Choosing a Personal Physician

One of the most important things to do as a new member is to select a personal physician. Depending on your health plan and where you live, you can choose a Group Health doctor who practices at one of our 25 medical facilities or a contracted provider.

Why Choose a Group Health Doctor?

Choosing a Group Health doctor gives you the full benefit of our nationally recognized model of coordinated, patient-centered care.

A strong relationship with your personal physician (also known as your primary care provider) is at the heart of Group Health's model of care. Your doctor knows you and your medical history, and works with you to take charge of your health care, whether you're focused on preventive care, experiencing a temporary illness or injury, or managing a chronic illness such as diabetes or asthma. He or she can help you decide what treatment options are best for you and can help coordinate your medical care.

See Why Choose Group Health Medical Centers? to learn about other advantages of choosing a Group Health doctor. Or learn more about the Group Health difference and watch our video.

Why Choose a Doctor Now?

Even if you are not currently experiencing any medical problems, there are many advantages to choosing a doctor now:

• If you do get sick or injured, you may need care immediately, and you won't have to spend time figuring out your options. Having a doctor reduces the chances you'll need to go to an emergency room for a non-emergency condition, saving you time and money.
• As a new member, it's important to complete a health risk assessment — called your Health Profile. If your assessment indicates you may have some serious health risks — perhaps something you aren't even aware of — your personal physician will be notified immediately and will contact you about coming in for an appointment.
• If you currently take any prescription medications, your personal physician can make sure you can refill those prescriptions easily and without any hassles.

How to Select Your Personal Physician

Use our Provider Directory to find a personal physician who's a good match for you. The directory allows you to read brief biographies of doctors and learn more about their education and training, philosophy of care, and medical and personal interests. You can refine search results based on gender, specialty, location, language, and more.

Contact Customer Service if you have any questions about our doctors or need any help in making a selection.

Notify Us of Your Choice

Once you've selected a doctor, you can notify us by calling Customer Service or by using our online Personal Physician Selection Form.

To notify us online:

• Register and log in to MyGroupHealth, Group Health's member website.
• Use the Provider Directory to find the doctor you've selected. (Just enter the doctor's name in the Quick Search box.)
• On the doctor's profile page, click the link that says "Make this doctor my personal physician" and complete the Personal Physician Selection Form.

Change Your Doctor at Any Time

You can change your personal physician at any time for any reason. Simply notify us of your request using the online form or by contacting Customer Service.