Primary care physicians in San Diego

Before you begin your search, make sure you have one of the many health plans accepted by Sharp. And if your insurance is an HMO, confirm which Sharp medical group you belong to so you choose a doctor within your assigned network.

Spend some time thinking about what’s essential for you in a doctor. Some important considerations may include:

• Location

• Insurance accepted

• Gender

• Specialty

• Languages spoken

• Medical group

It also helps to review a doctor’s online profile to give you a good sense of their care philosophy, services, education and personal interests. Additionally, look for providers who specialize in advanced treatments and management strategies for specific health conditions you might have.

When choosing your primary care doctor, consider whether you may need referrals to specialists, like a cardiologist or cancer doctor, or think about possible future health care needs. Primary care doctors usually work with specialists from their own medical group. So if you would like to be seen by a specific specialist, you’ll need to choose a primary care doctor within that same medical group.

Sharp has 3 medical groups:

• Sharp Community

• Sharp Rees-Stealy

• SharpCare

Also think about whether you’ll need hospital care, like delivering a baby. Doctors admit to specific hospitals so you’ll want to find a physician who can admit you to your hospital of choice. Hospital affiliation is noted in each doctor’s online profile. For urgent care, the medical group you’re in will determine which urgent care centers you can go to.

Searching for a primary care physician but not sure where to start? We make it easy to choose the right doctor for you. Use our handy online search tool or get help from a physician referral specialist by phone or chat.

• Search online

• Call 1-800-82-SHARP (1-800-827-4277), 7 am to 7 pm weekdays

• Start a chat from the chat bubble below, 8 am to 8 pm daily

If you still have questions, read more about getting care at Sharp.