SHOULD YOU BREAK UP WITH YOUR DOCTOR?

Maybe it is them. Even a good doctor-patient relationship sometimes runs its course. Here's when you should consider moving on for better health.

- NANCY FITZGERALD

When Peggy Ryan met her primary care provider five years ago, she felt as if she had found a perfect match. "She was attentive, knowledgeable, and a great listener," says the 61-year-old from Brooklyn, NY (her name and all other patient names have been changed). "I have a lot of health issues, but she was always on the ball and spent time with me." Sadly, the honeymoon didn't last: A year and a half ago, Ryan's doctor transferred to another office with longer waits for appointments, and when Ryan did snag an elusive date, she sat in the waiting room for over an hour. When finally face-to-face with her doctor, she felt rushed. "I gave her a lot of grace and thought it would improve," Ryan says. After much frustration, she decided to switch.

A recent Harris Poll found that nearly seven in 10 Americans would consider shifting to a provider who offered more appealing services, with the biggest driver being same-day appointments. "Longer wait times, unfortunately, are a symptom of fewer primary care clinicians," says Ann Greiner, president of the Primary Care Collaborative, which advocates for improved patient care. "COVID-19 accelerated early retirements, and there are fewer physicians going into primary care."

But finding a doctor with whom you can build a long-term relationship is crucial for your health: Research shows that people who stick with the same doc are more likely to keep up with screenings such as colonoscopies and have fewer hospital admissions and lower healthcare costs. "It's important to have a physician who knows both your health history and your family history," says Sarah Sams, M.D., a member of the board of the American Academy of Family Physicians. When you switch frequently or use walk-in clinics, doctors may treat acute symptoms rather than recognize patterns that can lead to a more accurate diagnosis, she adds.