need your advice re: switching doctors

NicoleeBonsai · August 2011

would you switch doctors at 30 weeks if you were generally satisfied with your current doctor? current doctor/hospital is at least an hour away (could be longer depending on traffic). current hospital is one of the best in the country with a higher-level NICU, but i think i'm past the gestational stage where i need their level if the babies came today (god forbid).

the new hospital is about 15 mins away from our house, has a level 3 NICU and is in many, many ways more convenient. i'm just thinking - what if our babies come very prematurely - it would be so much easier to visit them daily if they were 15 mins away rather than an hour.

i don't want to drone on and on comparing the hospitals, but basically the only reason to stay at current hospital is b/c i am 30 weeks and it is so highly regarded. but new hospital is well-regarded regionally, and delivers more babies than any other hospital in the state. ugh, i don't know what to do.

FWIW - DH is opposed to me switching. he thinks i'm crazy.

WWYD?

Echloe · August 2011

I wouldn't switch. A better hospital is going to be better for many reasons. And it might be worth it in the end to have your kids at the better hospital even though it is further away. Hopefully your babies will come closer to 40 weeks and won't have any problems. But what if there is some unforeseen delivery issue. Somethings do happen to the mother. Wouldn't you rather be at the #1 hospital just in case. And I agree with your DH that switching now could be tough. I would just be more comfortable staying with the doctors that have been with me all along and know my situation.

ashonkwiler09 · August 2011

Echloe:
I wouldn't switch. A better hospital is going to be better for many reasons. And it might be worth it in the end to have your kids at the better hospital even though it is further away. Hopefully your babies will come closer to 40 weeks and won't have any problems. But what if there is some unforeseen delivery issue. Somethings do happen to the mother. Wouldn't you rather be at the #1 hospital just in case. And I agree with your DH that switching now could be tough. I would just be more comfortable staying with the doctors that have been with me all along and know my situation.

This exactly!

ale_nicu_rn · August 2011

There are IIIA, IIIB, and IIIC NICUs. IIIA can take babies over 28 weeks and 1000 grams and provide standard ventilators as needed. Level IIIB can take infants below 28 weeks/1000 grams and provide advanced ventilation if needed as well as access to multiple pediatric specialties (neuro, surgical, etc.). Level IIIC (sometimes called level IV) can take any infant and provide anything they need, including complex surgeries and heart-lung bypass.

At 30 weeks, you should be fine with a level IIIA, so if the new hospital is closer, I would probably switch.

etoyama · August 2011

ashonkwiler09:
Echloe:
I wouldn't switch. A better hospital is going to be better for many reasons. And it might be worth it in the end to have your kids at the better hospital even though it is further away. Hopefully your babies will come closer to 40 weeks and won't have any problems. But what if there is some unforeseen delivery issue. Somethings do happen to the mother. Wouldn't you rather be at the #1 hospital just in case. And I agree with your DH that switching now could be tough. I would just be more comfortable staying with the doctors that have been with me all along and know my situation.
This exactly!

I agree as well

Eriksgal · August 2011

I would switch. If your babies are in the NICU it will be so much easier on you especially since I have heard from a lot of preemie parents thy would go up at least twice a day. Level III is high enough when you are past 28 weeks is what my ob told me.

nycbride0707 · August 2011

It seems logical to switch because I agree with wanting to be closer if the babies end up in the NICU. BUT, if there were ANY complications and something g-d forbid went wrong at the new hospital, would you beat yourself up for having switched? Like, thinking to yourself, well if I had stayed at the initial hospital, this wouldn't have happened? If you are at all like that, I'd stay where you are-just so you don't have to deal with the horrible 'mommy guilt' and the 'what if'....

patchen30 · August 2011

I'm kind of the extreme b/c I'm even nervous to go on vacation or travel anywhere where there isn't a Level IV NICU at this point, but regardless, I still probably wouldn't switch.

Cornell has such an awesome reputation. I would personally just feel more comfortable knowing I was at the best place. If your babies were to come early, couldn't you deliver at Cornell and if you were looking at a NICU stay then transfer them to your local hospital?

