Is there really such a thing as a GP any more? GP’s did one year of internship and then went straight into practice. Internists have 3 years of residency, and FP’s have 4 — the longer residency allows training in a broader range of specialties than Internal Medicine, i.e. pedi and OB.
We have had the same family dr for 30+ years. He has been great for us. He is not part of a medical group. Just a solo practitioner. If we have a problem he feels is better served by a specialist he never hesitates to refer us. Also, if you have an emergency he will get you in the same day. Not many doctors will or can do that. For example, I suspected I was coming down with Shingles. It was a Friday afternoon and they just told me to get there as soon as I could. But with all this being said, I think he is part of a dying breed. Nowadays, I believe people are forced to go to medical groups or clinics because of insurance limitations.
If you or members of your family have special health concerns an Internist might be the way to go. If you want a more personal relationship with your dr maybe a family practitioner is best.
I see an internist who is in a solo practice. She is now out of network for my PPO plan but I see her anyway and just pay more. She is good at answering email though her portal and I can make an appointment through the portal. She reserves several appointments each day for emergencies. She knows her patients and remembers your history. She is probably late 40’s so I think she will be around for awhile. She is an excellent diagnostician and is good about referrals. She is also willing to go the extra step to make sure you get into whatever Dr she recommends in a quick time frame. I can’t imagine she is making a lot of money since she schedules over an hour per annual exam and her regular appointments aren’t rushed. Her only downside is her receptionist is terrible but I can live with that due to the portal.
I have a Nurse Practitioner. She is actually an old colleague of mine from the hospital. She worked in ICU before becoming an NP. She’s been great so far. She’s in a group practice so there’s physician guidance there if she needs it. I know them all as well but they are all males and I prefer a female caregiver.
I used to go to an internist who was around my age, and I liked him for a number of years. Unfortunately, he eventually developed a been-there-seen-that attitude & he didn’t really listen to me. I switched to a family medicine doctor based on positive reviews. She has 2 PAs and an NP, but she does my physical & my 6-month med check. I really, really like her and her PAs/NP. She is very bright, and she listens really well. I am very happy.
H stuck with the internist I used to go to, even though he wasn’t happy. He also left eventually, and he now sees a family medicine doctor. He is very happy with her.
Personally, I care more about the doctor than the particular kind of doctor he/she is.
I love my MD. Specialty = Family Medicine. I’ve seen her for approx. 20 years. She is part of a very small group of 4 physicians, so if she’s not available, one of the others usually is. I’ve only met one of the partners, and I liked him too. They typically hold open a few slots for emergencies. I’ve never had to see her for a true emergency (yet), but I have been able to be seen within a few days for anything out of the ordinary. Unfortunately, she’s my age, so I’ll need to discuss her retirement plans soon. I’ve also learned to schedule appointments early in the day. She takes the time needed, so later appointments often have a wait time. That doesn’t bother me, however, knowing if & when I need it, I’d probably be the one making someone else wait.