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Choosing A Pediatrician
Choosing a pediatrician is no easy task. You want to pick somebody you can trust your baby’s health to. The best time to pick one is when you’re baby hasn’t been born yet. Once you deliver your baby, the pediatrician will almost immediately be on the scene. They come to the hospital to check on your new baby. And in some states, they will be doing the circumcision if you choose to have one for your baby boy. So you definitely want to pick one while you have time to interview them and ask all of the pertinent questions.
First off, you want to make sure your pediatrician takes whatever type of insurance you have. If you have regular insurance you want to also make sure this pediatrician is considered in-network for you. If you’re not sure call the number on the back of your insurance ID card to be sure.
A referral or reference from a close friend or family member is always an excellent way to find a pediatrician. You can ask them why they like the doctor and if there’s anything about the office or doctor they don’t like.
Some pediatrician offices will see potential patients for a free consultation. This allows you to get to know them and ask any questions you may have. Find out the days and hours the office is open. Do they see emergency patients the same day? A good office separates the waiting area into “sick” and ‘well” sides. Look around the office. Is it clean? Are the front desk people courteous?
When interviewing the doctor you might ask them where they went to school, why they wanted to become a doctor and why they chose to work with kids. I like having a ped that has kids of their own because it’s important for them not only to have the formal training, but practical knowledge as well. Make sure the candidates you interview posses a warm and compassionate personality. A good pediatrician will be a good listener and also not over prescribe medicines for routine illnesses.
Two other important things to ask are what hospitals your doctor has privileges in and what do they do to stay current on medical and developmental issues. Do they regularly take continuing education classes? You’ll also have to decide if you want the doctor to be a man or woman. This will become more of an important decision as your child gets older. Some kids only feel comfortable will same sex doctors.
If after choosing a pediatrician, you decide you don’t like them or feel uncomfortable with them, than find a new one. You want to have a good relationship with our child’s doctor. If they are not listening to you or you feel they are rushing out of the office, than you need to move on and find someone else. Your child’s health not only depends on you but also a great pediatrician.
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