You didn’t have a primary care doctor the last time you got the flu and had to make multiple urgent care visits instead. Now, you are trying to be proactive about establishing care, but it seems as though every leading physician has a six- to nine-month waiting period for new patients. A primary care doctor in Fairfax County, VA who often has same-day appointments can get you a new-patient physical and a flu shot this month.
Keep reading to learn the dos and don’ts of booking as a new patient with Dr. Connie Le at Annandale Primary Care.
How Fast Can a Primary Care Doctor in Fairfax County, VA See a New Patient?
Do ask, when you call, whether the practice is taking new patients and when the next opening is. At Annandale Primary Care, same-day appointments are often available, and new patients can book online or call the office between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays, so a new-patient physical is usually days away rather than months. The Annandale, VA office is on Evergreen Lane, and the Fairfax, VA office is on Old Lee Highway, so pick whichever is closer to your new apartment. Don’t accept a nine-month wait as your only option.
Do I Need a Referral From My PPO Before My First Primary Care Visit?
Usually not, since most PPO plans let you book a primary care doctor in Fairfax County, VA without a referral, and Annandale Primary Care accepts most insurance plans. Do call the number on the back of your card if you’re unsure, and don’t put off booking until the insurer’s welcome packet arrives. Then bring the card and a photo ID to your first visit.
Will Most of My Care Happen at This One Office?
At your first visit, Dr. Le will go over your history and ask what you’re due for, and from then on she’s the doctor for most of what comes up, from your yearly physical and pap smear to a UTI on a weeknight. She’ll give you your flu shot and a tetanus booster at the same appointment, so you won’t need a separate pharmacy stop, and if something needs a specialist, the referral goes out from her chart and the notes come back to it. If you come down with something in January, you’ll come back for walk-in COVID and flu testing at the same office. Our post on same-day flu and strep testing in Fairfax covers how quickly those results come back.
Which Doctor Will I See at Annandale Primary Care?
You’ll see Dr. Le, who founded the practice in 2005 and has more than 25 years of clinical experience, or one of the providers on her team. They include Dr. Julie Whitehouse, a board-certified emergency physician, Alex Nguyen, AGPCNP-BC, and Phuong H. Nguyen, PA-C, who grew up in Fairfax County. Everyone works from the same chart, so a sick visit with one provider shows up when you see your primary care doctor in Fairfax County, VA for your physical.
What Are the Dos and Don’ts of a First Primary Care Visit?
Do bring your medication list, your vaccination record if you have it, and the name of your last doctor, so records can be requested. If you can’t remember the date of your last tetanus shot, it’s OK to estimate! Don’t book a sick visit alone and skip the new-patient physical, since the physical is what puts your baseline in the chart and gets you the portal login you’ll use all winter. If a rash shows up after you’ve moved in, our post on urgent care for rashes and skin irritation in Fairfax walks through how soon you can be seen.
Schedule Your Visit at Annandale Primary Care
You’ll leave your first visit with Connie Le, MD, with your flu shot done, your baseline in the chart, and a doctor to call this winter. Call Annandale Primary Care at 703-642-6633 to book your new-patient appointment.