How to Choose a Good General Practitioner in Australia – Top Tips

Updated on May 12, 2021

For Australians in search of a good general practitioner, it can feel a bit overwhelming. The good news is that you have options, but sometimes, the more options you have, the more difficult the process can be. Learning how to narrow down the field, set some criteria and priorities will help you to make an informed decision that you feel confident in. Here we’ll take a look at the top tips you can use while you search to find that perfect general practitioner for you.

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Look Into Reviews and Recommendations

While it may seem silly to shop around for doctors by comparing reviews, ratings, and recommendations, this can actually be an excellent place to start. Speak to friends and family about who their doctor is and if they would recommend them, and try doing a little online research to check out the reviews that have been posted.

Set Up a Consultation

While it is helpful to get personal recommendations from family and/or friends about a “great doctor”, you still need to speak with the doctor to ensure they are the right choice for you. It’s recommended that you set up an initial consultation to see how the two of you “jive”, if you will, and what the rapport is like. This is an excellent way to get a sense of their bedside manner and see how they approach and speak with patients. 

Make Sure They are Qualified

Here’s a very important step, and that’s to ensure you ask about the qualifications of the prospective GP. Here in Australia, that means they need to have their Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) accreditation. Ask about this qualification directly to ensure you get the answer.

Do They Specialise in Any Particular Area?

This may or may not be of importance to you, but some GPs go on to specialise in specific areas of practice. This means they have gone on to take specific courses. Some areas of specialty may include travel medicine, dermatology, and more. It may even be that their specialty is something you see coming in handy down the road.

What the Office Is Like

The type of office the GP practices in may also be of importance to you. There are some that have small little offices that are discreet and quiet, and then there are the larger medical offices that deal with a lot more patients and are much busier. It comes down to personal preference. If you’re looking for the larger-style offices, you can check out this one, which states, our GP Medical Centres in Brisbane are focused on a whole-person approach. This is often a benefit in larger offices that tend to just offer “more” in general, giving you greater access to professionals and medical services on-site.

Take Time to Find the Right One

The most important takeaway in searching for a GP in Australia is to take your time to really look at your options, ask questions, do your research, and ensure you make an informed decision.

The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.