Choosing a Pediatrician
What's Right for Your Family?
When choosing to have a child, each parent begins a journey that never truly ends. It's a journey full of discovery that offers the highest highs and the lowest lows. Parenting can be exciting, fun, scary, and lonely. It's comforting for parents to walk this journey with a support system of people who understand, empathize, and guide them. Your pediatrician is an important member of this group.
When choosing a pediatrician, it's important to decide what type of relationship you are seeking. If you are looking for a friend for the next two or three decades (depending on how many children you have), then sitting down in a face-to-face meeting will rapidly convince you if your target pediatrician is the kind of person that you will feel comfortable sharing your darkest secrets and deepest worries.
Ask yourself the following questions when choosing a pediaitrican
"Is this the type of person who will put me at ease and help educate me, or is this person aloof and distant?"
First impressions are everything. If you don't connect, then that relationship is unlikely to blossom.
"Is this person 'real'?"
That means is he or she speaking with you or to you. Is he or she speaking on your level or on an abstract level? It's important for your pediatrician to relate to you as an equal, rather than as a "boss." Most parents today are looking for more than just an intelligent doctor. They want and need a partner to help them avoid the pitfalls and help them raise confident and engaged children.
Another practical consideration is how the office provides continuity. Find out if your child will have an electronic medical record, because this is the state-of-the-art approach. Also understand how phone calls are transmitted to the medical staff and how promptly questions are addressed. If it is a larger practice, you may have the opportunity to see multiple physicians. This may make it easier to schedule appointments, but understand how the staff makes sure that your child gets personalized attention.
Finally, find out if the practice offers services beyond vaccination and treating illness. Start by taking a look at the practice's web site. Does it provide educational information? Are there special services available like breastfeeding resources, educational guidance or parenting advice? Also find out if the practice participates in clinical research. This can give your child access to cutting-edge of medicine that's otherwise unavailable.
As you send your child off to college, you should be able to say, "I taught her, I trained her, I trust her." Ironically, the best evidence of loving, supportive parenting is a child that possesses the confidence to go out in the world, believing in him or herself and is assertive enough to make a difference. A good pediatrician should be a valued partner in achieving those goals.
Remember, we have no choice over our family members and our genetic background, but we do get to choose our friends and our health care providers! That's why choosing the right person to guard your child—your most prized possession—is so important. So ask a lot of questions, spend some quality time investigating and choose wisely.
It's also important to spend time thinking about your own philosophy of child rearing
Here are a few questions to consider:
- Are you a minimalist, interested in few medications and a holistic approach to treating illness or do you want a pharmaceutical solution to each problem?
- Do you want someone who takes care of most health issues, referring to specialists only when necessary or are you interested in someone who refers early in the process?
- How secure are you in your parenting skills? Will you want pediatric care provider to focus on treating illness only or will you want he or she to spend time addressing everyday parenting problems?
- What is the practice's approach to the educational problems of school age children, including ADHD, depression, and anxiety?
- Will your pediatrician be able to address the complex issues affecting teenagers and young adults? Remember, you are choosing someone who will address the needs of your child beyond infancy as well.
There are other practical considerations when choosing a pediatric care provider. Make sure to look at the office process from the time you make your appointment to the time you walk out the door.
It's important to find out:
- Where is the practice located? Is it easily accessible and near major highways? After the first two years, remember that the vast majority of children visit their pediatrician only 1-2 times per year so ask yourself if philosophy and service are worth traveling longer distances.
- How easy is it to maneuver a stroller or a group of school age kids in and out of the office?
- What are the hours? Are there early hours and late hours? Evening and weekday hours? Are walk-ins ever encouraged?
- Is this practice enveloping? Are you a number or are you a friend?
- Does the entire staff (receptionists, office staff, nurses, etc.) take a "going the extra mile" approach? Just as the wait staff in a restaurant reflects on the management, so too, the patient services personnel give you a good sense of the sophisticationof the organization.
- What are the amenities? What does the waiting room look like? Is it clean and inviting? Is it memorable?
- What about the exam rooms? Are they safe? Are there toys and books?
- Does the office participate in Daily Dose of Reading (DDR), an organization dedicated to developing the reading relationship between parent and child? In DDR offices, there are hundreds of books available as well as lists of recommended books by topic and by age.
- What about helping you with medical paperwork? Do they write notes for you or help you schedule appointments?
- How is the financial end handled? Are the billing personnel helpful and do they leave you with a pleasant feeling when you are done?