Your Baby’s First Doctor
Picking the Right Physician

Your baby’s physician will be your partner in keeping your child healthy throughout his or her growing years. Taking some time to research, interview and choose the best physician before your child is born will help ensure you have a trusted medical professional on your side from the beginning.

Pediatrician or family practitioner?
Pediatricians and family practitioners are specialists with several additional years of training beyond medical school. The main difference between them is that family practitioners care for patients of all ages, while pediatricians treat only children from birth to age 18.

While family practitioners are able to treat the entire family, children frequent the doctor’s office much more often than most adults, so chances are parents will make more office visits for their individual children than for their own care. Additionally, since pediatric practices specialize in the health care and emotional needs of children, the environment is likely to be more “family friendly.”

Do your homework
A major part of choosing a pediatrician will be made on a personal level,-that is, how comfortable you feel with the individual and how well he or she communicates with you. But even before you come face to face with a prospective physician, you need to do some background research.

First, put some serious thought into what is important to you. For instance, should the office be close to home or to work? Do you prefer a male or female doctor or someone from a specific age group? If you are not sure what to ask, get some ideas from friends or family with kids.

Next, ask people you trust for recommendations but don’t necessarily accept their advice on blind faith. Ask them questions about qualities that are important to you.

Prepare for your visit
After you’ve gathered a few names, you’re ready to set some appointments. You may want to visit more than one doctor or office.

Many pediatricians offer free consultations to meet the parents of prospective patients. When you call to make an appointment, ask if there is a fee for the visit. If there is, your insurance may not cover it. Also, find out how much time you will have with the doctor. Write down your questions and try to make sure they will fit in your allotted time.

You may want to speak to a receptionist or insurance secretary to get answers to specific questions like:

• What is your co-pay for well-baby checkups and sick visits? If you do not have insurance or the doctor is not in your plan, what are the costs for visits?
• What lab work is done on-site? Where are more-extensive tests performed?
• Is the doctor affiliated with a hospital system? If so, is its location and expertise level agreeable to you?
• Who will you talk to if you have non-emergency questions? Is there a charge for these calls?
• Does the office offer same-day sick appointments? Do they have late or weekend hours?
• Is there a pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) on staff? What duties does he or she handle? Are the fees different?
• How many doctors are in the office? Will you always see your doctor?
• Are the doctors board-certified in pediatrics?
• How are after-hours phone calls handled? Is a physician on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to handle emergencies?
• How long is a typical appointment? How long is the typical wait to see a physician?

Watch the waiting room
While you are waiting to see the doctor, be conscious of how the office staff and nurses treat you, the other patients and each other. You will talk to them as much as - and often more than - the doctor. Be sure they are courteous and do not appear too stressed. You do not want them to be too busy to take your call if you have an urgent question.

Separate waiting rooms for sick and well children are no longer considered realistic. Most doctors agree the best practice is to try to place contagious children into exam rooms quickly. Is the waiting area clean and safe? Does the doctor provide printed materials for new patients?

Ask the doctor
If you have gotten details about office procedures before you speak to the doctor, you will be free to discuss medical issues and philosophies. Remember, physicians are taking time out of their patient schedules to talk to you. Be prepared with about five minutes of questions and don’t ramble. If you feel you need more time, schedule a regular appointment.

Be sure to discuss your philosophy on important children’s health issues such as breastfeeding, potty training, weaning, sleeping arrangements, medications, vaccinations, alternative medicine and circumcision -- particularly if you have strong convictions. Other questions for the physician might include:

• If the doctor is in solo practice, who covers when he or she is unavailable?
• Does the doctor have special phone time when patients can call with non-emergency questions?
• What if your baby needs special services, like pediatric subspecialists or a lactation consultant? Does the physician have resources he or she trusts for referral?
  

Choose a doctor who you feel will care about your child, listen to and respond to your needs and be available when needed. You may have to trust your instincts at first; it may take several visits or even several years to know you’ve made the right choice.

Editorial provided by Dr. James E. Allison, III, a pediatrician at Texas Children’s Pediatric Associates - Pediatric Medical Group. He attended Baylor College of Medicine and did his pediatric training at Texas Children’s Hospital.