Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Finding a New Pediatrician: 5 Things to Look for During Your Doctor Search

By: Christine Cox, The Choosy Mommy

There are many reasons why parents choose to find a new Pediatrician. Most of the time your search starts when you find out you are pregnant and need to select who your child will see for the next 18 years for medical care. Sometimes it is because you just don’t mesh well with the doctor you chose and you are opting to look for another provider. But in my case, it is because my Pediatrician is retiring. Now it is time to start my search all over again and I’d like to share with you how I am going about this process.



I didn’t start seeing my current Pediatrician until this past year. I had horrible previous experiences at another office with various doctors and was just not happy with the customer service side of care (ex: waiting over an hour for an appointment is just not fun with a toddler). I asked my local mom friends who they see and I was recommended to give my current doctor a try. Her office is literally 5 minutes from my house, I love how she always came into the room with a smile, answered all of my questions, and the big thing was that Capri instantly liked her. She even pretends to be this doctor when she plays doctor’s office at home. Plus, she has been seeing Cam since he was born too, which as you may remember, he was premature so we saw our doctor more often than normal and she helped me through a lot with him.



But now I have to find a new doctor and I am sad. There are others within the group that I am going to give a try since I love that it is so close to home. The list below is what I will be using to determine if the new doctor(s) we see will be our go-to Pediatrician or if I have to go to a whole new practice:
  1. Male versus Female: Capri has always seen a female doctor. It was kind of by chance to be honest, but I feel like anytime she has to see a male doctor due to the female not being available when we were, she did worse at her appointment. This might make a big difference in how your child acts during a checkup too!
  2. Wait Times: I understand that doctor’s offices get backed up, but there is no reason for me to wait over an hour for a simple checkup, even worse if my child is sick and miserable. At my current Pediatrician’s office, I have never waited longer than 2 minutes to be seen. That is quite unheard of so I am hoping that our next doctor doesn’t make me wait long or I’ll be moving on.
  3. Happiness During Our Appointment: Listen, I know that people have bad days, but if someone is a grump every time I see them and just does not seem to enjoy working with kids, then I am not going to expose my child to that environment. My doctor needs to come in the room smiling, happy to see my child. Or if children are sick, the doctor needs to show sympathy for their illness. Kids react to the moods of others.
  4. Answers All of My Questions: I am not one who asks a ton of questions, but if I do, I want the doctor to answer them and not be rushing out of the room because my 15 minutes are up. I am paying them for my appointment, so if I have questions related to my child’s health, then I expect them to be answered right then and there.
  5. Has Longevity with the Group: I want my kids to build a relationship with their Pediatrician. I like that they will know who they are going to see when they are sick or just for a checkup, and not see this  person as a stranger to be feared. It is so much easier when I can remind them how great the last visit with the doctor was and that they don’t have to be scared.
Additionally, check out this website from healthychildren.org that shares information on how to find the names of qualified pediatricians and more interview questions.

Have you ever had to make a doctor switch? What tips can you share with me to make my search easier?


About the Author: Christine Cox is the blog master for Choosy Kids. She has always had a passion for writing and is honored to contribute her work to this blog. Most of her writing inspiration comes from her daughter, Capri, who is fun-loving and full of energy, and newborn son Cam. Click here to learn more about Christine.

40 comments :

  1. Hi Christine :)
    These are really important things that you need to consider when looking for a pediatrician :) Great share!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. wow, a two minute wait time? Seems you struck gold. I wonder how they squeeze in sickies with those wait times

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They have times set aside in the morning for walk ins (so sick kids mainly) so I think that really helps.

      Delete
  3. I always said I wanted a female when they were little, but I ended up switching to a male in the practice not long after.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have heard rumor that the female doctor that is currently at the office closest to my house is leaving too so I might have to deal with a male for now, which is fine because I have another 6 months or so until my daughter has to go in for her well visit again.

      Delete
  4. That's a bummer that you have to find a new doctor again. The doctor I've been seeing since I was a kid (and who my oldest sees too) is retiring soon. I am not looking forward to finding a new one, but you've got some great tips. They are all must-haves in my book too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. WOW! That is some relationship there. And that is what I want for my kids!

      Delete
  5. Finding a good doctor when you kids are little is just short of a miracle! You have yourself a winner for sure! Can your doctor fly here to take patients? :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm going to have her be my new babysitter :) She is seriously amazing and I am really sad she is retiring but it is for the best for her and her family.

      Delete
  6. I remember how much I hated going to the pediatrician when I was a kid. It wasn't because my doctor wasn't good at his job, I just didn't like him. I think that has affected me even as an adult. These are great tips to ensuring you find the right doctor for you and your kids.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is unfortunate that you didn't like your doctor and it has affected you into your adult years. I want to make sure my kids are comfortable with their doctor so this doesn't happen with them.

      Delete
  7. I'm so glad we found a good doctor when we moved to a new city. It took a little bit but I'm super happy with who are a with! - Jeanine

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is awesome that you found a good one too!

      Delete
  8. I had to make a doctor switch when I switched insurance companies and found out my pcp didn't accept my new insurance. Luckily I was given good recommendations from friends that helped me find my new doctor.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Uhg that must have been stressful! But yes, you are lucky that you had some good recommendations!

      Delete
  9. Male vs Female... My kids and I both have male doctors. We chose them at random

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As long as you and your children are happy then that was a good random pick :)

      Delete
  10. There's really a lot of factors to consider when looking for a pediatrician. I'm sorry you have to let go of yours and look for another one. These are great tips, it's important that our kids are comfy and that they feel safe.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes there are! I hope I find a doctor who is just as passionate about their care as the one I currently have who is retiring.

      Delete
  11. Finding a good doctor is really hard, since my little man was born our doctor is still the best and my son is not afraid anymore.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is awesome! I hope you get to stick with that doctor for years to come.

      Delete
  12. It really takes time to get to know a doctor and to build a friendship. I have a hard time finding good doctors for my children. I like doctors who have children of their own. My son had a doctor who did not have any children and I felt he could not relate fully to me and my son. Thanks for sharing such great tips.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I totally agree with you! I think pediatricians with children have an upper hand and more hands on experience/knowledge.

      Delete
  13. Awesome tips! I'm always looking in a pediatrician that had a great attitude in every kid or baby. I hope you find a better doctor for your kid.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! I don't know if I can top the doctor that I had that retired, but fingers crossed!

      Delete
  14. I am finding a new Pedia for my son and he has a nephrotic syndrome a serious condition for my son, our old Pedia was not doing great and it took so long for the waiting time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The wait time is just horrible at some places! I can't get over waiting an hour+ for a 15 minute appointment. Good luck on your search.

      Delete
  15. Thanks for these tips. THey will come in handy for parents like me.

    ReplyDelete
  16. These are really great tips. Finding a new pediatrician can sometime be a challenge.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It really is quite the challenge, especially when you only see them either once a year, or during sick and desperate times.

      Delete
  17. Sometimes it's so hard to find a doctor you appreciate. I can def. relate.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Finding a new pediatrician, or any new doctor for that matter, is a scary process. I wish we still lived in a time that had the good ol' family doctor that knew you and your family and all your medical information.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. YES! and how about house calls? There is nothing worse than dragging a sick child out of the house, into the car and driving to a doctor's appointment.

      Delete
  19. Your tips are very helpful...wish I had read it before when I was looking for a doctor for my kid. Thankfully I found the right one and we've stuck to her since she was a newborn.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I don't have kids but you have suggested very good tips for new parents!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! I bet it relates to vets too, if you have fur babies :)

      Delete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Choosy's Blog Archive