Issue Date: January 4, 2009
Resolve to find a primary doctor
My top recommendation for 2009 is to develop a relationship with a primary care physician. There are many problems with not having a doctor, not the least of which is that when you get sick, your options become limited. The best time to choose a doctor is not when you're in the emergency room but when you're well and can give the decision the requisite thoughtful consideration.
Establishing rapport with a physician is a vital part of maintaining good health. We all need periodic "preventive maintenance," and having a physician -- who knows you and whom you trust -- to guide you is crucial. A checkup can help ensure that everything is operating normally, but your doctor also can counsel you on good nutrition, consistent and appropriate exercise, and effective stress management. Such counseling is best delivered by an old friend, not a new acquaintance.
The medical landscape is changing. Fewer young physicians today are going into primary care, and many established primary care providers are leaving medicine early. This makes it more challenging to find the right physician for you, which means you need to start your search now.
Contributing Editor Tedd Mitchell, M.D., writes HealthSmart each week. He is the co-author of "Move Yourself: The Cooper Clinic Medical Director's Guide to All the Healing Benefits of Exercise (Even a Little!)."
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