Choosing a Pediatrician
Building a Relationship with Your Child's Doctor
Whether you're new to the community, have just had your first baby, or had an insurance change, choosing a new pediatrician is an important decision. Even though you may have to make your selection from a network list of physicians for insurance purposes, be certain to consider your own preferences while making your selection.
- Location - Is it better for the doctor's office to be close to home or to where you work?
- Age, Gender - Do you have a gender or age preference in choosing your child's pediatrician? This may not seem as important if your child is an infant or toddler as it may with an adolescent.
- Availability - What hours is the office open? Be sure the office hours of the practice will coordinate with your lifestyle.
- Also think about whether you desire a solo or group practice. If it's a group practice, will your child have a primary physician or see different doctors in the group? Should you expect to see a nurse practitioner for well-baby visits, physicals or some follow-up visits?
When choosing a new pediatrician, it's a fairly common practice to schedule an interview appointment. This should be done well before the birth of your baby if you are a new parent or new to the practice. Both you and the doctor have distinct communication styles, so it's important you feel confident that your questions are understood and you are responded to in a way in which you're comfortable. Also, consider the doctor's medical background, where he or she went to school, years and type of experience and board certification. How well does his philosophy match yours on bottle or breastfeeding, developmental and discipline issues? Another consideration is how the office is managed. What's the process for answering emergent and non-emergent calls during regular office hours? Who will answer your calls after hours? It is very important to ask where patients are admitted for hospitalizations or surgeries. Are any of these hospitals on your insurance plan? Many parents feel strongly about a facility that specializes only in pediatrics for their child.
Once the selection of a pediatrician has been made, it's critical that you be prepared to ask questions during your office visits to get the most from the time spent with the doctor. You are the advocate for your child's well being, so having lines of communication open and building a trusting relationship with your child's pediatrician will benefit both you and your child. To get the most out of your and your pediatrician's time in the office, be well prepared when you go in for the visit. It may be helpful to write down questions as they come up over the weeks or months between office visits, and take that list along with you to the office visit. Address your biggest concerns first, which allows the health care provider adequate time to address them during the visit. Remember it's okay to ask your doctor or nurse to repeat an answer, explain in more detail what they mean, or provide information in a written form if available. The goal is for you to leave the office with information that is clear to you, and that you feel you can follow.
After doing a little homework with your insurance network list in hand, mulling over all the well-meaning input from family and friends, and giving serious thought about what is important to you and what will be best for your child, you will feel prepared to select a pediatrician. Hopefully, this will develop into a long-term relationship that you and your child will benefit from, grow with, and enjoy over the years.