NicoleeBonsai · August 2011

patchen30:
I'm kind of the extreme b/c I'm even nervous to go on vacation or travel anywhere where there isn't a Level IV NICU at this point, but regardless, I still probably wouldn't switch.

Cornell has such an awesome reputation. I would personally just feel more comfortable knowing I was at the best place. If your babies were to come early, couldn't you deliver at Cornell and if you were looking at a NICU stay then transfer them to your local hospital?

i was wondering about that. not sure how complicated that is, but i should look into it...

ladychicago · August 2011

Do you know if there is a Ronald McDonald house by your current hospital? When my nephew was in the hospital for an extended period of time, the hospital was about an hour away, but my brother and SIL were still able to stay at the RMD house. Just another thought (god forbid they come early enough to need an extended stay).

jcath · August 2011

Wow I actually recently had the same thought. My OB delivers at a well-regarded hospital that's further away but was close to my RE's and I was use to making the drive but now I wish I'd picked the hospital closer to me and my MFM is monitoring me at the hosptial closer to me so if I get put in the hospital I have to see a different MFM - its a nightmare.

My biggest reason for not changing is I'm not sure how it would work insurance-wise and I'm not sure another OB would want to take me at this point. So now I"m hoping for a scheduled delivery so I'm not worried about delivering the babies on the highway on the way to the hospital.

KYRN · August 2011

ladychicago:
Do you know if there is a Ronald McDonald house by your current hospital? When my nephew was in the hospital for an extended period of time, the hospital was about an hour away, but my brother and SIL were still able to stay at the RMD house. Just another thought (god forbid they come early enough to need an extended stay).

This is a great suggestion, sounds like you would qualify to stay there.

Also, I'm not sure that many practices would take on a 30 week transfer with twins. I'm not against switching, I understand your reasoning and it sounds like the closer hospital would be fine, but not sure if you'd be able to find a Dr.

Transferring the babies probably isn't a good option, insurance probably won't cover the cost of a transfer and it may end up being more trouble and cost then it's worth.

OrangeSmoke · August 2011

ladychicago:
Do you know if there is a Ronald McDonald house by your current hospital? When my nephew was in the hospital for an extended period of time, the hospital was about an hour away, but my brother and SIL were still able to stay at the RMD house. Just another thought (god forbid they come early enough to need an extended stay).

Yes, there is one by Cornell. It's on 70th or 71st between first and York.

Don't switch! How am I suppose to sneak out of work to visit you?!?!

NicoleeBonsai · August 2011

OrangeSmoke:
ladychicago:
Do you know if there is a Ronald McDonald house by your current hospital? When my nephew was in the hospital for an extended period of time, the hospital was about an hour away, but my brother and SIL were still able to stay at the RMD house. Just another thought (god forbid they come early enough to need an extended stay).

Yes, there is one by Cornell. It's on 70th or 71st between first and York.

Don't switch! How am I suppose to sneak out of work to visit you?!?!

haha, i was hoping you would respond! wow, that is super close. i'm guessing if god forbid we have to commute to the NICU we would drive most days, but it's nice knowing the ronald mcdonald house is there.

also, at this point, the more i think about it, i think we're sticking with cornell. if there is an emergency situation and i have to get to a dr quicker than the drive to cornell would take, we can rush over to the local hospital.

u r def on the list to see the girls!!!

babylove0511 · August 2011

etoyama:
ashonkwiler09:
Echloe:
I wouldn't switch. A better hospital is going to be better for many reasons. And it might be worth it in the end to have your kids at the better hospital even though it is further away. Hopefully your babies will come closer to 40 weeks and won't have any problems. But what if there is some unforeseen delivery issue. Somethings do happen to the mother. Wouldn't you rather be at the #1 hospital just in case. And I agree with your DH that switching now could be tough. I would just be more comfortable staying with the doctors that have been with me all along and know my situation.
This exactly!
I agree as well

agree

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