Proper child growth and development is one of the critical responsibilities of parents. Choosing the right pediatrician for the baby can be confusing and difficult, especially for newbie parents and veteran parents as well.
Each child is unique. Each has its distinct health conditions, whether good or bad. Whether your prospective pediatrician will be fine for your child can only be ascertained after a series of queries, questions, and reviews.
Why is choosing a pediatrician a big deal? It’s because they will care for your child’s health up to adolescence by diagnosing illnesses or health issues and providing support, suggestions, vitamins, and medicines for your child’s healthy growth.
From this perspective, you’re looking into establishing a long-term relationship with the best pediatric doctor for your little one; hence, careful planning is crucial for a successful outcome. In this piece, we will filter your choices, hoping to get the best.
Ask Yourself These Questions While Consulting a Nearby Pediatrician
From a long list of recommended doctors, narrow down your list for a prospective provider. Then schedule a meet-and-greet. Assess if your prospect best suits you and your child’s distinct health needs. Here are a few questions to ask yourself:
1. Is the location convenient or not?
- Are there nearby hospitals, laboratories, or other facilities?
- Is the clinic easily accessible by public transportation?
- Are there parking amenities available?
The first and foremost question that parents should be thinking about is whether the doctor’s office location is convenient or not. As babies need more frequent care in their first year, it’s a must to visit their doctor within the gap of 2 to 3 months.
So, with frequent trips, notwithstanding emergencies, and if your chosen pediatrician’s location is far away, your travel will be hectic and time-consuming. Thus, you need a doctor or daycare near your home or workplace.
Moreover, the clinic’s proximity to a hospital, laboratory, or diagnostic center matters since you will be going to these facilities when the need arises. Hospital admissions or any diagnostics needed later will be convenient.
Other factors that go with the clinic’s convenience are the availability of parking spaces or whether it’s accessible if you’re taking public transportation.
Parents take these seriously since kids. especially when they’re sick, and become irritable and fussy when taken to their doctor’s clinic. Hence, parents ensure the location of the prospective doctor’s clinic is convenient.
2. Was my introductory visit convincing enough?
Introductory communication with the nearby pediatric doctor is essential before getting an appointment for your little one. Some of the best offer pre-visit options beforehand for clearing queries. It’s highly recommended that you take this opportunity to visit them.
In your initial meeting with your prospective pediatric doctor, you raised questions about your baby’s health issues. Based on your observation:
- How did the doctor respond?
- How did the doctor approach the topic of your query?
- Is the doctor capable of treating complex health problems?
- Can the doctor relate well to babies and children?
How the doctor responds can give you signals about whether or not they show genuine interest in your baby or not. The best pediatrician goes the extra mile by explaining and helping clear parents’ doubts and worries.
Moreover, if your child has complex health problems, the prospective pediatric doctor should exhibit competency in handling these cases. The doctor knows the proper protocol on whether or not to issue a referral to a specialist.
One important factor to look for is the prospective pediatrician’s attitude toward handling their patients. They should know how to relate well to children’s behaviors. After all, pediatrics isn’t only a field of study but also a cause of compassion for children.
If you feel the first visit wasn’t good enough, don’t deal with second thoughts. You ought to be looking for other options.
3. What are the pediatrician’s operating hours?
- Do they extend beyond regular business hours?
- Do they allow same-day appointments, or are early appointments accepted?
- Is the office schedule convenient for me?
In terms of the office schedule, these are important factors you ought to consider. This is where after-hour pediatrics come in. The operating hours should ideally extend to late afternoons or early evenings during the weekdays.
More often, children’s symptoms get noticed after they get home from school. Also, parents are busy with their work schedules and other commitments during the daytime. Hence, after-hours pediatrics is the preferred or sought-after set-up.
Moreover, babies and young children exhibit worrisome symptoms any time of the day or even at odd hours of the night. Notwithstanding accidents, falls, and injuries that may happen without warning.
Unfortunately, there are only a limited number of pediatric healthcare providers who allow same-day appointments or appointments at the very last minute. Nevertheless, these are important factors in choosing the best pediatrician for your child.
