other side as a "human" instead of as a service provider
if the GP is good and i can establish a relationship with them - i like to see the same one.
If it's for an ongoing issue the same one.
If i have a flu or something minor doesn't bother me.
I like going to different ones so they don't start with any pre-conceived notions of what the problem may be.
GPs don't have a pre-conceived notions for a diagnosis unless you're alluding to "fat" shaming, in which case, all doctors can tell when a person is fat.
GPs have thousands on their patient list. The only time when a GP has a pre-conceived diagnosis is for bad patients - drug seeking behaviour, hypochondriacs, patients who won't follow instructions, patients who will do the polar opposite of the instructions, patients who lie…
No, nothing like that.
I just like the idea that we don't know each other and can start fresh.
I also have no interest in waiting to see someone. If I want / need to see a Doctor I want to see them when it suits me.
Well, we all have schedules and a bad doctor doesn't magically become a good one when the need/convenience arises.
I'm in no way saying the available doctor is bad. Sometimes, you need to wait to get the best outcome.
A sentiment long abandoned.
Can be helpful to get a fresh set of eyes. Part of the reason why I love colleagues input . Having said that can be a disadvantage when you have multiple medical issues as a GP can only familiarise themselves with a patient's complex conditions so much in a 15 min consult.
Time and again continuity of care has been associated with good outcomes in patients - but as alluded to above only with a good GP.
I always go to different ones. went to the Melb GP last year. will go to the singapore GP this year
I heard the Singapore GPs are much louder but generally hotter.
Unless you have a chronic illness, it doesn't matter.
I go to any of those bulk billing medical centres where you see any Dr for free through Medicare.
The medical centre makes big money by getting patients in and out as fast as possible.
Most of the GPs are useless.
Its like Maccas for medicine.
The GPs are "useless" until they're useful.
Most patients with non-chronic issues see the GP because they're worried something may be worse than it appears. The vast majority of the time, the patient's concerns are unfounded.
It is financially better, both on Medicare and privately funded, that patients attend for the unnecessary than it is to neglect the critical.
As much as many GPs would recently note I am "anti-GP", I'm not. Be glad your visits usually end with "you're fine now GTFO" than "I'll tell reception to clear my day".
And much better that they see a GP than to go to emergency. I have a friend who's an ER specialist and he always complains about the useless people who turn up to emergency for things which they should have just gone to their GP for.
That's what happens when there's a three-week wait to get a GP appointment, like in my town.
And that's for the bulk-billing medical centre; the others won't even accept new patients.
@ssquid: It's a real issue the imbalance between supply and demand of GPs in rural vs metropolitan Australia
Spoken like someone subscribes to "big pharma" and antivaxxer websites. Good luck seeing a specialist with that 'tude.
It is like Maccas for medicine -_-…
The problem is this is not good general practice. Good general practice is about preventative care - when someone has a 6 minute problem a good GP should try and squeeze in some checkups. Unfortunately Medicare is not adequately funding GPs to do this.
I was offered 20-25% more than I earn now to work at one of these Maccas type clinics and turned it down. Funnily enough I charge a private fee too…and still end up earning less than these Maccas type clinics -_-
However I feel quite happy knowing my patients appreciate my effort in keeping them healthy, physically and mentally - but it's a real problem currently.
(For example I had a 6 minute patient once who just wanted a medical certificate -> picked up a cancer cos I took the time - pretty hard to miss though…)
I worked in a macca's type clinic for a year and have never come close to earning the same amount since. As time goes on my patients get more complex and consult times lengthen, I earn less year on year. Medicare funding is stupid.
Have you checked out the Burger King type clinics? Queues are a lot shorter; which means a lot less stress for those who work there.
I think you should review your comment and have a think about why you feel the way you do about GPs.
First you pretty much admit that you seek out bulk billing GPs that get "patients in and out as fast as possible". Then you complain that GPs are useless. If you go to Maccas, you're going to get Maccas quality food.
I never used to but these days I tend to go to one GP for the whole family.
I'm sure most GPs know their stuff well enough but this makes it easier in terms of record keeping and medical history.
E.g. I don't have to explain whatever long running issues I might have to the new GP.
Of course for stuff like vaccinations I would just pick whoever's available.
