OB or Hospital?

PinkCamino · November 2014

I was over on TTGP and came across a post about whether it was important to pick a doctor or a hospital when picking an OBGYN.

So, I read through the responses and was floored that everyone picked their doc based on the affiliated hospital and not a doctor because of experience, credentials etc etc.

Now, I'm Canadian so we don't get much choice in the matter but from my own experiences the doctor is way more important than the hospital as a result of all my personal issues and history.

Am I the only one? Did you choose your OB based on the hospital they work with or the credentials/experience he/she has?

Nikolie93 · November 2014

This is a good question!

It's a hard one for me to weigh in too much because I have not had near the amount of Dr time as some of you ladies have had to have. I was fortunate that the OB I picked was affiliated with the hospital that I love. I can't say that I would stay with an OB/RE that I am unhappy with just because of that though. I think the one on one throughout the entire process is more important than a hospital stay.

The ONLY reason I am torn is because the hospital I went to right near my house for my MC in April was a really bad experience

To the point where I am kind of never want to go back.

megrae12 · November 2014

I do not have an OB. I have an RE. I chose him based on my Dr's recommendations and my own research. There is a new doc that joined my GYN's practice. He is an OB and based on everything I have heard and read when/if we ever get to needing one, he will be who I choose. As far as hospital goes, while we have 3 in our city, only 2 deliver babies. Almost all the OBs in my city deliver in one hospital, so my choice of hospital is limited at best.

renegadewhit · November 2014

I narrowed my search based on hospital, then picked a practice based on reviews. Also, I wanted a doctor fluent in Spanish, since that's my husband's first language.

flyoffeve · November 2014

TBH I picked my OB office 11 years ago because they are all women and had great recommendations. Their office is right next to one of the hospitals for them, so that was a plus as well. (Side note- My view on female only OB was changed over 8 years ago when I had a male OB at the ER for my first mc.)

Km380 · November 2014

I considered both. I chose my ob first based on recommendations and schooling, etc. Then I checked the hospital. Luckily he is affiliated with the hospital that is closest to my house and the best in the area. If he had been associated with a different hospital it's possible I would have continued looking. I chose my RE from his recommendation after researching the options he gave. My RE is not close to my house but worth the driving

catvaughn5002 · November 2014

I was lucky in the fact that the OB of my choice also worked with and is part of the hospital of my preference. However, if i was torn between choosing I would prefer having an OB with knowledge/experience.

Menrandes · November 2014

I was very torn on this issue. My husband and I were both born in the same hospital, one month apart. I really loved the romantic notion of giving birth in that hospital. They have recently done renovations in the maternity ward, and it's kind of amazing. But....while I would like to use that hospital, unfortunately the only dr that I really trusted that was affiliated with it has left the practice. So now I'm realizing to get the appropriate care I need, the Doctor needs to come first, the hospital is secondary in my decision.

EIsieMae · November 2014

I chose my OB based on her experience and credentials. And it just happens to work out, because I really like the hospital she has privileges at. If she ended up going to another hospital, is probably follow her.

Honestly, if I could pack her up and make her be my OB in Minnesota, I'd probably do that:) I'm really bummed that I'm going to have to find a new one due to the move:/

TheAerialist · November 2014

I actually did (kind of) choose based on hospital, there is a hospital right down the street from my house, but they get terrible reviews for OB (particularly naturally focused births), so i chose another doctor.

So I guess I chose based on NOT wanting a certain hospital, although before my first MC, I chose the birth center based solely on the center. They were just horrible in dealing with my first loss and I was scared and getting almost no information from them with which to make decisions, so for the second round, I chose a different office. This one has OB's and Midwives, which works for me because I can see an OB and then switch to a midwife (if all works out for me).

mara005 · November 2014

Long Island has so many hosptials and I knew there was some that I didn't ever want to go to, so I started with picking the hospital then I picked my doctor.

forevermyfenix · November 2014

My OB was basically chosen for me because of Tricare insurance. They did make their decision based on which of the 3 hospitals in the area I preferred. Based on word of mouth, one hospital had the better NICU and delivery rooms so I went with that.

mflowers929 · November 2014

My city is not very big, so there's only two hospitals - the French hospital and the English hospital. I happen to go to the English hospital, and my OB was recommended by an ER doc there. I was lucky that we clicked and he was willing to take me on permanently, but if we hadn't, I don't think it would have been a big deal if I went with a doctor associated with the French hospital.

eliida · November 2014

I wouldn't choose a doctor because of their hospital, but I would veto them because of their affiliation. Years ago, I had a bad experience at one of the major hospitals in my area and will not go back there.

yellowcat10 · November 2014

My mom was a L&D nurse for 20 years so my decision was very much influenced by her. One thing she pushed was making sure you were comfortable with the other doctors affiliated with the hospital that your OB was, because much of the time your doctor would not be there for the delivery (timing is never perfect). In addition to this, the nurses are with you the majority of the time, so if you are not ok with the hospital this is an issue.

