Eight Things to Consider When Choosing a Pediatrician

There is a time when parents have to choose a pediatrician for their newborn. It is advised that parents do this before their child is born. The pediatrician chosen by parents will come to know them, the newborn as well as the entire family. They will be providing important medical advice to the parents during the different stages of their child’s growth and development. Parents will be taking their newborn to a pediatrician a minimum of seven times during their child’s first year. There are certain things a parent must know about a pediatrician before choosing them.

Practice Operation

It is important to learn how the pediatrician’s office operates. Parents need to know if it meets their needs.

*Is it a group practice? Will their newborn be seen by different doctors or always the same one?

*Does the office permit last-minute or same-day appointments?

*Does the office provide weekend and evening hours?

*A parent needs to determine if the office hours are convenient for their schedule.

Interaction

When parents have chosen a pediatrician, they need to watch how they interact with their newborn. It is common for a newborn to develop a special relationship with a pediatrician. This makes it important to choose a pediatrician who the newborn is comfortable being around. A pediatrician will be responsible for administering immunizations, performing physical exams as well as monitoring a child’s development, diagnosing and treating illnesses. It is important to choose a pediatrician that makes the entire family comfortable.

Office Location

An important aspect of choosing a pediatrician is the convenience of their office to the family’s home and parent’s work. It is common for a newborn to visit a pediatrician several times during their first year. Seeing the pediatrician every two to three months is very common. The location of a pediatrician’s office should be a major factor in determining if they are a good fit for a family. This can save time when trying to schedule visits based on time traveling to and from work and home.

Available and Easy to Reach

Most parents value convenient and easy communication with their pediatrician as well as their child’s health care team. Most families prefer an office that provides an online patient portal. This makes it possible for parents to email their pediatrician and schedule an appointment. It will also make it possible to schedule appointments as well as review lab results and any other test results. Parents will also want to know the availability of after-hours care. This is especially important with infants. Parents will want to know if there is an on-call physician that can be contacted by phone or online.

Comfortable

It is common for a pediatrician to offer parents a free visit to their office before the birth of their child. This makes it possible for them to know one another. These visits are important. It gives parents the opportunity to learn about the pediatrician and to experience their personality. Parents will often ask questions about the pediatrician’s philosophy as well as style of care. A pediatrician will encourage parents to ask as many questions as they desire. This will help parents determine if they are comfortable with the pediatrician. They will then value the pediatrician’s advice and decisions..

First Checkup

Parents should ask their potential pediatrician if they will perform their newborn’s first checkup at the hospital. It is common for a pediatrician to visit a newborn soon after the baby has been delivered. Many pediatricians only do this if they are affiliated with the hospital where the baby was born. If this isn’t possible, the first checkup of a newborn could be done by a pediatrician associated with the hospital. The next checkup is often done within five days of delivery. This is usually done at a pediatrician’s office.

Credentials and Experience

It is a requirement for a pediatrician to graduate from medical school. They must also complete a residency. This is necessary to receive state licensing. It’s important to know that not all pediatricians are board-certified. This distinction is a voluntary process. It requires a physician to have additional training in the field of pediatrics. Once they complete this training, they take an examination. Once they pass, a pediatrician is then certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. A board-certified pediatrician has proven their competency in medical knowledge, patient care, communication skills as well as professionalism.

OB-GYN Recommendation

Parents of newborns do not have to feel they are alone when it comes to finding a pediatrician for their child. During a woman’s pregnancy, they will often develop a positive and trusting relationship with their OB-GYN. There will come a time when parents can request recommendations for a pediatrician from their OB-GYN. It is also common to ask for recommendations from other parents as well as a family physician.

A pediatrician is a highly trained medical professional. A pediatrician can care for adolescents up to the age of 18. They will perform physical examinations, administer immunizations, and more. It is an important decision. One that is made easier with research and taking the proper steps to find a good match.