It does help to keep your vaccinations in one place - although not so bad with the immunisation register and eHealth now - however wastes a lot of time trying to track it down when trying to figure out if someone needs their Hep A shot for travel
I always go to the same practice and as much as possible the same GP or at least the same 2.
Yep, same GP for the last 10 years. Also, family goes to the same GP, easier for GP to diagnose if she knows the family history.
Sounds like your GP is not very on-the-ball, perhaps look for a good one and stick with him/her?
That GP wasn't my regular one as my throat was killing me and I couldn't put it off any longer. That said, I was slightly disappointed as she didn't really seem to care about my issue which is part of the reason why I didn't go back to her for the follow up (as well as the reason I put in the OP).
I think a follow up is charged differently to an initial consultation, isn't it? Not sure. Maybe see a different available GP for follow up, you might like the follow up GP.
Yeah that's what I did :)
I don't, unless I find a really good one, a good GP listens and they're usually ones I stick with. Truth be told though the reason I go to different GPs is because I move a lot, not because of the GP in particular, most of the time its a random thing not ongoing so usually new or same doesn't make a huge difference for me.
Yep same gp for whole family…i like the ole school idea of a family doctor.
Depends…
I have a "good" GP, but can never get an appointment for days, and because she is good, she spends more time with each person and is always running way late.
If I need something quick I go to the sausage factory aka bulk billing clinic
My GP is a classic "bad" GP. Hardly spends time with me, tells me I'm wasting his time and it's all in my head.
He just happens to be right all the time.
Yep - same GP for decades. We're doomed when he's really retireing as he's currently semi-retired.
My GP = Cousin so yeah I always see him. :)
That could get embarrassing.
"Do people see the same GP every time?". Obviously not, he'd be the busiest bloke in the world.
Or she…
I had an amazing GP who I saw for years until I moved suburb. Then I'd go to a nearby bulk practice for anything that just needed a sick certificate but for my longer term issues that my original GP was managing I would make the extra trip to go see her. Continued that until she changed practice.
I've been lucky enough to find a new, pretty good, and even bulk-billing GP near me who has gone above and beyond for managing some new health issues that have come up in the last 6 months. I see her whenever possible (assuming she's working that day) now.
I have 1 GP for all minor things and 1 other GP for things that are of greater concern.
I have a GP for things I want to keep a record of. Try and see the same one each time but I would go back to anyone in that practice if required.
I also have a couple of local bulk billing places that I would go if I need a certificate or a script for something minor (like anxiety pills for travel), or if my main GP practice was closed. I would see the first available doctor in this instance and to be honest don’t even remember half of their names 😂.
I am a bit unsettled that there are some practices that you see infrequently and hand out "anxiety pills" for travel!
Safescript is rolling out across Victoria so I'm hopeful everyone is on the same page when these medications are prescribed.
It’s not infrequent visits to the practices. There’s two I visit depending on time of day and they’re the only two. For a while one of them was my main GP but the wait was 2 hours because they were the only bulk billing place around. They actually know my history of travel anxiety pills and how frequently I get them (whenever the last pack expires, I never finish them!) more than my current GP.
I would love for my history to be across all practices I visit. Would make it easier when I am at my normal GP and want something that the other practice has given me in the past.
I used to go to whoever was available at the same old clinic. Then I got a crap doctor who barely looked at me before prescribing me nurofen within a minute. Not wanting to go back there, a few days later I tried a new clinic.
Ended up seeing a doctor who just talked to me for a while, asking about my life and whatever else, before making a diagnosis. And since it felt pretty good entrusting my health to a person who seemed to care about the lives of their patients, I've been going to that doctor for about 10 years now.
In that time, other family members have visited and been happy with them. And not just on my recommendation either. One day my sis-in-law was trying to recommend a local doc who diagnosed an ear infection she'd been living with for months, after a few other doctors had been hopeless. Who just happened to be my own local doc
Also in that time, they seem to have become quite popular, which means longer waits and shorter appointments. Which cuts out some of the benefit and makes it worth going wherever is most convenient for smaller stuff.
Yes, you learn which GPs are good and which GPs are crap.
If it's a minor issue, then I don't see the need to go to the GP. If it is major, then find a good GP. I found an amazing GP who takes her time to listen and make the right referrals. I saw one at the same clinic and he pushed pain killers after seeing me for 2 minutes.
