The benefit of a solo practitioner or a pediatrician who is in an office by himself is that you can be sure that you will always see your own doctor. Is the pediatrician on your insurance plan? Which Kind of Fertility Doctor Is the Best One for You? Important practical matters to consider when choosing a pediatrician, most of which you can ask the office staff, include: Another practical matter to consider is whether you want to go with a group practice or a solo practitioner. Is the waiting room kid-friendly? These appointments work for new dads, too. Some things to consider: What are their hours? Although we like to think that things like cost and convenience should be secondary when making such an important decision, they can be very important when choosing a pediatrician. Will I always see my own doctor? He puts you in vulnerable situations. Decide what's most important to you. It’s so convenient to have so much in one local building, so we’re going with their pediatrics practice.” — ball.and.chain, “I attended a series of Baby Prep 101 classes through my hospital, and one of the handouts they gave had a list of local pediatricians to contact.” — ATC282, “I looked for a doctor who aligned with my health beliefs. Or they could miss a potentially life-threatening problem. Good old-fashioned of word of mouth is probably the best way to find a great doctor. What happens if I need advice after hours? Is a nurse or doctor available on-call to talk to me? Others do detailed research and conduct an interview asking their potential new pediatrician everything from where they went to medical school to what their scores were on their medical boards. What hospitals is the pediatrician affiliated with? Bob Sears, MD, pediatrician in private practice in Dana Point, California, Dina DiMaggio, MD, and Anthony F. Porto, MD, MPH, Diane Bloomfield, MD, attending pediatrician at The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore in Bronx, New York. Vincent Iannelli, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician and fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Parents seem to go to a lot of different extremes when choosing a pediatrician. If you already have children and have moved to a new area or are simply changing doctors, it can still be a good idea to meet with a few doctors before choosing a new pediatrician. 2. Everyone has different criteria for picking a pediatrician, so you should collect at … How to Choose the Best Pediatrician for Your Child, Ⓒ 2020 About, Inc. (Dotdash) — All rights reserved, Medically reviewed by Brian Levine, MD, MS, FACOG, The Importance of Choosing a Pediatrician, Antibiotics Before Age 2 Can Lead to Chronic Conditions, Study Finds, The Benefits of Your Child Seeing a Pediatrician, Why Some Women Decide to Change Doctors During Pregnancy, 1 in 3 Pediatricians Would Dismiss a Family That Refuses Vaccinations, Immunization Rates Are Dropping: Here's What Parents Should Know, What to Expect at Your Postpartum Checkup, How to Choose the Best Pediatrician for Your Twins, How to Freeze Your Eggs for Elective Fertility Preservation, New Parents Reckon With Unexpected Realities of COVID-19. Download The Appto explore more tools like Planner+ and Food Safety. While you can simply change doctors if you don't like the first pediatrician you see, if your newborn or older child is truly sick, the first doctor you see could be making life-changing decisions about your child. Do they have any sub-specialties? To find out, check the website of the American Board of Pediatrics. Check out our top tips for finding the right pediatrician for your family. Make sure you find a pediatrician who empowers you. Are there any extra charges for advice calls during the day, after hours advice calls, refilling medicines, or requests to fill out forms, etc.? Dr. Iannelli has cared for children for more than 20 years. Always try to get the reason or an explanation behind a recommendation to make sure you understand why someone likes or dislikes their pediatrician. What is your basic philosophy on discipline. This is especially important if you have a Children's Hospital in your area and you would like a doctor that will see you if you have to go there. We also went with a man because we hope that he will be our pediatrician for our son’s entire childhood.” — ValerieGP, “I liked that their office had a ‘sick’ entrance and a ‘well’ entrance so my healthy baby didn’t have to hang out amidst the germs.” — Jazibel, “The building where I see my OB is a satellite facility of the hospital at which I delivered, so it has pediatricians, specialities, urgent care, etc. Many parents have different needs and you may be really turned off by the reason that they like their doctor. Before you start making some phone calls and setting up consultations (don’t worry, they’re usually free), check out our Interviewing a Pediatrician Checklist. Do their views on bottlefeeing or vaccinations align with yours? Or your friend might like that their pediatrician prescribes an antibiotic every time they walk into the office, whether or not they need one. And that often comes down to how well your personalities fit together. Find a doctor who teaches you without judging you.