Selecting Your Children’s Doctor
As a parent, selecting your children’s physician is probably one of the most important decisions you will make concerning the long-term health and well being of your family’s most precious possessions – your kids. The physician you choose will do more than tend to your children's illnesses. With the right choice, your physician can be your guide, helping you navigate your children’s growth and development from birth through young adulthood. Many parents prefer to select a pediatrician, a physician who specializes in the care of children from birth through age 21. Pediatricians are graduates of a four-year medical school with three additional years of residency training solely in pediatrics. The initials FAAP after a pediatrician's name mean that he or she is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. To earn the FAAP designation, pediatricians must pass a difficult qualifying exam in advanced principles and practices of pediatric care for newborn infants, babies, toddlers, children and adolescents. Many parents select a pediatrician prior to the birth of their first child. Other times, families relocate, or they may decide to find a new pediatrician whose approach and philosophy on childcare more closely aligns with their own. You are your children’s greatest advocate, and your diligence in researching and choosing the best pediatrician will make an impact on your children for the rest of their lives.
Kids Health First is a collaborative, information-sharing alliance composed of 35 leading independent pediatric practices throughout the metropolitan Atlanta area. Kids Health First is committed to improving children’s healthcare and enhancing the practice of medicine through a network of clinically integrated pediatric practice members. All practices participate in rigorous quality initiatives, as well as clinical research studies in partnership with local and national research studies. To ensure the most advanced, state-of-the-art care for patients, “best practices” information is compiled and disseminated to all member pediatricians. In addition, ongoing medical education for pediatricians and their staff is offered throughout the year.
Kids Health First offers the following tips when selecting a pediatrician:
· Ask for recommendations from your obstetrician or friends who are parents, or call the referral service at the hospital closest to you.
· Contact the recommended pediatric practices and ask if your insurance is accepted and if the particular pediatrician is accepting new patients.
· Consider logistics. How close do you live to the recommended practices? How far are you willing to travel with a sick child? Answering this question may help you narrow down your choices.
· Set up interviews with each pediatrician. If you are pregnant or adopting a child, you may want to schedule the meeting a couple of months in advance of the due date. Prior to the meeting, compile a list of questions that focus on areas important to you. You may want to find out about sick visit availability, size of the practice, weekend hours, availability after hours and the pediatrician’s philosophy on breastfeeding, discipline, allowing a baby to cry and sleep training.
· Consider the size of the practice. Are you more comfortable with a solo practitioner or do you prefer a larger practice with nurse practitioners, an in-house lab and other medical professionals?
Sample Pediatrician Interview Questions:
· How many pediatricians are in the practice? Do you use nurse practitioners, and what is their role?
· What is your policy on sick appointments? If your office is busy, can my child be seen on the day he or she becomes ill?
· What is your average wait time for scheduling a routine visit?
· Are there separate waiting rooms for sick and well patients?
· How often are you on call for emergencies? Is a pediatrician from your practice available for emergencies on a 24-hour basis? Does a pediatrician or nurse respond to pager calls?
· What are your office hours?
· How quickly will a doctor or nurse get back to me during regular office hours?
· Do you have weekend hours?
· What resources do you have available for nursing mothers (lactation experts, brochures, advice line)?
· What is your philosophy on “sleep training” for babies? · What is your approach to antibiotic and medication use?
· How does the practice manage and chart vaccinations?
· How do you monitor the growth and development of my children?
· Are parents in the rooms during adolescent and teen visits? How do you handle dealing with difficult issues like peer pressure, birth control and suspected drug use? During your meetings at each pediatrician’s office, gauge your comfort level with the pediatrician and any other staff members you met. The receptionist and medical staff should be welcoming. Remember that you and your children will interact with your pediatrician and his or her staff on a regular basis, so you need to feel at ease.
Ask yourself the following questions following your visits:
· Were you comfortable with the pediatrician’s style and approach?
· Were you at ease asking him or her questions?
· Is his or her philosophy compatible with yours?
· Except in the case of an emergency, did you have the pediatrician’s undivided attention?
· Did you understand his or her answers to your questions?
· Were the other staff members friendly and courteous?
· Was the office neat and tidy?
The next step is to select the pediatrician and contact the practice. For expectant parents, you will need to let the office know your due date, obstetrician’s name and the hospital where you will deliver. If the pediatrician makes hospital visits, he or she will see your baby the day after birth. Otherwise, a hospital pediatrician will perform the necessary tests, and you may schedule a follow-up visit with your pediatrician.
Finding a pediatrician who fits your parenting style may take a bit of research, but it is well worth the time invested. Asking the right questions and trusting your feelings during the office visits will help ensure that you find a pediatrician who is right for you and your children. Here’s to healthy and happy children!