Whether you are starting a new family or moving somewhere new, finding a pediatrician is an important step of establishing your circle of support. There are a few main priorities that you need to think about when looking for a practice.
First, is location, if you are in a metropolitan area, you might have many different options to choose from within a 15-minute driving radius. If you are more rural, there might not be many options to choose from. Whatever your situation, it is important to be within 15 minutes or so of your child’s doctor due to the frequency in which you visit from newborn to age 5. There will be many wellness visits in the beginning that will transition to many sick visits in your child’s toddler years. Look on google maps and search pediatricians. Pinpoint the ones that are closest to you and start there.
Secondly, how quickly you are able to get an appointment. It depends on how much you desire to utilize your local urgent cares or ERs, but having a practice that will take your child for sick visit within 24 hours is helpful to your sanity. This is just my opinion, but going into your regular doctor’s office is ten times less stressful than going to an urgent care or ER. (Less expensive too).
Thirdly, what is the temperament and competency of the doctors/practitioners of the practice. You can ask for a tour of a facility before establishing yourself with a practice. You might not be able to meet with all of the practitioners ahead of time, but you can usually look online to get the bios of the practitioner before meeting with them. Thankfully, we also live in a society where we are not forced to stay with a certain practice if we do not feel comfortable with a specific practitioner. No stress if you feel like you made a mistake in what practice you have chosen, you are not tied down to one particular place.
Fourth, how you feel about vaccinating your children with the current guidelines. I am not promoting one type of ideology in terms of vaccination, but many families feel very strongly about how their doctor handles vaccinations for their children. Does the practice only handle standard vaccination schedules? Do they allow for lengthening the time or number of dosages per session. Vaccinations are a topic for a different day, but trying to figure out your own schedule can be very overwhelming and anxiety provoking. It is helpful ahead of time to know that your beliefs about vaccinations align with the practice you choose.
Some other general thoughts that are important, but not imperative to your pediatrician search: How easy is it to talk to a real person on the phone? Are the front desk staff nice and helpful? Does the practice look overall clean and have good sanitary practices? Do they share the overall same views as you do on how you would want to raise your child? Are the kids engaged and taken care of even when they are scared? Asking other moms in your area is another great way to find a pediatrician. Personal recommendations go a long way in the decision-making process.
There are many things that go into choosing a pediatrician, but just like everything else, it will all work out and you will find a practice that fits the needs of you and your family as your child grows.
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