Pediatrician.

I am really late in doing this, but am finally interviewing a pediatrician this weekend.. I know some of the questions to ask, but what other questions did you find helpful in those who have already chosen one? TIA.. all help is appreciated.

Pediatrician.

Think about what matters to you and take it from there. It was important that the office is open every day (weekends/holidays). Some people find it important to have alternate vaccination schedules/options. Most importantly, pick someone that you get a great vibe from. Good luck!

Re: Pediatrician.

Schedule- days and hours. well and sick visits. Walk in vs appt.
How many MDs, PAs, NPs in the practice
Who takes call when and what does their call entail.
Hospital affiliations
How do phone calls work.. Dr or RN returns your call? How quickly will you be able to speak to someone?
How does MD feel about xyz. (This is what I wish I would've asked. I'm into attachment parenting and I wish I found an MD who has similar views. Or at least open to it.)
Does the practice offer BFing support?
Well visit schedule

Message edited 6/26/2012 8:28:37 PM.

Pediatrician.

Is there an after-hours line? Does it cost separate outside insurance? (Ours is $10 for a call and has been so worth it the two times I used it.)

How long does it take to get an appointment when you call for a sick visit? (We go to a multi-doctor practice and I've gotten appointments as fast as within 30 minutes same-day, which is amazing!)

Do the doctors accept or respond to email? Do the nurses? (I wish ours did; they do not have this yet.)

If you're considering BF, is there a LC on staff there or one the ped works closely with? Are they encouraging either way even if you find you're having trouble?

Does the doctor follow the AAP vaccine schedule or recommend some alternative? (This is a hot-topic issue for a lot of parents so it's good to go in knowing what your ped does and if it fits with what you're thinking.)

You want someone you feel like you can trust but also doesn't make you feel judged. The first ped we were seeing, I found myself getting defensive all the time with her by around our 3-month visit. She also didn't do a lot of hand-on explaining with us (I wanted to know about exercises and stuff we could do with our daughter). I happened to meet another doctor at the practice during a sick visit and just connected with him immediately and chose to switch to that doctor. I love that we are at a multi-doctor practice so in emergencies, a trustworthy doctor is there to see us same-day, but that I've found a doctor at the practice I truly love for well visits that gives us the attention and focus I want, as well as extra instruction without being judgmental.

HTH!

Re: Pediatrician.

Great thread! Can I ask...
How far along in your pregnancy should you have this done by? I've gotten some recommendations but haven't met them.
Do you go in for an interview appt? Or ask these questions over the phone?
TIA!

Re: Pediatrician.

There are plenty of lists you can find online with questions to ask. However, I found that the most important thing was personality fit. You want to make sure that you are your ped are on the same page about breastfeeding, vaccines, etc.

Good luck!

Re: Pediatrician.

Re: Pediatrician.

Lol! Thanks!

Posted by springsandra

Posted by Smiles111

Great thread! Can I ask...
How far along in your pregnancy should you have this done by? I've gotten some recommendations but haven't met them.
Do you go in for an interview appt? Or ask these questions over the phone?
TIA!

I got some referrals from friends and from my OB, actually, and called the office to inquire. The one we ended up going with had an informational meeting for new parents/patients a few times a month to give a tour, answer questions, etc. You didn't get to meet all the doctors in the practice, though. I think every practice is different how they handle new patients, and it varies a lot depending on if it's a solo practitioner or big practice.

I started inquiring around 30 weeks and went for the meeting around 32 or so weeks I think. There was nothing else we had to do as far as sign papers or anything -- we just told the hospital we were with that practice and the doctor on call in the hospital came in, saw DD, and greeted us. Then I called the ped's office to schedule the 4-day appointment before leaving the hospital. We were such zombies at the first few appointments, we were so tired! I remember it like a vague dream lol.

Re: Pediatrician.