America's Health: Regular Doctor, Regular Screenings

July 6, 2010 — -- Many studies suggest that people who don't have primary care physicians -- who go to emergency rooms for all their medical treatment -- miss out on cancer screenings and other preventive tests, so conditions that could have been treated if caught early become "potentially life-threatening," said Dr. Richard Besser, ABC News' senior health and medical editor on "Good Morning America."

According to Besser, finding the right primary care physician is one of the most important parts of any wellness exam. Choices may be limited by health insurance, but there should be a number of good fits in each health care network.

"First, it's important that you can trust your doctor with intimate issues," said Besser. It's important to consider a physician's gender, personality and years of experience when choosing, he said.

It's also important to know if the doctor talks with patients in an office, when they're dressed and not in gowns.

"It indicates that they have made time to hear your concerns, and that they are respectful of your privacy," said Besser.

Once you've found the right doctor, here are a few recommended preventive tests to consider:

HIV SCREENING Reasons your doctor may recommend screening for HIV include whether you have sex with men, have had unprotected sex with multiple partners, are getting treated for sexually transmitted diseases or have ever used injectable drugs.