Q:

My stomach has been bothering me and I think I want to get it checked out. I am not at WWU this quarter, but luckily I have health insurance.

I don't really know how these things work. Do I look up a gastro-intestinal doc who my insurance will cover? Or, do I need to get a referral first? I have pretty much relied solely the SHC until now.

 

A:

You'll need to be seen by a primary care physician for this problem initially before you can be referred to a gastroenterologist in a timely way. You'll want to check your insurance provider list for local doctors who are accepting new patients, or call Peace Health Medical Group at 738-2200 or Family Care Network 318-8800 for a list of possibilities. Many stomach problems can be resolved with treatment by a primary care physician and they can do many of the necessary tests to determine what is going on.

~The Doc