A dr in my practice I don't want to see

babystarin · December 2014

my name is Kate and I have never started a post but I am almost 26 weeks pregnant with out first baby boy and so far everything is going alright. I'm really not a very outgoing person so have been more of a reader than a poster.
I am a little unsure of what to do with this situation and would love any input or advice any of you ladies have to offer.

My mom just told me that there is a new dr in my office that I am not allowed to see due to some info she knows on this dr. This dr worked at a birthing center and has had a couple people who lost babies due to her care. I know one of the women and from what I know this could have been prevented with a hospital birth. I know the birthing center has been shut down due to this (and other instances). I love my office and know that I have to see everyone and whoever is oncall will deliver my baby. I DO NOT want this dr near me!

My questions are:
Does anyone have any experience with this? Am I even allowed to refuse care? How do I set this up so that I am guaranteed to not get this dr during my care?
Thank you and good luck to you all!!

mariahd43 · December 2014

I don't have experience with this, but I'm sorry you're facing this. I think it's incredibly important that you're comfortable with any doctor that you see. If there is a doctor within the practice that you are not comfortable with, communicate that at your appointments.

That said, it will be much easier for them to accommodate that request for your regular check ups than it will be when you go into labor. For many practices, the doctor who is on at the time you go into labor will be the doctor who delivers (with the exception of planned c-sections, etc). Regardless, communication is so important.

ngolimento · December 2014

Of course you can refuse care from that person. Doctors aren't authority figures, and they have no more right to your body that you do. Hell, if you wanted to get up and walk out in the middle of an appointment, you can. They aren't the cops. They're a service provider, just like your hairstylist, masseuse, or cabbie. Your money, your body, your say.

I did want to say that the scenario you described doesn't necessarily sound like the doctor's fault. The risk you take when going to a birth center is that you or the baby may have a life threatening emergency that they are not equipped to handle. No matter how awesome a doctor is, there's no amount of awesome that can make up for not having a surgery room available when the need is critical.

If you really are uncomfortable, then I suggest switching practices. You kind of are accepting the entire practice when you use them as your OB. One person can't be on the clock 24/7.

babystarin · December 2014

I know the grandmother of one of the babies that died. So technically it's all word of mouth but I do know ther was a law suit brought on by a group of 3-4 mothers. The person that I know said that her daughters baby was breech and this dr said it was safe for her to deliver. I think if she would have been in a hospital it all would have ended up fine but at the same time, if the dr says it's ok even in a hospital setting their could be problems. I have an US today and plan on finding out who I see next (I think it's her) and request another dr.
As for labor I'm hoping she won't be on call but wondering if I can arrange for someone else to cover me for her week.

JCWhitey · December 2014

Sorry to hear you are going through this. A few things...

You may not be able to have another doctor come in. This is the risk you take with a multi-doctor practice. Since we don't know your hospital or their rules we won't be able to know if someone else can come in, so be sure to ask this at your next appointment or when you do the hospital tour. If it's really a make or break deal your best option may be to switch practices/hospitals. You're only 26 weeks so you have plenty of time to do this and it shouldn't be an issue if you are low risk.

Second, keep in mind that your interaction with the doctor during a regular low risk labor is very short. You will interact/work with the nurses so much more. So, yes, the doctor is important but may only be there for your pushing and an occasional check-up during your labor. If you like your hospital and the nurses and the other doctors then it might be worth sticking it out and even if you do get that doctor know that your interaction with them will be minimal. Unless you need a c-section but it doesn't sound like that's the issue with this doctor.

ngolimento · December 2014

You can certainly ask, but have a backup OB picked out if they can't accommodate.

jarrard1983 · December 2014

I am currently in a similar situation. I don't want to see a doctor at my practice. He was the doctor I had during a miscarriage and I found him really unprofessional.

I've requested not to see him for monthly visits but there is little I can do if he is on call when baby comes.

I did experience some rudeness from an on call nurse about it. I just stood my ground and she eventually backed down.

Just let your feelings be known and most of it should work out.

mangomimosa · December 2014

I have read a lot about deaths in birth centers & also had the intimate details of one told to me by a midwife involved in the case, days after it happened.

It seems to me that deaths occur most often due to: 1) unforeseeable/unprevebtable circumstances that could have happened regardless of the doctor involved -- but may not have resulted in death if the woman was at the hospital. To me, this is a small but unavoidable risk all moms delivering outside the hospital must accept.

Or 2) providers who trust birth more than they respect it, bending rules to avoid hospital transfer. This was the case in the death I learned the intimate details of. But I will say in the case I know, and in a breech birth, the deaths probably wouldn't have happened in the hospital. Trusting birth doesn't usually result in death, and a provider who trusts birth in a hospital setting has way more resources on hand to handle rare emergencies. AND there are more people watching. I would feel comfortable with it, especially knowing it was a breech birth in a birth center. (Honestly it sounds like, after a frank discussion with the doctor, I'd almost prefer they were around to catch my baby. I like docs who aren't full of fear-- but I'm very informed & feel I'd be able to ensure my labor was handled appropriately.)