When I picked my OB I looked at the whole practice and then what other doctor's were affiliated with the same hospital. I am glad I did this because my OB recently left the practice, but there are two more I am ok with and another two in a different practice affiliated with the same hospital I would consider.

MrsG80inTN · November 2014

A LOT of people do that where I'm at. I chose my OB with a recommendation from my general prac, but he does happen to deliver at the hospital I prefer... So, win-win. And he's amazing.

SunshineShades · November 2014

So also being Canadian I know what you mean how thing work differently. I have my first appointment with an OBGYN in 3 weeks. Before with my losses I saw my family doctor, and had been set up to have a midwife through my pregnancies, though I never made it to my first appointments. The OBGYN I am seeing is the only one in my community, so for now he is who I will see.

As for the future, I would go with both hospital and credentials I think. There is a hospital I absolutely do not want to deliver in, therefore, I will not go to an obgyn who only delivers there. I would still prefer to use a midwife if I can in the future, with them, I do not care what hospital I would be delivering at. That I suppose will all depend on what the obgyn says/finds in 3 weeks.

TashaCN · November 2014

In my previous jobs, in nursing homes, I worked with many hospital systems. I picked the hospital/clinic system that seemed to treat their patient's best. Then I just went to an OB nurse practitioner that was taking new patients in that system. Granted this was 7 years ago and I just needed someone to refill my birth control Rx. I feel like I lucked out though- I really like my NP and all the care team I've met at my clinic. If I wasn't happy though, I would ask friends for referrals.

buggirl72 · November 2014

I would say that the hospital is part of the picture for me but for different reasons.

Since my mid-20s, I've had multiple operative laps. When I look at an OB/Gyn (and frankly, the GYN is the important part of the pick for me), I make sure they are affiliated with a hospital for surgery purposes. If you see that a doctor is not affiliated with a hospital (or is only affiliated with their private "hospital/surgery center", run). I also would stay away from a doctor that is affiliated with only a "bad" hospital - no matter how good of reviews that doctor has.

I also look at over-all reviews and their credentials. Yelp any doctor you are interested in and do a general google search. You can learn a lot.

When I picked the practice I'm at now, I had to take into consideration which groups are covered under my insurance. Then I looked at convenience because, frankly, I was sick of driving all over the place for my other doctors. Actual hospital was not as important because I don't plan so far ahead as to "I'm going to deliver here". Fuck that shit. I've done this long enough to know better than to plan a doctor over a hypothetical pregnancy.

laswett · November 2014

Great question! Personally, I picked my OB for a few reasons. One, amazing recommendations. Two, proximity, as in the only one near my home ( I live in a small town in Virginia) Three, being a teacher who works 9 hour days, (I know, my job is weird), I can't schedule anything before 4:10 if I'm going to get there on time, and it's hard to find a place that will do that, maybe because it's a small town area.

schuebja · November 2014

I actually work in the hospital where my OB practices. I had actually even taken care of her patients as well as many of the other OBs' patients. After learning how well she took care of her patients and hearing nothing but good things, she was the one I chose to see.

nikiswimr · November 2014

I initially picked my OB based on recommendations, but I've just switched to the group at the hospital where I work. It was torture trying to get to appointments and all the betas, etc. I'm seeing someone I know very well and respect out of that group. So I guess a little of both, although the transition was definitely due to the hospital.

meredithcarole · November 2014

I actually picked my OB despite the fact that she doesn't deliever at "the" L&D hospital in the city. I went with bedside manner and small practice over the other because that was important to me.

ctk181 · November 2014

Honestly, I picked my first OB based on the hospital because I had a non-gyne related surgery done there and loved the staff and doctors so much. However, after my loss I realized that OB wasn't gonna work out and also realized that I definitely wanted a doctor with a good deal of experience under his or her belt, so I picked my current OB on based solely on reputation and experience.