You learn very quickly which ones are good and which ones are bad based on the number of free slots they have during the day. The good GPs may get booked out a day or two in advance.
A good GP may very well save your life - whether you even know it or not. Continuity of care has been shown to improve patient outcomes. I would suggest finding a good clinic with a good group of doctors. Establish your regular GP but if you can't get in then you can see one of their colleagues. A good group will communicate with each other and let each other know if anything major happened with their patients.
My wife attends a "good clinic" with an out of pocket that is more than $30 per visit.
Given the amount of income tax we pay I refuse to pay to attend a GP on principle. Bulk billing for me.
I mostly do, unless my GP is unavailable and I can't afford to wait for an appointment. Good to have someone who knows my personal medical history AND actually gives me time of their day. Not keen on taking meds after very short consultations.
Have an excellent GP as my main GP. Charges more, but it's worth it. Knows me, my family issues, and how I respond to different medications, etc. Unsurprisingly, she's always in demand, so it can take a few days to see her. If it's not a major issue, like a cold or something straight forward, or the weekend, there are two practices nearby I go to. One bulk bills and the other doesn't. Don't know what I'll do when she retires, as I've been seeing her for over 14 years.
Depends on your needs.
My children i take to the next available GP at the centre we all goto. Myself, I see the same one every time, as he knows my medical situation (I go 2-3 times a month)
There is a sad story I know about a woman who I used to attend the same community group as I do. She had a sore back for years, and was an old fashioned sort of person, so only went to one doctor. He just told her it was arthritis because of her age (she was about 60 at the time). The pain was terrible but the doctor kept insisting that her sore back was just a sign of her age, would not send her for any tests or anything
Eventually her husband and children convinced her to see another doctor, who sent for her immediate scans. That was on the monday. She was dead by the friday. It was cancer. The other doctor, just kept fobbing her off. I feel sick whenever I think of this poor woman.
So no I do not go to the same doctor all the time.
Same clinic, different GP.
As a general rule I don't like to go to the same service provider too much/exclusively as it makes me feel a sense of loyalty which I don't think is appropriate or utility maximising. I also don't like being known or people being too fresh with me in a transaction.
I can see a GP being a decent candidate for an exception but I haven't felt the need or want to do so at this point.
My wife and two kids have the same Doctor.
If I just need test results or script, then no, first available. But in saying that I saw the same GP for about 15 years (there's was often a 2 hour wait to see her) until she went to another practice on the Sunshine Coast.
I hear a lot of comments about seeing multiple GPs to get "fresh eyes". Just wanted to chime in with my thoughts on this. I'm a GP btw
I do agree this has some utility in some circumstances, but I would advise against applying this practice universally. If you have a problem that is persisting despite a GP's management over the course of multiple visits then yes, a second opinion may be useful. If you are not happy with your GP's assessment for any other reason then yes, a second opinion may be useful.
The downsides to this is that regularly changing GPs can make caring for you more difficult as you grow older of if your health needs become more complex. If you see 3 GPs, who is tracking your routine screening tests (eg: cholesterol, diabetes, cancer screening)? Are you up to date with necessary vaccinations? Who is monitoring and titrating your treatment goals (blood pressure targets if you have high blood pressure?). Who knows what has been prescribed/trialed to treat your chronic conditions and how you reacted to such treatments. It is actually quite common for patients to be unable to articulte a lot of the necessary information and can be quite challenging when this information is scattered between multiple practices.
Same medical centre, different GP is fine as they all have access to your medical records/history.
But for consistency of opinion its best to see the same GP if you can.
Or visa versa if you prefer an alternative opinion/view.
If you’re close to the Hurstville NSW area, I go to MedFirst Medical, lovely GPs and the wait is only ever about 15 mins. Good GPs are important and a friendly receptionist too otherwise the experience sucks
In a good practice with good GPs, you'll be fine.
In the average practice, as far as I've observed, no.
One of the hot topics (since like forever) is how to keep notes. There's a reason why these workshops seem to always exist - because doctors, (and I'm gonna get negged) especially physicians, tend to write a lot of fluff.
A follow up is only as useful as the baseline.