Many patients don’t know what type of doctor they need, Shapiro notes. “If they’re above 18, internal medicine doctors are good; family doctors are just as great, and they treat the children,” she explains. “If you call and say, ‘I need somebody for my back or my neck or my knee,’ we’re able to help direct the caller to the correct type of physician.”

Newcomers may only be looking for a Florida doctor to keep track of their medical history, in which cases primary care is the way to go. Primary care physicians play an important role in preventive medicine and can monitor the various medications and treatments prescribed to a patient by multiple specialists.

Unfortunately, while referral lines will tell you who’s accepting new patients, primary care doctors are hard to come by in this area. Only 20 percent of local physicians practice primary care, compared to a national average that’s closer to 40 percent, according to Marc Lazarus, president of Sarasota-based R & L Medical Services.

The culprits, says Steele, are Florida’s malpractice rates—the highest in the country—combined with Sarasota’s rock-bottom Medicare reimbursements, which are lower than nearby Fort Myers. And Medicare is particularly important in Sarasota, where nearly 30 percent of the population is over 65—more than double the national average, says Lazarus.

Primary care is not the most lucrative practice to begin with, and short of seeing more patients—always an unpopular idea—physicians have a hard time increasing their income. “What does a physician have to sell beyond expertise? There are only 24 hours in a day,” says Lazarus. “And you would want them to get some sleep.”

In the end, when it comes to finding the right physician for you, “The best thing to do is schedule a visit,” says Steele. “You’ll never be happy unless you like the person.” Unlike credentials, compatibility can only be measured face to face.

In order to get the best care from their physician, patients must be comfortable enough to tell the doctor exactly where it hurts—and to trust the doctor’s recommendations. “Some people like [a physician] who’s obsessive compulsive; others want someone more relaxed,” says Steele, adding that some doctors have even been known to reject patients because incompatible personalities would affect the doctor’s ability to gather information—and the patient’s willingness to be treated. “Communication is the most important thing,” he says. “You have to be able to ask them questions. You need someone you can communicate with and follow their advice.”

Patience is key, says Driscoll. “It may take a few tries.”

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CONCIERGE CARE
Sue Richards appreciates getting unlimited time and attention from Dr. Carlos Caballero.

At 84, Sue Richard drives, walks with a cane, and lives by herself at the Sarasota Bay Club. And she credits much of that mobility to her doctor, Carlos Caballero of Private Physician Services.

“I’ve been with Dr. Caballero for 10 years,” Richard says. “He’s seen me through everything.” Richard goes to Caballero, an internist, for medical check-ups and heart-related health problems, but also praises the doctor for his attentiveness to her late husband, Jerry, who had to go on dialysis because his kidneys failed. “One Saturday, he became quite ill and had to be taken to the hospital,” she explains. “I called Dr. Caballero, who was in Miami for the weekend, and he told me that he would be back in Sarasota in three hours. He’s always there when I need him.”

In fact, Caballero’s entire practice, which offers concierge medical service, is based on being there for his clients. His 300 patients—ranging in age from 16 to 95—pay a yearly fee of $5,000 to have almost unlimited access to their doctors. A graduate of Harvard and Stanford who worked at another office before opening Private Physician Services, one of only a few concierge practices in the state, Caballero says the set-up allows him to do his job the way it should be done.

“Opening this practice gave me the opportunity to do a better job as a physician,” he explains. “Our patients aren’t just a number; they’re well-known.”

Richard, whose husband ultimately decided to come off dialysis and passed away, takes great comfort from that. “Dr. Caballero sits and talks to me,” she says. “I never feel rushed. He explains everything. And he was marvelous with my husband.”

“It’s simple,” Caballero says. “I’ll say it 100 times over: I love my job.”—Megan McDonald