Choosing A Pediatrician
During the Oscar’s I jokingly tweeted that the Best Actor award should have gone to my son because he was crying and complaining about his eye. No sooner than later after I granted him permission to sleep next to me, it seemed like the eye miraculously stopped ailing him. He even went as far as to complain that we should watch the Wonder Pets instead of the Oscars. (If you follow me on Twitter you would know that the Wonder Pets are my least favorite cartoon so he lost before he even started with that argument)
When he woke up the next morning, his eye was sealed shut with mucus and I started to feel badly that I doubted him. I think I doubted him because my sister started implying I was a doctor whore-in that I called the doctor for everything. I must admit, I am. But isn’t that what they’re there for? I pay insurance for the peace of mind of knowing that if something-anything, goes wrong, I can call the doctor up for advice on what to do. I knew exactly what I wanted when I was looking for a pediatrician, so after a bit of research, I narrowed my list down and set on a some interviews.
Saturday hours: very important to me. You can’t predict when your child will get sick and the worst thing to hear is “our office is open from Monday-Friday” So now you have a sick, miserable child waiting for the convenient hours of the pediatrician. :/ Look for a practice that sees both toddlers and infants on Saturdays-mine has certain time frames set up; older kids in the morning, infants throughout the rest of the day.
A Group or a single doctor?
I had no idea how a group practice worked when I went out on interviews. I learned that I could see all the doctor’s in the practice at least once and then decide upon who I liked best-that is currently who I make all of my appointments with. I understand why doctors go to groups but I still like the idea of getting my kids familiar with one face and that one face watching my children grow. Using my tactic, you could turn a group practice into your own single practice!
A Bonus?
Before making your final decision, inquire if there are any “bonuses” the practice gives clients. Here’s my bonus: between the hours of 7-8 AM, you can reach a doctor 365 (or 366) days of the year. That’s major to me! There are times I don’t want to talk to a nurse and I would much rather talk to a doctor about my concerns. Furthermore, having this dedicated time is much better than trying to reach a doctor during the busy work day or waiting for a call back.
Funny enough, I ultimately chose my pediatrician after asking a question about constipation. Most doctors don’t recommend prune juice anymore! Everyone is so quick to medicate that when the doctor suggested this first during the interview, my mother was hooked! Mommy is very old-school and she felt that my current pediatrician was very much like she remembered in Trinidad-so I went with them and have been happy ever since. I do call for everything and I feel like I am entitled. My kids are my everything so I don’t take anything for granted or blow it off. A simple cough, a mild fever, everything gets a call. You never know what’s going around and it doesn’t hurt to use what you pay for.
Happy hunting!
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