Updated April 03, 2015.

Written or reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Board.

Changing doctors is more common than you might think. While there are a lucky few who find the right doctor and stay with them forever, this is the exception rather than the rule.

In many ways your relationship with your asthma doctor is similar to other long-term, healthy relationships you develop. Some of the characteristics of a strong relationship with your asthma doctor include:

• Respect. Your doctor listens to you and values your opinion about what is going on with your asthma. Likewise, you listen and value your doctor’s opinion even if you might disagree.

• Trust and support. You expect your doctor to be available and participate in your care. You need to take steps to implement agreed upon treatments and behaviors.
• Shared responsibility. Asthma control is a team effort and you make decisions collaboratively with your asthma doc.
• Honesty and communication. Both you and your doctor need to communicate openly and honestly with each other about concerns, treatments, symptoms, admitting mistakes and non-compliance.
• Negotiation and compromise. Having a chronic illness often means compromise and accepting change. When you and your doctor disagree, conflict resolution should be mutually satisfying rather than you feeling like you are being lectured by a parent.

Changing doctors can lead to some of the same emotions and feelings that occur when changes to other long term relationships occur. When the time comes the following tips can help make your transition a smooth one.

There Are Many Reasons People Change Doctors

While violations of above mentioned characteristics of a good doctor patient relationship certainly cause some people to change asthma docs, there are many different reasons people change doctors:

• Your health insurance may be changing because of a marriage, divorce, or changing jobs and your doctor is no longer a preferred provider.
• You may be going off to college or your family may be moving too far away to continue with your current asthma doc.
• Your doctor may close their practice, move, change jobs, or have a host of other life changes that force a change upon you.
• You got fired as a patient because you violated one of the above tenets of the doctor patient relationship.
• You have concerns that you are not getting the best healthcare and want to explore other options.
• Your doctor may be a poor communicator.
• Your asthma control goals are not being met.

Patient Concerns About Changing Doctors

Because it is your health, many patients are really concerned when they make a decision to change doctors. There are a few things you can do to make sure the transition is a smooth as possible:

Get a Doctor Referral For a New Asthma Doctor Before Ending the Relationship With Your Old Asthma Doctor

Identify your new doctor first! That way if the new doctor does not work out you are in no worse position than you are today.

Consider getting a doctor referral from other asthma patients, friends, family, or colleagues. Make sure you ask questions about availability, communication, friendliness of office staff and other things that are important to you in your new asthma doctor .

Some things you want to consider when looking for a new doctor include:

• Do you want a specialist or a primary care physician to care for your asthma?
• Is your new doctor a good communicator?
• Is my new doctor in my insurance plan?
• What are my doctor’s opinions related to Complementary and Alternative Medicine?

Make a Final Appointment With Your Old Asthma Doctor

Because of the chronic and sometimes acute nature of asthma, it is probably best to establish a relationship with a new doctor before totally ending your relationship with your current doctor. Making a final appointment where you get a status update of your asthma, refills on medication, and review your asthma action plan is a good idea.

If you are able to, this is a good time to also discuss with your doctor why you are leaving.

Do I Need To Tell My Current Asthma Doc I Am Leaving

There is no requirement to do so. You simply leave and your new doc can request copies of your medical records if needed.

However, I really appreciate it when patients tell me why they are leaving. If they are moving or some other life circumstance is the reason for their departure, there is really no issue. I can often help them find a great doc in their new community or on their new health insurance plan.

When a patient feels as though I have violated a trust or I have done something to cause them to leave, I would like to know about it. Most doctors do not intentionally do anything to make patients want to leave and most would like feedback if patients are unhappy. If I am going to fire a patient I certainly tell them why and appreciate it when patients let me know why I am being fired.

Consider Hospital Affiliation

With the changes in healthcare reform, many doctors are choosing to limit the number of hospitals where they practice. Many doctors simply do not practice in every hospital in a community anymore. If you anticipate being admitted to the hospital as a result of your asthma or might need a procedure like a bronchial thermoplasty, you may want to only look at doctors that practice at a certain hospital.

Other Consideration When Changing Doctors

Increasingly doctors offices are employing other health care providers. If your doctor is not available you may see a physician assistant or nurse practitioner. You may want to ask other patients or the practice how difficult it is to see your doctor and who you are likely to see when sick.

Many hospitals and practices are also hiring doctors trained in other countries. If English is not your new doctor’s native tongue, you will need to consider whether or not your new doctor’s communication skills will be adequate. Additionally, culture affects medical care and can lead to unintended non verbal communication issues between doctors and patients.

Finally, age and gender may be important to you. While I have no issues caring for either male or female patients, it is a preference of some patients that is easy to achieve in most communities.

Considering a doctor’s age may also be important. If you pick a doctor in the later part of their career you may be changing doctors again before you care to. If you pick someone younger than yourself, chances are that you will not have to change doctors because they retire or have a significant medical illness.

Source

1. AARP. Is It Time to Find a New Doctor?. Accessed December 30, 2013.