What factors do you consider when looking for a pediatrician?

Just trying to figure out how to narrow down recommendations-

What factors do you consider when you are looking for a pediatrician?

Re: What factors do you consider when looking for a pediatrician?

for us at the time it was spacing out vaccines

Re: What factors do you consider when looking for a pediatrician?

Re: What factors do you consider when looking for a pediatrician?

The #1 thing for me is mutual respect and understanding. A pediatrician should listen to your concerns as a parent and work with you. They should not be dismissive of your feelings and the decisions you make for your children as parents.

What factors do you consider when looking for a pediatrician?

Hours, location, sick appts, and vaccine schedule. We didn't even interview our ped office...got great reviews and we've loved them for the past 2 years now. Seaford pediatrics.

Re: What factors do you consider when looking for a pediatrician?

First, do they accept our insurance? Silly, but we looked at this first.

Did we feel comfortable talking with them?
Did they talk down to us, or blow off our concerns?
Did they seem like they would be nurturing toward our newborn or more clinical (we wanted nurturing).

Proximity of office to our home.
Ease of getting in/out of parking lot. Busy road or limited parking with 1 or more kids is not easy.

Multiple doctors in practice. Ability to be seen same day for sick visits.
Did the doctors in the practice appear to have mutual respect for one another and for the office staff.
Does the office staff look happy, professional, caring.

Weekend appts if needed.

Policy on vaccinations and would they work with us based on our concerns.

Cleanliness of office.
Separate sick room waiting room.

Do the doctors have children of their own. Again, not a hard criteria but it put me at ease knowing they've been puked on several nights in a row by a crying newborn, with no cause, reason or explanation. I like the 'been there, done that' experienced advice.

Re: What factors do you consider when looking for a pediatrician?

This is not in order of priority, but this was what we looked for:

Group size/availability for same-day sick visits or in an emergency
Hours
Hospital affiliation
How supportive/knowledgable they are of BFing
Flexibility in vaccine schedule
Separate waiting room for sick children and well visits

Message edited 9/25/2012 1:46:30 PM.

Re: What factors do you consider when looking for a pediatrician?

1st i looked for recs on here. Then i narrowed by location, hospital affiliation and whether they took our insurance. Once i had it down to 3 names, i asked my ob and they knew of and recommended 2. I made appts with those 2 and then we had other factors: how we meshed with the drs, initial impression/bedside manner, the office and staff, the schedule, their view on vaccines, after hours policy and same day appts etc. The 1st one we met with - while i loved the office itself, i found the Dr very cold. Maybe she's an amazing dr - but the way i see it, i wont know how great any dr is until im in a situation. For now, all i can really go by is 1st impression/bedside manner and i found this dr intimidating and couldnt envision them being nurturing towards a sick/screaming child or a nervous 1st time mom. The next dr i met with - i meshed very well with, and was very happy with their view on vaccinations, however i wasnt impressed with the office itself - no separate area for sick vs well children. So im torn and not 100% satisfied. I went back to my original recs and scheduled another consult. This office is a little farther away but im hoping to like the office AND dr.

Re: What factors do you consider when looking for a pediatrician?

Re: What factors do you consider when looking for a pediatrician?

Re: What factors do you consider when looking for a pediatrician?

Honestly, I went with recommendations on here and who was closest to my house. I have not 1 bad thing to say about them so I think I made the right choice.

Re: What factors do you consider when looking for a pediatrician?

pick someone local.....