When do you lock in a pediatrician?

DRFleener · October 2013

Not sure when to start going and interviewing, anyone have an opinion on when?

DTNZ4Ever · October 2013

You will need to add a pedi when you register with the hospital. I started looking and talking to friends about pedi's around 25 weeks.

BethRN1987 · October 2013

We have a meeting with one nov 7 th- I don't really have many questions for him just want to make sure personality wise we click- I'm picky with doctors.

BrideNamedMeg · October 2013

We didn't have ours officially picked out before we had DD, but we'd gotten a recommendation from DH's PCP that he's been seeing for a long time. She ended up in special care, but the hospital pedi's checked in on her until she was released, it wasn't a big deal that we didn't have ours set.

stepheverhart · October 2013

We let the pediatrician on call care for DS bc even if we chose one before no guarantee they would care for him. We ended up loving him and his staff. He called while DS was in the nicu just to see if DH and I were ok

angelsnight · October 2013

Unless you have some very specific things you want or don't want (ie no vaccinations) I don't really see a point to interviewing. I've never in my life interviewed a doctor for myself, and I would imagine it's the same for my baby....if after seeing him a couple times I for some reason don't like him, I'll find someone new.

I just picked the ped in my family doctor's office, and my MIL used to work for him and says he's great. I'd go more by friends recommendations than an interview. When I called the office to find out what to do, they said to just list him as the ped when I check in when I'm in labor and they'll call him to come check out LO before we go home.

pepperedmoth · October 2013

The entire extent of my pedi search was calling my own doc (he's in family practice) and asking whether he was taking new pedi patients. He is. He'll see my baby. Done.

VineyardMel · October 2013

We picked ours out around 30wks, I believe. I asked a bunch of friends and there was a practice really close to my house and my friend that raves about her pedi is so much like me that I knew it would likely be a good fit. We went to their "meet the doctors" night and asked a few questions. At this practice they don't ask to be notified in advance, we just told the hospital (but we knew that they didn't round at the hospital where I delivered) and then, as we learned at the open house, we called them the day we got discharged to make her first appt. We were discharged on a Saturday and we actually called them Monday morning when they opened and got in the same morning. I LOVE my pedi and think it's really important to like them and feel like you're on the same page. There are so many questions that come up for first time parents and if I didn't fully trust their advice it would be even harder.

ceh789 · October 2013

angelsnight said:

Unless you have some very specific things you want or don't want (ie no vaccinations) I don't really see a point to interviewing.

In my area at least, many clinics require an interview. From what I understand they refuse to accept patients if the parents plan to refuse vaccinations. The clinic requirement is definitely true as I've called and spoken with them but the refusal thing is entirely hearsay.

For us, we're planning to review options once we get MH's open enrollment materials next month. If one of the clinics my friends/sister uses is available I'll likely go there - if I have to choose someplace else I'll go with one of the places close to me. Either way I'll most likely have to go to an interview or 'new parents orientation' thing because the clinic requires it.

[Deleted User] · October 2013

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clo1982 · October 2013

I agree with @angelsnight. We went off rec's from friends. There is no contract so if you don't like them you can always leave. My most important things were convenience, both location and times available for appointments. I suppose if you have strong points of view like not vaccinating you would need to make sure your pedi was on the same page. We go with what our dr says so we didn't really need any sort of screening. To note, I didn't like the initial dr we saw at the practice so I just asked for another and she is awesome. So even in interviews, if you don't like the person you meet, it doesn't necessarily mean you should cut the whole practice off your list.

pepperedmoth · October 2013

TallAsh said:

The entire extent of my pedi search was calling my own doc (he's in family practice) and asking whether he was taking new pedi patients. He is. He'll see my baby. Done.

I want to go back to this. I loves when we all had the same doc. He actually got to know us, versus me having a doc I see once a year, DH having a doc he sees once a year, and the girls having a ped that we go to 2-3 times a year. I don't really know any of them, bc we don't go often.

Yeah, I really like building a relationship too. It's just so much cozier, and I feel like one gets better care that way.

It seems the family doc thing is going by the wayside --- more and more folks bring their kids to a dedicated pedi instead of a GP. I wonder if it's because most folks don't actually see a family provider for their own primary care? Like women whose PCP is a midwife or GYN?

KariB509 · October 2013

I think any time now is a good time to set up a meeting with a pediatrician. With DS, we didn't have a pediatrician and I just took him to my GP in the beginning. However, after becoming irritated with the wait times (sometimes I'd wait for 2 hours) I started taking him some where else. DH's coworker recommending hers and we've gone to him ever since.

ProudMommy030614 · October 2013

My oldest needs a specialist, my second son sees the same ped who referred son #1 to the specialist and baby #3 will see the same. We have been with this dr for 10+ years and he's the best!

ceh789 · October 2013

pepperedmoth said:
It seems the family doc thing is going by the wayside --- more and more folks bring their kids to a dedicated pedi instead of a GP. I wonder if it's because most folks don't actually see a family provider for their own primary care? Like women whose PCP is a midwife or GYN?

There's actually a fairly significant shortage of Family Practice physicians in the US. From what I've read it's a combination of factors - higher insurance rates for generalists (this is also why an increasing # of FPs won't deliver babies), lower reimbursement rates and a more rigorous continuing education requirement.

LaurenAsh23 · October 2013

BethRN1987 said:

We have a meeting with one nov 7 th- I don't really have many questions for him just want to make sure personality wise we click- I'm picky with doctors.

same...I feel like it's one less thing to think about after the holidays, so I'm meeting with one in a few weeks. As long as all goes well with her that's who we will use and I'll be able to fill out all my pre-registration paperwork for the hospital and be good to go

troublejessy · October 2013

In our area doctors don't do interviews. Not sure if this is a NoVA/DC thing, but either your a patient or your not.

amberlynnr7 · October 2013

When the baby is born....I looked around first, though.

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