I'm not saying you have to be comfortable with it. If you're not, though, you might want to switch practices. You can't be sure this doc won't be on call when you go into labor, and depending on the hospital no one else might be able to catch your baby.

Whitfry · December 2014

With the call schedule, unless you have a very strong relationship with another OB at your practice, it is unlikely that you will be as to get someone else to "cover for you" if this doctor is on call. You can ask, of course.

Keep in mind that you definitely are not getting the whole story here. You're getting the perspective of individuals who chose to take a litigious route. There will definitely be information they are skewing or withholding, because that's how people operate. If you want to judge this doctor based solely on this word of mouth perspective, that is definitely your call. If the information you do have makes you uncomfortable with this doctor, that's your call again. You need to be comfortable with your care provider. But do keep in mind you're only getting part of the story.

You can request not to be scheduled with this doctor, but she may still be there to deliver you. If I were in your shoes, I would want to meet with her myself and form my own opinions. It seems questionable that a practice would hire someone who was actually guilty of gross negligence, though stranger things have happened.

At the end of the day, despite whatever actually happened, you need to feel comfortable with your OB. For you, this might mean you will need to switch practices. Do what you've got to do.

babystarin · December 2014

I could switch ob but not hospitals (I work at the hospital I will deliver at). I love my ob and he is also my gyn too and would love to continue seeing him. I do understand that I have only heard details from a family who suffered a loss so do know this is a very subjective opinion. I will definitely ask about not having her and its also a 1/5 chance of it being her. We are a pretty big hospital with at least 3 ob offices that I know of so I could switch. I definitely need to talk with my regular ob/gyn. I will definitely start with talking with him.

Carys3 · December 2014

Hi. I've read through most of the responses and I agree with the others that you won't have much choice once labor starts, if your practice works at all like mine. I had no choice who came to me and twice even got the backup Drs (which I was pleased about) because so many women were in labor at the same time. I would be scared if I were you as well but I'd try to find out as much as possible about the situation behind the lawsuit and how it was resolved.

LynnBrown4 · December 2014

I agree with PP who cautioned that you are not getting the whole story about what really happened with the other babies... but in the end, YOU are the one who needs to feel comfortable.

Obstetricians are very rare where I live. Although I live in a large city with 6 big hospitals, only one hospital had a doctor who was currently taking on more patients when I got pregnant. So I didn't have much choice in the matter.

When I googled him a news article came up about him being sued for malpractice recently too (similar story, a baby who died at birth). And on the rate MDs.com, he had a lot of negative reviews for being unnecessarily 'handsy' during appointments.

I went in with a lot of trepidation! But he has been nothing but courteous, professional and kind, ready to listen and to answer any questions. If I'd listened to all the negativity on the internet, I would've missed out on a really great doctor who provides excellent care. Just my experience.

lawsonellis · December 2014

I scanned through previous responses and I'm not sure if this has been said before, but it would freak me out that the entire CENTER had been shut down for one reason or another before, much less that this practitioner had a lawsuit brought against her.

I'd definitely ask the center for more information as well as the people you know, and then compare the two sides. If after gathering information, you still dont feel comfortable, then I'd switch practices.

babystarin · December 2014

Thank you everyone for your input. I will make a list of questions for my regular ob. I think this has been the most stressful thing about my pregnancy so far. I'm normally a go with the flow type of person but obviously becoming a mom is changing the way I look at things. It's no longer about myself but my family. I know I will be more at ease once I go today for my US. I'm going to see if I can not see her this time and talk with my regular dr once more and find out all of my options then go from there. Someone mentioned that they would want to see that dr and get to know them incase they were oncall. That is a great idea. Thank you all again for ur input.

DM718 · December 2014

While you should definitely be following the advice you've been given above, I'm wondering if you can find out anything more about the reported issues against this doctor, and how they can be mitigated.

For example, you mention that this doctor told someone they could deliver a breech baby (I assume via vaginal delivery at a birthing center). I know the practice I go to (which is low intervention and uses midwives extensively) refuses to deliver breech babies vaginally, and has doctors they will refer people to if they are insistent.

If you can identify specific issues that this doctor is known to have, you may be able to advocate for yourself - ie, refusing a vaginal delivery of a breech baby.

mangomimosa · December 2014

DM718 said:

While you should definitely be following the advice you've been given above, I'm wondering if you can find out anything more about the reported issues against this doctor, and how they can be mitigated.

For example, you mention that this doctor told someone they could deliver a breech baby (I assume via vaginal delivery at a birthing center). I know the practice I go to (which is low intervention and uses midwives extensively) refuses to deliver breech babies vaginally, and has doctors they will refer people to if they are insistent.

If you can identify specific issues that this doctor is known to have, you may be able to advocate for yourself - ie, refusing a vaginal delivery of a breech baby.

THIS.

