What questions should I ask when choosing a pediatrician?
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Dr. Michael Roizen answered:Questions to ask when choosing a pediatrician:- Is the doctor board-certified?
- What is the doctor's education/training/experience? How long has he or she been in practice?
- Is the office convenient - in the first year, you'll be visiting the pediatrician fairly often?
- What hospital is the doctor affiliated with?
- Does the doctor accept your insurance? Does his/her hospital?
- Is he/she a solo practitioner? If so who covers on evenings, weekends or when he/she is away?
- Is the doctor part of a group? If so, will you exclusively visit your doctor, or will you see whoever is available (including, perhaps, a nurse practitioner)?
- Does he/she have early morning/evening/weekend hours to accommodate working parents?
- Does the doctor encourage e-mail communication?
- How long can you expect to wait for a response when you email/phone with a question?
- How long is the response time for after-hours questions?
- Is the office clean, comfortable, and does it have a separate sick-child waiting area?
- Is the staff friendly?
- What is the doctor's attitude toward breast/bottle feeding? Is it in sync with yours?
- How does the doctor treat ear infections? (This is a good litmus test for how interventionist he or she may be - some dispense antibiotics liberally; others encourage watch and wait, as most ear infections resolve themselves within three days.)
- Do you have similar views about such things as circumcision and parenting issues?
- What is the doctor's feeling about complementary medicine? Is it in sync with yours?
- Does the doctor have a standard protocol for vaccinations? How flexible is he or she about the timing of vaccinations and the administration of optional vaccinations?
- Does the pediatrician's office have electronic medical records so when junior graduates from high school, his records are complete?
Questions to ask when choosing a pediatrician: Is the doctor board-certified? What is the doctor's education/training/experience? How long has he or she been in practice? Is the office convenient - in the first year, you'll be visiting the... More -
Dr. Steven Gurland of MDLIVE answered:When choosing a pediatrician certain questions to ask include first of all the pediatricians training is he or she board certified in their specialty because that indicates a certain standard of education and training.
Other questions may include scope of practice,for example does the pediatrician do general pediatrics including adolescentcare,what is their age limit 18 or21.Is the doctor willing to follow college age children who still live at home and are on their parents insurance.?
Does the pediatrician have special areas of focus or expertise such as Autism ,ADHD or other Developmental Disorders that may be relevant to your familys needs.
What office hours does the practice have? What is the after hour availability of the pediatrician does he or she have an anwsering service or nurse triage system?
Does the pediatrician have hospital privileges and will they be the one taking care of your child in the hospital should they need to be admitted .Do they attend C-sections or care for your newborn in the hospital?
Practical questions include is the pediatrician a provider on your health insurance,office location and convenience in getting there,Average wait times and ability to get same day sick appointments are also important questions to ask.
Do they have mid-level providers such as PA or Nurse practioner ?
Do they have on site labs to do basic tests such as Blood count,Strep tests and Flu tests which are common pediatric problems.
If these general questions are anwsered to your satisfaction you will have a good general sense of the pediatrician practice and be able to make a choice.
However there is no substitute for actual experience and once you have your first visit you will be able to tell whether it is a good fit or not for your family.When choosing a pediatrician certain questions to ask include first of all the pediatricians training is he or she board certified in their specialty because that indicates a certain standard of education and training.Other questions may include... More -
Dr. Stuart Linder answered:Choosing a pediatrician is no different than finding a physician in any specialty. First, make sure the doctor is Board certified with the american board of pediatrics. Next, check out office hours, availability, coverage if necessary, and hospital appointments. Does the doctor accept your insurance and to what age does he or she see the child. Bring your list of questions and a check list to the initial visit.Choosing a pediatrician is no different than finding a physician in any specialty. First, make sure the doctor is Board certified with the american board of pediatrics. Next, check out office hours, availability, coverage if necessary, and hospital... More -
Dr. Debbie Nogueras of Honor Society of Nursing (STTI) answered:In addition to the questions posted in the previous answers - you'll want to ascertain if the pediatrician has the same or similar philosophy as yours regarding child health concerns. For example: Do they support breastfeeding? What about circumcision? Who is available on weekends and holidays to answer your questions and concerns? A good match in personality is important so you feel comfortable asking any and all questions.In addition to the questions posted in the previous answers - you'll want to ascertain if the pediatrician has the same or similar philosophy as yours regarding child health concerns. For example: Do they support breastfeeding? What about... More -
RealAge answered:You should ask the following questions to your family, friends and acquaintances:
- Why do you like this particular pediatrician?
- How long has this doc treated your child (or children)?
- What’s the usual wait time in the office before an appointment?
- What is the office staff like?
- In an emergency, have you found the doctor to be highly accessible, either by phone or in person?
From The Smart Parent's Guide: Getting Your Kids Through Checkups, Illnesses, and Accidents by Jennifer Trachtenberg.
Find out more about this book: The Smart Parent's Guide: Getting Your Kids Through Checkups, Illnesses, an...
You should ask the following questions to your family, friends and acquaintances: Why do you like this particular pediatrician? How long has this doc treated your child (or children)? What’s the usual wait time in the office before an... More
