The best way to find a good physician is to find a good medical group and then ask the medical group to recommend good physicians for you. Many of the medical groups have nurses that will ask you some questions to determine what type of physician, both practice and personality, would be a good fit for you. This 2 step process can simplify the process of finding a good physician.

Medical Groups are a business organization with multiple doctors working together to serve the needs of a common set of patients. By offloading the administrative and support work, each physician is able to focus on the needs of the patient and improve patient care. So finding a good Medical Group is the first step in the process.

To get a starting point on good Medical Groups, the California Office of The Patient Advocate provides a yearly report card that grades insurance companies, medical plans, hospitals, and Medical Groups. The latest report card for groups in San Diego county shows how each group rates with respect to providing a standard of care for 9 medical conditions, and how patients rate the medical group in providing care and customer service.

Medical Group Ratings 2011 Edition

For San Diego County

My recommendation is to look for Medical Groups that rate at least 3 stars in both standard of care and customer service. If your physician is in a group that is rated less than 3, then you might want to consider how your physician has been caring for you, and if you feel that you should be getting better treatment, look for another medical group and physician. Select a 3 star medical group that has offices that are convenient for you, and then call them to get physician recommendations.

If you would like more information on this topic you can find additional details at opa.ca.gov, or you can call our office and one of our SPF Insurance Services advisers will be happy to help you.