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Picking An OB/GYN Practice
Choosing an OB/GYN practice is an important decision for most of us. Whether you’re planning on getting pregnant or you just need a practice for annuals, you need to find a place that you feel comfortable with.
For me, I not only need to like the doctors, but also the front office staff. The whole experience should be pleasant from the first phone call. The receptionist needs to be friendly. If a mistake is made at the front desk, I’m not that upset over it. Having been a front desk girl in a dental office before, I can tell you that mistakes happen. I’m more concerned with the phone manner and general behavior of the front desk girl. I hate when they are gruff either on the phone or in person. I also don’t like it if I notice that nobody in the office is happy or has a smile on the face. That kind of lets you know already, it’s not a great office. I actually had that experience recently while picking an OB. I actually might try and find another practice. I don’t expect people to be perfect but I do expect the front desk girls to be friendly and professional.
The cleanliness of the office is top on my list of picking an office. I like the rooms to be clean but not overly clinical looking. If the rooms look too much like a hospital room, than I usually will not feel comfortable there.
Find out how many doctors are in the practice. If there are a lot of doctors in the practice, you will usually have to rotate through all of them so they can get to know you. You can’t really pick one to deliver your baby. You get whoever is on call at the time you are in labor. If you are planning on getting pregnant you can ask the following questions to your OB upon interviewing them:
What hospital do you deliver at?
How many c-sections do you do per year?
How many episiotomies do you do per year?
What happens if I go into labor after office hours?
What happens if you are not on call when I go into labor?
What drugs do you use during labor?
Will extended family be allowed n the delivery room?
Can the labor be videotaped?
One of the most important issues is to make sure the doctor you choose accepts your insurance. Word of mouth is probably one of the best ways of choosing an OB practice. Ask your friends and co-workers who they see and why they like the practice. Also keep in mind that you can always switch doctors or practices if you don’t like the one you picked. Never stick with a doctor that doesn’t give you all the help and support you need. And never stick with a doctor that gets annoyed when you ask a lot of questions.
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