Maybe you’ve moved to a new town. Maybe you’ve switched medical insurance plans, and your old doctor isn’t covered by the new plan. Maybe you’re looking for a specialist, or you’re having kids and need to find a pediatrician. Choosing the right doctors for your family is important if you want to make sure you all are as healthy and happy as possible.

But, what do you base your decision on?

There are many factors you should base your choice of family doctors on. Depending on your own personal situation and preferences, some things may be more important than others.

Here are some things you should consider when picking doctors:

• Gender. Now, boy doctors aren’t any better than girl doctors, or vice versa. Rather, many people are just more comfortable with one gender than another. After all, a doctor will do a lot of poking and prodding, and some folks just don’t want to be handled by the opposite (or the same) sex.
• Medical insurance coverage. If you have a PPO, you probably have some leeway about what doctors to pick. If you’re in an HMO, however, you may find that you’re forced to pick a primary care physician from a relatively small list of providers.
• Credentials. You want to pick a doctor that’s certified in the area where they’re practicing. Whether it’s the American Medical Association, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Academy of Ophthalmology or the American Academy of Pediatrics, you should check to see if the physician is in good standing.
• Bedside manner. You want a doctor that you can talk with, and that isn’t off-putting in her manner. Choose a doctor that just makes you feel comfortable.
• Competence. You should check with your state boards to see if there are lawsuits against a potential doctor, and you should talk to other patients about their care to see if they’re satisfied.
• Convenience. You want a doctor whose office isn’t too far out of the way, and that has office hours that fit your schedule. You should also choose a doctor that tends to have low waiting room times, if at all possible.