Anyone's doc part of a large practice?

I love my doctor, but she is in a practice with 5 others. Basically when I go into labor, whoever is on call will be delivering my baby. I've met all but one of them. the others are ok, but there is one in particular I really don't like. I'm so bummed at the thought of one of these other docs delivering DC I'm already 35 weeks so it's too late for me to change now. I think next time I will be switching to a smaller practice.

anyone else in a similar situation?

Re: Anyone's doc part of a large practice?

yes...but i do like the doctors at the practice some more than others but still they are all great docs....i do understand those disappointed feelings of i wish MY doc would DEFINITELY be delivering my baby....but i got to the point where im kind of throwing my hands up in the air and saying oh well as long as the baby comes out healthy and safe and im the same than i cant complain

Message edited 8/23/2008 9:47:05 AM.

Re: Anyone's doc part of a large practice?

Yup, I'm in a practice with 7 or 8 doctors. The doctor I see for GYN doesn't even deliver babies, but I have seen everyone else in the practice and I would be happy with any of them delivering me. Pretty much anywhere you go there will be a chance of not having YOUR doctor be there to deliver. They can't be on-call 24/7 plus they have to be at the office. But maybe finding a smaller practice where you are happy with all the doctors would be a good idea for you. I hope you get lucky and go into labor when your doctor is there

Re: Anyone's doc part of a large practice?

Well, it could be any of the four delivering my baby. I alternate the docs for my appts., so that I am comfortable with each one. In the end, I feel they are all good and will help me delivering a healthy baby!

Re: Anyone's doc part of a large practice?

to tell you the truth as long as you don't have a complicated delivery you will barely see the doctor... the nurses will be the ones to take care of you during labor, they are only there at the very end.

i totally get where you are coming from though... i will keep my fingers crossed for you that this particular doc is not on call when you have your baby!!

Re: Anyone's doc part of a large practice?

I go to a practice of like 5 or 6 doctors. When I had to rush to the hospital w/ high blood pressure at the end of my first pregnancy and be induced, the dr on call was the one I had seen the least often during my pg... just my luck! Honestly, in the end, it really didn't matter at all.

During the 12 hrs of my induction, I barely saw that OB... it was the wonderful nurses in L&D who were there for all my needs. At the end of the 12 hrs of induction, I was experiencing some complications so I needed a C-section. I did discuss my options at that point with this OB, and of course she was the one who did the C-section.

But to be candid, when I was laying there on the operating table, it really didn't matter to me who was behind that curtain actually doing the surgery. As long as they could competently perform a C-sec, that was good enough for me! No real "bond" was needed!

Re: Anyone's doc part of a large practice?

Yes, my doc is 1 out of 5 .. fortunately I like all of them .. but I'm having a problem with mid-wives vs. doctors.. I'd personally rather have my doctor, than a mid-wife, but I'm not sure how to say that without sounding awful.

Re: Anyone's doc part of a large practice?

I went to a big practice and I liked all the doctors. I had a scheduled C-section and by the time I scheduled it, I did not really care that I was not getting my main doctor! I switched and now the person who delivered my baby is the one I see for annual visits. In a way, it is more important that you are comfortable with the person who is near your head than the person down there.

Re: Anyone's doc part of a large practice?

I go to a practice with 12 doctors and I hate that office. I was transferred there from my regular OB because I am high risk. The doctor that I have seen most is very nice, buthe is not likely to deliver my baby. I have not met all the doctors there and like some of you, wish I was still at my small practice. I am hopeful that when it is my time, all things will go well and I won't have to worry about who the OB is.

Re: Anyone's doc part of a large practice?

There are 6 or 7 doctors in the practice. I've only met 3 or 4 of them so far, but I really like all of them. My practice also shares on call duties with another 3 doctor practice. I'd rather have one of the doctors in my practice deliver my baby, but I know I have no control over that.

Re: Anyone's doc part of a large practice?

If I were you I would take the risk of getting the ONE guy you don't care for rather then going to a hospital where they don't know you at all and there is a chance you won't like any of the doctors you may see there. Like someone said, the nurses will be with you most of the time and the doctor will only be in from time to time to check on you. After you deliver I would consider swiching practices if you are really unhappy.

Re: Anyone's doc part of a large practice?

sorry to hijack, but i had to switch from my OB who was by herself, to a practice with 4 OB's when i was 32 weeks pregnant with DS. i ended up really liking 3 out of the 4 doctors at the new practice. Well of course, the doctor i liked the least was on call when i went into labor. However, i barely saw him, he was there to check me when I first came in and then when it was time to push. At one point i even asked where he was b/c i hadnt seen him for a couple hours and they told me he was sleeping guess he needed rest tooLOL.The nurses are the ones you mainly deal with if all is going well.

Re: Anyone's doc part of a large practice?

There are 7 doctors at my practice. I only saw one other so far because I had to go in unexpectently due to some bleeding. I have one more appointment with my regular doctor, then everyother visit I have to see another doctor in the practice.

My dr. did tell us whoever is on call will be the dr. delivering, but she also told us it's rare that she ever misses her own paitents deliveries. So, we'll see.