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Don't Let the Flu Get You!
Every year in the United States, on average 5% to 20% of the population gets the flu; more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications; and about 36,000 people die from flu-related causes. Some people such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions are at high risk for serious flu complications.
Learn more about the Flu and H1N1 Flu Virus
AFMC has a comprehensive network of physicians, convenience clinics, urgent care facilities and hospitals (should the severity of your case warrant it) that can provide a flu shot or help should you become ill with the flu. Visit our Provider Search Portal or Customer Directory Tool |
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Wise Healthcare Choices
At AFMC, we are passionate about finding better ways to improve the heatlh and wellness of the communities we serve, and that includes you and your family. Partnering with you to help you recieve the right care, at the right time and in the right place - and with the best information - is essential for success. Using tools to better understand and manage your health helps you become a more informed and active healthcare consumer. These tools can also enhace the partnership with you and your healthcare providers.
We've put together the information on this page and to the left to help guide individuals through the healthcare process. It will help your and your family stay healthy; provide tools to help you communicate more effectively with your healthcare providers; and provide guidelines for deciding when and how to treat your illnesses or when to seek professional medical care.
Happy Health! |
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Choosing a Doctor or Healthcare Provider
Finding the right doctor or healthcare provider is a big part of medical care. Don't wait until you get sick to find one.
The following tips can help when looking for or changing providers: Look for a provider who accepts your health plan. Plan provider directory or employer benefits departments are good resources. Ask relatives and friends about their providers. Do they trust their provider? Have they received timely, good care? Ask the provider if they are accepting new patients. Look for a provider you can relate to and that meets your needs. How do you want medical decisions to be made? The doctor alone? You and the doctor together? Ask about office hours, staffing, how many patients are scheduled to be seen in an hour, and the average wait. How are payments handled? Must you pay at the time of visit or billed? Ask how the provider arranges coverage in his/her absence (vacation, after-hours care, etc.) Ask the provider which hospital(s) they have privileges at or where they send their patients. Also ask what other facilities (Ambulatory Surgery Centers, Laboratories, Physical Therapy Centers, etc) and specialists they refer to. Look for a doctor that is competent and can care for all your general health needs.
For more information on providers, visit the following Web sites:
American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) - www.abms.org
American Medical Association's "Doctor Finder" - https://extapps.ama-assn.org/doctorfinder/home.jsp
Federation of State Medical Boards - http://www.fsmb.org/
Health Grades - www.healthgrades.com
The Web sites - www.docboard.org and www.healthfinder.gov |