I don't know all the details of this woman's situation - but a woman requesting/agreeing to a vaginal breech birth in the US is typically advised - strongly- of risks. And a woman having any birth at a birth center is typically advised of out of hospital birth risks. Combining the two situations should have involved an extensive discussion of the serious risks that were being taken. I don't know what was said to this mother, but she was certainly in a position involving a huge amount of risk -- which she likely chose to accept... and now she is suing for a bad outcome. I'm not trying to blame the mother... but it is likely that she was well advised of risks and chose to proceed anyway. (Which is her right. It's sad she lost her baby.) This is why the particular story, on the surface, doesn't necessarily scare me off from the doctor. *I* would never agree to an out of hospital breech birth - the risk is too much for me. And I'm guessing you (OP) wouldn't either.

(The last vaginal breech I knew of happened in the OR, just in case. She was a birth center patient and she fought really hard to have her baby vaginally. The birth center said "you can NOT have this baby anywhere but the hospital". To me, that's appropriate handling of the situation. Not sure what the rules were at the birth center in question, but it seems like an incredibly high amount of risk was accepted by both mother and physician, and it's ultimately the doc's responsibility to make a safe call. I'm not saying the doc is without fault -- just that this particular situation would likely have no bearing on whether you can have a safe delivery with this doc.)

JCWhitey · December 2014

LynnBrown4 said:

I agree with PP who cautioned that you are not getting the whole story about what really happened with the other babies... but in the end, YOU are the one who needs to feel comfortable.

Obstetricians are very rare where I live. Although I live in a large city with 6 big hospitals, only one hospital had a doctor who was currently taking on more patients when I got pregnant. So I didn't have much choice in the matter.

When I googled him a news article came up about him being sued for malpractice recently too (similar story, a baby who died at birth). And on the rate MDs.com, he had a lot of negative reviews for being unnecessarily 'handsy' during appointments.

I went in with a lot of trepidation! But he has been nothing but courteous, professional and kind, ready to listen and to answer any questions. If I'd listened to all the negativity on the internet, I would've missed out on a really great doctor who provides excellent care. Just my experience.

This is very true, too! There are two doctors (neither are OBs, they don't exist at all where I live) who deliver at the hospital here in town. One came highly recommended, the other had a lot of negative reviews from people and very few positives. I ended up with the second one and was a little hesitant going in to my first appointment, but I absolutely LOVE this doctor! The reason people don't really like her is because she's blunt and doesn't coddle you. I don't need to be coddled and prefer things to be blunt so we get along great! I could see how some FTMs may find her off putting but I find her efficient.

So while bad reviews and the loss of a baby are two VERY different things, you may find that you are indeed only getting one side of the story.

Bostonchelle · December 2014

I agree with the posters who think a little bit more information may be necessary. Perhaps speak to one of the other docs about your concerns. If you are comfortable with the other doctors you should also have some faith that they wouldn't put their patients in danger and perhaps there is more to these stories than you have heard.

I go to a similarly set up practice where the docs in the practice deliver their own babies. When you go into labor you get the doc on call- you can't pick and choose at that point. All that said if you aren't comfortable then you should find a new practice. Good luck!!!

babystarin · December 2014

I was able to change my appt from the dr I don't want to see to my regular ob/ gyn for my next appt and will most definitely voice my opinion (I don't want her to care for me) and ask what my options are. I did a little more research and found that there were 5 babies that died associated with the birth center (one was the one I know + four others) and it ended in a lawsuit that the center lost. There really wasn't much online and the center is closed. I will let u all know what happens at the next appt. thank you for all of your advice and opinions, it's really helping me decide what all I need to ask at that appt.

MrsLaurenandDan · December 2014

Are you in Mi by any chance? If so, I may know what/who you are talking about and could PM you.

babystarin · December 2014

I am in mi-- I just sent u a pm

MrsLaurenandDan · December 2014

Sent you a long string of messages. Sorry, it's been a long crazy day, so hopefully something in there made sense.

drudolph11 · December 2014

I don't really have too much to add to what PPs have said except for me instead of avoiding scheduling an apt with her I would actually do so and do so soon while you are still at this point in your pregnancy. I don't know how your office works but right now I go in every 2 weeks for apts and they consist of a pee test, vitals, OB visit with doppler and then the OB asks if you have any questions and your on your way. I understand how you would feel if you went into labor right now but I say why don't you give her a shot and schedule a visit with her that way you can feel her out and ask questions, no harm no foul. Sitting in a room with her is not going to have any effect on your baby lol If you have heard these things about her I am sure she is well aware of the things being said about her and having an apt with her will give you a chance to ask her about the situation and what happened. Maybe it was just a bad rumor started by a disgruntled patient and she will be able to explain what happened better to you. I know from personal experience that my mom is DEF not always right and has a way of over exaggerating things that she hears or reads. I think by actually getting a chance to meet her will calm your fears about possibly having her deliver your baby. Good luck with everything.

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