SeaParrot · November 2014

We only have one hospital in this area that does deliveries as well. We only have two in the whole province that do and the other one is a loooong way away. I didn't choose my OB - I was referred to him in 2009 when my PCOS was first suspected (didn't have a family doctor at the time) and I liked him so I didn't request another one. Unfortunately because we are short 3 OBGyns right now, the wait to see one is two years or more, if they even accept the referral, unless you're pregnant. So I can't actually go see him, or any other OB.

PinkCamino · November 2014

I find this all so interesting. The concept of "interviewing" a potential doctor blows my mind. right @mlal78.

So, we have 5 major birthing hospitals. Of those 2 are just regular L&D without a level 3 or 4 Nicu. The other 3 are all teaching hospitals which means they have MFMs, REs and higher level Nicus.

With my first pregnancy I didn't know what I was doing and so I put in a call to the one gyne/OB clinic we had in my neighborhood. It's affiliated with one of the regular hospitals that tons of expecting ladies are trying to reserve a spot at to deliver. We didn't know any better and so we stuck with it despite me mentioning a few times that maybe I should change doctors.

After my losses I had to fight for a referral to my MFM. My old OB didn't see the need to send me to a specialist because she's flagged as the high risk OB at the clinic where I originally went. Finally, after my hemmorhage and emergency D&C at the second regular birthing hospital I managed to manipulate a referral out of the OB who did my D&C. She admitted that she couldn't take on my case so she basically told me she'd write me a referral to any doctor I wanted.

I'm now affiliated with a university teaching hospital. It's a super old hospital so the facilities aren't the greatest in terms of fancy rooms and whatnot but they've got top notch health care for ladies like me who are at risk for premies and high risk pregnancies. It has a level 4 nicu and the philosophy of this hospital is very aggressive in trying to save preemies.

rmpar29 · November 2014

I picked based on OB. In fact, the OB I see is not affiliated with the closest hospital, but I didn't like either of the two OBs that are affiliated there.

welly01 · November 2014

I picked my OB because she was located near me and was covered by my insurance. There aren't any hospitals close to me that I wouldn't deliver at. Also, I did "interview" her before I officially became a patient. I wanted a doctor that supported natural birth.

However, there is a doctor in the city that is well known for handling a particular high risk delivery but she works at the worst hospital. (The hospital is actually a good hospital but they take on all the most critical trauma, non-insured patients, and their facilities are a little dated). If my own doctor couldn't do the delivery, I think I would go to her despite my feelings about the hospital because she is so highly recommended.

ellebelle2384 · November 2014

I picked my OB based on which hospital she delivered at. In our city everyone tries to deliver at one hospital, but they use a laborist approach, meaning that your OB is probably not the one who is going to deliver you, it's just whoever is on call that day. However, the hospital has a great reputation, the nurses are amazing, their c-section rate is incredibly low, and they are very breast feeding friendly. Those were all things that were important to me. If we lived somewhere else and I knew my OB would deliver my baby I would have focused more on the individual doctor.

ashlee113085 · November 2014

That's interesting. I chose my new OBGYN based on credentials and recommendations. It didm' t hurt that those doctors also were affiliated with several hospitals, all of which were considered the better choices in the area. When I was in LA, I will say that I knew what hospital I wanted to go to and just chose the highest rated doctor I could get into within their OBGYN department.

ash413 · November 2014

I live in an area that has 4 hospital networks with 10 hospitals approximately 40 min from my house. That being said I would NEVER receive any care from one of the hospital networks. I narrowed it down to 2 hospitals, which are regarded as having the best Nicu in the state, and chose a physician with good cred. It could not have worked out better, I absolutely love my OBGYN.

I even paid the out of network pricing to see her.

MrsOscarFelix · November 2014

I chose my OBGYN based on a referral from someone else. However, I did know the hospital that I wanted to be at and his office is actually attached to the hospital so it worked out great. I love my OBGYN but I honestly wouldn't have picked him he wasn't with the hospital I wanted. The hospital is brand new and 10 min from my house so I knew that's the one I wanted.

lycih · November 2014

I see a midwife group, so that limited my options. So, I optimized based on proximity and reviews. It didn't have much to do with the hospital they're affiliated with.

BethKate2 · November 2014

I picked my OBGYN by proximity to work so that I could get to and from appointments quickly during the day.

I picked my RE based on recommendations and credentials.

Those were two very different decisions for me.

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