New Parents Survival Guide: Finding a Pediatrician

Choosing a pediatrician can be a very stressful decision-making process.

This relationship is long-term and establishing a rapport with this physician will be important to your child’s well being. Given the importance of this decision, what is the best way to find a good pediatrician? There is always the blind folded Yellow Pages advertisement selection, the quarter toss, or the office you drive by on the way to work. However, many parents will want to make a more informed decision.

First, make a list of possible pediatricians in your area. A good place to start is with the list of providers that accept your health insurance. Your health insurance company can provide this list and it will be sure to tick you off, since the company will limit your options of pediatricians. Most people find having someone from a far-off office control who you can select as a pediatrician incites some frustration and anger. Your pediatrician list can be found in your health provider’s book, website or by calling their customer service line. Keep their number easily accessible; you may want to call it later to yell at them when you get your hospital bill!

Take this list of pediatricians, to your friends and acquaintances who have children and ask who they recommend. They may be able to give you a good idea about the doctor’s community reputation and/or the type of care they provide. The doctor’s reputation is formed by their personality and rapport with patients and families. Ask what they are like as a person. There are many great doctors but not all will fit with your personality. I am the first to admit I am not the doctor for everybody; you will either love me or hate me based on my personality.

Ask your friends if they think YOU would like a particular doctor they can recommend. Ask your obstetrician as well as the nursery staff at the hospital where you will be delivering your baby who they recommend. You should ask these questions well in advance of your due date. This will give you an idea about the pediatrician’s professional reputation and medical skills. Their opinion may be one of the most valuable because they are able to compare all the doctors in the area. There are numerous find-a-doctor websites or phone numbers, but don’t rely on them as a reliable resource as they are typically paid advertisements and are biased.

Various other websites can also provide information about a doctor’s history of medical lawsuits, parental/patient feedback, and cost compar- isons. Some of these websites may charge you for the information but you can find out similar information through your insurance company. There are also free physician ranking websites that provide patient comments about doctors and/or practices.

Finally, when you have your list narrowed down, schedule an appointment with some of the pediatric practices to conduct a “prenatal visit” to interview the doctor. Most practices will do a prenatal visit for free or for a nominal fee. This will give you a better idea of which practice will fit you and your family best. For your baby to receive the best medical care, you will need to feel comfortable with the pediatrician and their staff.

The following is fundamental information you should seek during the prenatal visit:

Are they board certified? This tells you the pediatrician com- pleted an American Academy of Pediatric certified residency and passed a very comprehensive medical board exam. The American Academy of Pediatrics mandates a minimum number of continu- ing medical education hours annually and requires retesting every 10 years. If they are not board certified, chances are they have been unable to pass the test or were too lazy to study for the exam.
How will they answer your questions when you call the office? If you call the office and ask a question, what happens? Many offices throughout the country have started charging to answer questions. Find out if the office does this and what the cost is. Also find out the time frame in which your calls will be returned and who will make them. There are many acceptable ways this can be done, but it is nice to know before you have a critical medical question related to your baby.
Where do they have medical privileges? This is the hospital where they will admit patients. Ask if they see their patients in the hospital or if someone else follows their patients. Many hospitals use a hospitalist pediatrician who is only responsible for patients in the hospital. In many ways this is better, since the doctors who care for your sick child are always in the hospital and not trying to cover a busy office at the same time.
What are their office hours? You will need to ensure their office hours are compatible with your schedule. Large multi-physician practices may offer more flexible hours and weekend coverage, but you might see different doctors each time. Small practice office schedules may have less flexibility, but you will see the same doctor almost all the time. There are pros and cons of each type of practice to consider in your decision. Decide what balance is the most important for your family.
What is their policy regarding sick visits? If your little one is sick you won’t want to wait several days before being seen. Most pediatricians know this and will usually see babies the day you call. There are exceptions to this though. I would urge you to call promptly as soon as you know your baby is sick. This allows the office to give you advice, ensure the child is seen as needed, and allows for any needed testing. It is best to know the policy before the need for your first sick visit arises.
Plan to ask the doctor a weird question most people would not think of asking. This may simply be something you person- ally want to know but the idea is to get them to think on their feet. Most parents ask similar questions and pediatricians have practiced answers for them. Be creative. Think of a memorable question. This will begin building rapport between you and the doctor. The strangest question I’ve been asked was, “What is your mission statement?”¹
If you believe in something different than the norm ask the doctor how they feel about it. If you have a religious belief preventing vaccination or using blood products, you need to know if the doctor will be supportive of them. If the pediatrician cannot be sup- portive of your beliefs, this may not be a good fit for your family.

After all your office interviews, you should have an idea of where your family will best fit. After you have chosen your doctor, find out what you need to do to get your child into the practice. Every practice has different policies regarding new patients. I recommend you make a list of all your questions for each visit. Ask your questions at the beginning of the visit, ensuring all your concerns are addressed. Never withhold a question just because you thought it was dumb or not important. The only dumb question is the one you did not ask.

Kaden’s recommendations:

As the baby I would like to add my top 10 recommendations you may not have thought of as the parent:

The pediatrician should have warm hands. Trust me this is important as I will have to get naked in their office, and I should at least be touched by warm hands.
Make sure the office doesn’t smell like poop. It is bad enough that I have to smell my own poop, but I sure don’t want to smell someone else’s dirty diaper too.
Ask if they have emergency diapers and wipes. If my parents for- get the diaper bag I don’t want to have to be sitting in my own nastiness.
Along the same line as number three, do they have formula or bottles handy? This way if my parents are really forgetful I won’t have to starve to death.
Is the office cool looking? I like bright colors so please don’t take me to a boring looking office.
Are there toys for me to play with while we are in the office? I tend to get in less trouble if I have something to do other than drive my parents crazy.
Is the doctor fun? I am going to have to listen to them talk for the next 18 years so it would be nice if they are fun to be around.
Will the doctor hurt me? I am going to get scared somewhere along the line while they are caring for me. Will they take their time and try to help me or are they going to be in a hurry and hurt me trying to examine me?
Would you trust them with your life? If you can’t trust them with your life then don’t trust them with mine.
Do they have warm hands? Yes I know this is the same as number one, but it is the most important to me.

¹ If you are wondering what my mission statement is, it states: “We will try to treat each child as if they were our own, offering high quality health care while simultaneously crushing the competition and taking over the world.” (I had to have something for the bank and I thought it sounded funny).