Choosing a Pediatrics Practice

Pediatrics is the branch of medicine that takes care of the health of children. Whether you have children already, are currently pregnant or plan to start a family in the future finding the right doctor for your child is very important.

The physicians who specialize in pediatrics are known as pediatricians. When it comes to looking for the right doctor to treat your children there are certain nuggets of information that you must find out first before you decide which physician is the most appropriate choice for your son or daughter.

What is the educational background of the doctor? Children’s physicians are required to obtain specialized training in pediatrics after they have graduated from medical school. On the other hand family doctors have training as well as experience in treating all members of a family regardless of their ages. Both types of healthcare providers have the training and expertise required to perform routine examinations and check-ups on their patients, as well as to treat many illnesses and health problems and to put preventative medicine to use.

It helps to find out about the experiences that other families have had with children’s doctors that you are considering. Talk to parents who have taken their kids to a pediatrics practice that you have in mind to gain a greater understanding of the doctor(s) that works there and to get more insight into whether it is the right choice for your family. Listening to the experiences and opinions of others can give you the personal perspective that you need to help you make an informed decision.

Where a doctor’s practice is located may figure into your decision making process. Does the practitioner work from one location only or does he or she see patients at multiple offices throughout the city? Do you prefer an office that is close in proximity to your home, your child’s school or your place of work? How easy is it to get to the office in terms of traffic? What is the parking area like? All of these things make a difference to whichever parent will be taking the child to the pediatrician’s office the most often.

When you have a sick child you want to be able to get an appointment with the doctor as soon as possible. Find out what the policy is at the pediatrics practice when it comes to appointments, and in particular same day appointments that are urgent. Find out from others how long on average they spend sitting in the waiting room. What about routine exams? Is the wait long or reasonably speedy? There are some physician’s offices that not only offer scheduled appointments but walk-in services as well. This may be more important to some families than others. It can be very beneficial in the event of an acute illness. If this service matters to you then this should play a role in your decision of what doctor to take your child to for care.

Choose a doctor who treats you with respect as the parent and your child with respect as the patient. You also want to choose an office that is as child friendly as possible and is a place that your daughter or son will feel comfortable being at. In this way your child will develop positive as opposed to negative feelings about visiting the doctor.