Choosing a Pediatrician for Your Baby
Choosing your baby’s doctor may very well your first parental decision for your baby and if your a first time mom, well you may not know how to find a good one.
Word of mouth is still the most powerful form of marketing for any business and with doctors, it spares no exception. Talk to your friends, co-workers or anyone you know who has a child. Ask them things they liked or disliked about their baby’s doctor. Ask them if they have heard good things about another pediatrician as well.
If you are new to an area, don’t be ashamed to ask a cashier at a store about local doctors. Call the local Chamber of Commerce, look in the phone book to see what your options are and they are even resources on the internet to help you out. If you go to www.aap.org you will find a list of local pediatricians who are certified by the American Board of Pediatrics.
Make a list of pediatricians, call the office, tell the secretary you are expecting and wish to arrange a meeting with the pediatrician to discuss their practice. While you have the secretary on the phone ask her if the doctor works with the hospital you have chosen for your baby’s birth to save you a trip in case they don’t. When you meet with the pediatrician, here are some things to consider:
Location, is the doctor conveniently located near you home or hospital? It really doesn’t make sense to choose a pediatrician whose office is an hour or more from your home. Your pediatrician must be relatively close to you, to be convenient in times of need. Find out how far the pediatrician’s home is from locations of importance, this way you can have an idea of how long it would take for them to meet you at the hospital if necessary.
If there are particular medical procedures that are commonly used on children you don’t agree with, tell the pediatrician your views on them. Ask your pediatrician if they believe in standard procedures or if they are open to different approaches?
Is he/she easy to talk to and does he/she understand your questions? Do you understand the pediatricians answers? You need someone you can easily communicate with for a good relationship. If you don’t understand medical terms, which most of us don’t, then find someone who can simply explain.
Ask about vacation time! If your pediatrician goes on vacation, will they let you know? This is important because you need to know when your pediatrician isn’t available. Ask your pediatrician if they provide a referral in their absence. Don’t forget to check out the referral doctor as well.
In case of emergency, ask about what forms of accessibility the pediatrician uses and how long before someone gets back with you? Most pediatricians have more than one way of contact. It’s important for you to understand each method and the response time expected.
Overall, do you like the doctors manner? Even if your pediatrician has won you over on the personality test, compare the services offered to others you have spoken with. Keep in mind that a good pediatrician will welcome your questions and more than likely have some questions for you as well.
After reviewing all of your information from all of your meetings, narrow your options down to a couple that you like and weigh them out. If you still have a couple of questions, call them back and ask. In the end you’ll have peace of mind when your new baby is born, you’ll take pride in the fact that you know, your baby has the best pediatrician for now and the future.
