Moved to Florida? How to Find a New Doctor in Palm Beach County

Moving to Florida comes with a long to-do list: the closing or the lease, the utilities, the new license plates, figuring out which grocery store you actually like. Finding a doctor tends to slide to the bottom of that list. Then a prescription runs low, or a cough won’t quit, and you realize there’s no one local to call. If you’ve recently settled in Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Boca Raton or anywhere else in Palm Beach County, here’s how to get your medical care set up before you need it.

Why it pays to find a doctor right away

When you’re healthy, a doctor feels optional. The trouble is that most people only go looking when something is already wrong, and that’s the worst time to be calling offices, filling out new-patient forms and waiting for an opening.

Without a doctor of your own, the default becomes urgent care or the emergency room. Both serve a purpose, but the person treating you doesn’t know your history, your medications or what’s normal for you. You end up retelling your whole story, often while you feel terrible.

Florida living also brings its own health to-dos. Strong sun year-round, summer heat and hurricane season are all easier to handle with a local doctor who can help you plan, whether that’s keeping enough medication on hand before a storm or keeping an eye on your skin.

Step by step: setting up your care in a new state

1. Get your medical records moving

Ask your previous doctors to send copies of your records, or request them yourself. Most offices will ask you to sign a release form. The most useful pieces are:

• Recent lab results and blood work
• Imaging reports, such as X-rays, MRIs or CT scans
• Notes from any specialists you see regularly
• Your vaccination history
• A summary of past surgeries and ongoing conditions

Start this early. Records can take time to arrive, and having them in hand makes your first visit far more productive.

2. Write down a current medication list

List every prescription, over-the-counter medicine and supplement you take, with the strength and how often you take it. Add who prescribed it and any allergies or past reactions. Bring it to every appointment until your new doctor has it on file.

3. Check how your insurance works here

Some plans, especially Medicare Advantage and many employer plans, use regional networks. A move can change which doctors and pharmacies are covered. Moving out of a plan’s service area may also open a window to change Medicare plans. Call the number on your insurance card to confirm what applies to you.

4. Pick a pharmacy close to home

Choose one pharmacy near where you live now and stick with it. Keeping everything in one place makes refills simpler and helps catch medication interactions. Some prescriptions may need to be rewritten by a local doctor rather than transferred.

5. Book a first visit while you feel well

A first visit when nothing is wrong gives your new doctor a baseline: your blood pressure, your labs, your history and your goals. When something does come up later, they already know what’s normal for you.

What to look for in a new doctor

Every practice runs differently, so it helps to ask a few practical questions before you commit. We put together a longer list in questions to ask a concierge doctor, but the basics are:

• How soon can I be seen when I’m sick, and how long are visits?
• How do I reach the doctor after hours and on weekends?
• What testing is available on site, such as labs, X-ray or ultrasound?
• Who helps with specialist referrals and getting records where they need to go?
• Which hospital does the practice work with?

The usual way vs. having your own doctor

The prescription that runs out

The usual way: Three weeks after the move, your blood pressure pills are almost gone. Your old doctor is a thousand miles away and wants to see you before refilling. You look for a local appointment and find the next opening is weeks out.

With your own doctor: You text your doctor, and the refill goes to the pharmacy down the street. Your medication list stays current in one place. Here’s more on how prescription refills work at Wave.

The Saturday fever

The usual way: You wake up on a Saturday feeling awful. You sit in a waiting room and explain your history to someone you’ll likely never see again.

With your own doctor: Wave members can call, text or video their own doctor 24/7, weekends included. Executive members can also come into the office for weekend urgent care visits.

The specialist you need to replace

The usual way: You need a new cardiologist or dermatologist. You search online, call around, sit on waiting lists and chase down your old records yourself.

With your own doctor: A dedicated concierge liaison handles the booking and paperwork. We normally get you in to see a specialist the same day, with your records sent ahead and the results reviewed with you afterward. Learn more about specialist referrals.

How concierge medicine helps new arrivals

Concierge medicine is built around a smaller number of patients and direct access to your doctor. If the idea is new to you, our guide to concierge medicine explained covers the basics. For someone who just moved, a few things stand out:

• A fast start. Same or next day visits, unhurried, and you’re seen when you arrive.
• Testing under one roof. MRI, X-ray, ultrasound, labs and EKG are in the same building, blood work is drawn right in the office, and CT scans are available on location, often the same day.
• A built-in baseline. An annual concierge physical is included with membership, which is a natural first step after a move.
• More care in one place. Cardiology, including stress tests, a full physical therapy center and a psychologist are all on site.
• Family in the loop. With your permission, family members can be kept informed, which many adult children living out of state appreciate.
• A hospital plan. When possible, your doctor can arrange direct admission to Delray Medical Center, skipping the ER, and stays involved during your stay.

Wave accepts Medicare and most insurance. Covered medical care is billed to Medicare or your insurance, and the membership fee is separate and covers the concierge service. The Concierge plan is $2,500 per member, billed every 6 months. The Executive plan is $7,500 per member, billed every 6 months, and adds house calls, including blood draws at home. Couples and families get discounts. You can compare the details on our membership plans page.

Your first-month health checklist

1. Request records from every doctor you saw regularly.
2. Write out your medication and allergy list.
3. Confirm your insurance network and coverage at your new address.
4. Choose a local pharmacy.
5. Save a doctor’s number in your phone and book a first visit.
6. Before hurricane season, plan how you’ll keep enough medication on hand.
7. If you travel abroad often, ask your doctor about a personal travel kit.

This article is general information, not medical advice for your situation. For a medical emergency, call 911.