A geriatric physician, or geriatrician, is a medical doctor specially trained and experienced to meet the unique needs of elderly patients. Finding the best geriatric physician for your loved one includes research, checking with your insurance and setting up a meeting where you get to know one another.
We provide leading non-emergency medical transportation for seniors but in order to keep your elderly loved one happy and healthy you’re going to need a good doctor as well. A geriatric physician is often the best bet for elderly patients. Diseases, illnesses, injuries and medications can all impact elderly patients differently than younger patients, as a result it’s nice to have a doctor that truly understands this and treats his or her patients accordingly. A geriatric health care team may include nurses, nutritionists, social workers and physical therapists, among other industry professionals.
Signs your loved one may benefit from a geriatric doctor:
-Significant age-related impairment
-Multiple illnesses, diseases or disabilities
-Patient’s overall condition is placing significant strain and stress on current caregivers, including family and friends.
-You feel your loved one’s current doctors are not treating him or her with proper respect.
Finding The Best Geriatrician In Melbourne
There is an increasing shortage of geriatric physicians. According to the American Geriatrics Society, we are going to need 23,000 new geriatricians by the year 2030. There are currently over 7,000 licensed geriatricians in the United States, so you’ve still got your work cut out for you when it comes to finding the best in the bunch.
Start your search by browsing online for geriatric doctors located in Melbourne and surrounding communities. Rest assured, even if the best doctor for your loved one is located outside of Melbourne, Stellar Transportation will still get them there in style, comfort and safety. We specialize in non-emergency medical transportation for both local and long distance.
Once you’ve found a few doctors that stand out to you, here are some tips to identify the best candidate for your beloved senior.
Research The Doctor’s Background
The first step to identifying a great doc from a fraud is to do some of your own research to uncover their background. Much of this information should be easy to find online. Find out where they went to school and when? What is their educational background and areas of interest? How many years have they worked in the field of geriatric medicine?
Find Out Office Hours & Policies
What times does their office open and close? Is that going to work with your loved one’s schedule? Find out if they are at different offices throughout the week, or are available Monday through Friday at the same location. Office policies are also important, for instance, what happens if one is late or misses an appointment?
Check With Your Insurance
Find out if the doctor is covered under your loved one’s insurance to avoid footing any large and unexpected bills. If you rely on Medicare Advantage Plan you may be limited in your selection. If you go to a doctor outside of this coverage you will have to pay a greater share of the costs.
Ask For Help
If a simple Google search isn’t giving you all of the answers you need, start asking around to find some good suggestions. Ask people if they know of any good doctors or would recommend their own doctor. If you’re searching for answers about a particular doctor, feel free to call up their office and ask office staff any questions you may have. Just be aware that their answers are going to be naturally biased.
Set Up A Meet & Greet
Make an appointment for you and your loved one to meet with the physician(s) that check off all of your boxes. See how your personalities mesh and if your loved one feels comfortable and confident about him or her. Your loved should feel completely comfortable talking to their doctor in order for a beneficial relationship to form.
During your meet and greet pay close attention to the questions the doctor asks. A quality doctor that truly cares about patients should seek to answer who a patient is, what they care about, what’s bothering them and what their health goals are for the future. You want a doctor that speaks to patients, not down to them or around them. Someone that really listens is important and usually easy to pinpoint right away.
Arrive Safely, Comfortably & On Time With Stellar Transportation
You want nothing less than the best for your loved one, and so do we. Stellar Transportation treats every patient like family. We specialize in transporting elderly patients of all mobility types, no matter if they are in a wheelchair or bedridden we provide the safest, most comfortable and reliable ride in town.