What should I consider when choosing a pediatrician?

Here are some questions you might consider when choosing a pediatrician:

• Is the doc board certified? He should be proud enough to display the certificate.
• What is the doc's education, training, and experience? How long has he been in practice?
• What hospital(s) is the doc affiliated with? Is it the best hospital for children in the area?
• Does the doctor accept your insurance? Does his hospital(s)?
• Is the doc a solo practitioner? If so, who covers on evenings and weekends or when the doctor is away? How does the physician covering for your doc learn about your child?
• Is the doctor part of a group? If so, will you visit your doctor exclusively, or will you see whoever is available (including, perhaps, a nurse practitioner)? Make sure to meet the partners or at least check their credentials.
• Does the doc have early morning, evening, and/or weekend hours to accommodate your schedule?
• Does the doc encourage email communication? Or maybe she wants u 2 text and is gr8 abt it?
• How long can you expect to wait for a response when you email or phone with a question? Is it within a day, or would a transatlantic cruise deliver a message faster?
• How long is the response time for after-hours questions?
• Does the doc use electronic prescriptions? Most will now, as they reduce dosage and drug errors (because the doc's handwriting won't be an issue).
• Does the pediatrician's office have electronic medical records so that when Junior graduates from high school, his records are complete?
• Is this doc older than Methuselah and likely to retire before your child reaches kindergarten?
• Does the doc's journal Pediatrics ever get read? By the doc? Or is it used as a coloring book in the waiting room?

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