Finding The Right Pediatrician For You

While you are anxiously awaiting the arrival of your little bundle from across the ocean, now is a good time to decide who your pediatrician should be. Waiting until your child arrives could mean having to pick an unfamiliar name from the phone book and no one to call in the case of an emergency.

Picking a pediatrician that you can trust and that makes your child feel comfortable is an important task. The doctor you choose will likely be in your child's life until age 18. They'll see them through inoculations, fevers, poison ivy, stitches, earaches, and maybe even broken bones. You'll want someone who listens to your concerns and who talks with you and not at you.

Finding the Right Doctor

You can start by asking your friends, colleagues at work or health professionals that you may know for the names of pediatricians in your area. As you gather a list of potential pediatricians consider finding out the answers to these questions:

1.) Why does the person recommending this pediatrician like them? Have they actually been to this doctor's office or have they just heard about him/her ? Popularity does not always mean better. Sometimes a doctor is popular because of their social circle and not for their skill.

2.) What hospitals is the pediatrician associated with? It is probably a good idea to select a pediatrician who is affiliated with a hospital close to you in the event of an emergency.

3.) Is the pediatrician properly credentialed? Fancy diplomas are impressive but it is more important that your doctor has had a residency in pediatrics or family medicine and board certification by either the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) or the American Board of Family Practice (ABFP).

4.) What is the doctor's office hours? Some pediatricians have more than one office and may only be in your area on certain days. If both of you are working, it may be important that the doctor have early morning, evening, or weekend hours.

5.) How long do you have to wait for an appointment? Pediatricians typically have very busy practices. Therefore scheduling an appointment can be a tricky business. You may have to ask yourself, "This doctor may be very well-liked but do I want to wait 6 weeks for an initial visit? And will this doctor see us for our routine checkups or will it be a partner?"

6.) How are emergencies handled? No one can predict when a child will fall and need stitches or when they will wake up at 4 a.m. with a fever of a 104. Some pediatricians tell parents to take emergencies straight to the emergency room. Others ask you to call their office first, and depending on the concern, will see you at the office or meet you at the ER. Some pediatricians are available for emergencies at night, on weekends, or over a holiday.

7.) Waiting time in the waiting room. Minutes can feel like an eternity when you have a sick or frightened child in the waiting room of a doctor's office. Try to find out how long parents typically wait in the waiting room and in the examination room before the doctor enters. While a long wait does not speak to the doctor's ability to practice medicine, it may indicate that they are overbooked or have more patients than they can handle. Some great doctors are not good managers of time and may take longer to complete a visit or not be able to turn down requests to fit an emergency into a full schedule.

8.) How long does the doctor typically spend with you and your child? Ask the nurse how long the initial visit will be with the doctor. If she says "10 minutes" after you told her that you will be bringing in a newly adopted child from a foreign country, ask yourself, "How comprehensive will the examine be?" Additionally, ask the nurse how much time the doctor will spend with you for routine exams. If they allow 20 minutes per appointment, will there be time for you to ask questions?

9.) What is the doctor's "bedside manner"? No two doctors have the same personality. Some are warm and friendly while others are formal and businesslike. The kind of doctor you feel comfortable being around will depend on your individual taste. However, there are certain traits that are more important than others: The ability to listen and to allow you to ask questions, and a genuine tenderness towards children.

10.) Does the pediatrician's office set aside time for telephone calls? If a doctor had to take every telephone call they would probably have no time to see their patients. You might want to ask how the doctor's office handles such calls. Some offices provide a call-in hour in which the doctor takes calls directly. Other offices have a doctor callback system: you call with a concern (non emergency) and the doctor calls back when there's a free moment.

You can narrow down your list of potential pediatricians by either speaking with their nurse or by requesting a consultation visit. Some doctors charge for a consultation while others do not.

Ultimately it is up to you to select the pediatrician that makes you feel confident in their ability and comfortable in their presence. The better the relationship the better are the odds that your child will grow up healthy.

Credits: Dr. Kathy Levinson