sick-kid

http://www.cksinfo.com

If you are looking for a pediatrician for your newborn or just want to change your child’s doctor,there is a right way to go about it. Start by talking to other parents with kids older than yours and find out what doctors those parents like best. You can also call the local hospital for referrals. Ask other parents as well as the pediatrician’s office manager the following questions:

  • How would you rate the office when it comes to getting an appointment when your child is sick?
  • Is the staff friendly?
  • How long do you usually wait?
  • Is the office clean?
  • Are there separate “well waiting rooms” and a sick waiting rooms” or is everyone thrown together?
  • Is there a special waiting room for newborns?
  • Do you always see your own doctor, or do you just see whoever is available there?
  • How’s the bedside manner?
  • Do you do blood work at the office or do you send it out?
  • Do you take my insurance?
  • Do you take credit cards for co-payments?

There’s nothing wrong with visiting the office just to see what it is like inside, before signing up. In addition, do an online search with the doctor’s name to see if he or she has any malpractice claims against him/her. There are now many sites with reviews and ratings of doctors. And It’s amazing what you can find out about a person by just searching his/her name. (I Googled this weird MD I once had, and found out that he was arrested in 2001 for illegal drug possession.)

Over the years I’ve figured out how to work the pediatrician’s office system. For example, if my child is sick at night, I start calling the office a minute or so before it opens so I can be one of the first to get an appointment. You cannot expect to call at 3pm and get in to see a doctor. Another tip is that I do not use a doctor who is the heads of a children’s departments at the hospital. Those MDs make you wait so long, because they get stuck at the hospitals with emergencies and meetings in the morning, starting their appointments late. That causes all appointments to be delayed all day long.

Before you take your child in, whether he is sick or just getting a check-up, be prepared with questions. There’s nothing more frustrating than leaving and then realizing you forgot to ask the doctor something important. Good luck getting him on the phone later. But also, mind the doctor’s time. I don’t like it when other parents chit-chat for a long time and make me wait. So I want to be courteous to the doctor and other parents as well.

The most important part of any doctor’s visit is washing your hands and your child’s hands upon leaving. I actually wash my hands in the examining room while waiting for the doctor to come in. I wash them again when leaving. And again when getting home – and I do this thoroughly! When my daughter was small, I supervised while she washed and encouraged her to play in the suds a bit. With all those kids coughing, sneezing, pooping, peeing and vomiting in the office, you’ve gotta do your best not to bring those germs home.

My apologies – there’s simply no other way I could have said that.

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!