Overall, check into your prospective doctor’s clinic schedule. Their availability should at least match your personal schedule; that is, it shouldn’t significantly affect your daily activities.
4. How do they operate?
- Is the physician’s office reachable all the time?
- During emergencies, can I call the doctor or their office staff?
- If I can’t visit, can they assist with a phone call?
- Do they offer telemedicine services?
- Is the clinic kid-friendly?
- Do they have an office team to attend to patients’ queries?
- Is the vaccination policy convincing?
All the answers to these questions will justify what you want to know about how the prospective pediatric doctor’s office operates.
You would want to know the doctor’s policies on how they could be reached during emergencies or outside of their business hours. Some doctor’s offices have a dedicated phone line to respond to patients’ queries.
You would also want to know how they handle emergencies and the related charges. The best pediatrician can be reachable at all times, most especially during emergencies. This is essential to ease and assist the parents on what steps to take.
The introductory visit enables you to observe how their office operates, including the staff, facilities, and layout. The best pediatrician has a team of nurse practitioners and other health workers who see and treat children.
Look around the reception area. There should be separate areas for well- and sick-child waiting rooms. It should have a welcoming ambiance and a kid-friendly atmosphere to let the children enjoy themselves while waiting for their turn.
Colorful and eye-catching wall decor and toys of different shapes for babies and toddlers at the clinic can make visits to the doctor enjoyable and something to look forward to for the children.
Equally important, inquire about the vaccination policy of the prospective physician. You may need to know about the doctor’s procedure in terms of scheduling, administration, and follow-ups on your child’s immunization.
5. Is the doctor experienced and certified?
Certified means the pediatrician is board-certified. Only after passing the qualifying exams administered by the state’s regulatory body can a doctor obtain this. Many doctors find it hard to pass these board examinations.
In these government examinations, the doctors demonstrate all the main criteria, such as professionalism, vast medical knowledge, and communication. Hence, the certified pediatric doctors are more experienced, better, and more reliable.
Many doctors have state licenses for medical practice, but they aren’t board-certified. Therefore, it’s highly important to ascertain that the doctor you will choose possesses board certification.
It is the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) that issues the certification for pediatric practitioners.
6. When should I then consult a pediatrician for my child?
Suppose the physician is affiliated with the hospital where you will deliver your baby. In this case, the doctor will check on your newborn within 24 hours after delivery. If not, they will check on your newborn within five days after your delivery.
In the latter case, you need to see the doctor at his clinic after your hospital discharge. This is necessary for your little one’s health and well-being.
7. Are the recommendations positive?
If you’re a soon-to-be parent or a newbie in parenting, you tend to seek recommendations from family members, OB-GYNs, and other mothers for your prospect. Listen to their suggestions; they’re worth enough due to their experience.
If you find that their reviews are pessimistic regarding their experiences with your prospective physician, then go ahead and look for better options.
We benefit from the Internet to get useful information about pediatric doctors near you. Search for the best, those with positive and good reviews; it won’t be disappointing if you have done your careful and thorough research.
Choose the Best Pediatrician for Your Baby
A pediatrician is your ally in looking after your baby’s health. It starts right after your baby is born until he or she has grown into an adolescent and young adult. That said, you’re looking into a long-term relationship with the best pediatrician.
Be mindful, though, that it’s not a one-sided relationship where the nearby physician will do everything. As a parent, you have a significant role, too. You need to establish a productive collaboration with the doctor when it comes to your child’s health.
Working closely with your child’s doctor involves giving timely updates and accurate information about your child’s health condition, which is especially critical for babies and young children. Make regular clinic visits, whether your baby is sick or not.
With productive discussions during the visits, your child’s doctor can give the correct advice, the recommended steps to take, the correct prescriptions, and offer the best treatment or therapy for your child. This benefits not only your child but also you.
Omega Pediatrics is one provider that can fulfill your expectations for the best pediatrician. Our office is conveniently located in Roswell, Georgia, to serve your child’s healthcare needs. Come book an appointment with us for a fruitful collaboration.
We at Omega Pediatrics always strive not to disappoint you, an experienced and compassionate provider. We are your pediatrician of choice. Check our online reviews and parents’ feedback—your child is in the best hands.
