Choosing your Baby’s Pediatrician is such an important task for any parent. There are so many Doctors out there and with the world of medicine constantly changing, it is difficult to be a well informed consumer without going to medical school yourself. I have some links at the bottom of this posting with reference tools I used to compile my list of questions for my upcoming Pediatrician interviews.
Today I went to my first pre-baby Pediatrician visit at Pediatric Associates. I have heard only wonderful things about Doctor Arnold Tanis, who founded the successful practice more than 55 years ago. After doing some web based research on the group I was impressed with them having a website and the ability to make appointments online. They also have convenient extended office hours and 24/7 phone support with Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners. The group also conducts prenatal classes and various other information sessions in the office. It seemed like they were a very well rounded and established group with Doctors of various backgrounds. All of these factors are very important to me.
From the group’s reputation I was expecting a smaller, more quiet, pleasant office environment. When I walked in I was a bit overwhelmed with the amount of people in the office and the office size. I wasn’t sure where to go but there was a receptionist directly in front of the main entrance so I assumed that’s where I needed to get in line to sign in. After about ten minutes of waiting I asked a woman behind me if this was the general sign in line. I learned it was in one of the other two waiting areas. Luckily the busy receptionist overheard us and recognized that I was not with a child and was there for a prenatal visit with one of the Doctors, Dr. Alexander. I was buzzed right in and blamed the chaotic ambiance of the office on me not being familiar with where to go, the fact that it was raining, or perhaps it was just a busy day.
Once inside I was told to follow someone who was walking so fast that she almost disappeared on me. Finally I made it to Dr. Alexander’s office and thought I was in a safe zone away from screaming kids and busy office personnel. I noticed she was a D.O. and felt a little more reassured knowing that Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine focus on the total health of the individual and place more emphasis on preventative care than Medical Doctors tend to. She and I also share the same alma mater so I thought we might be of similar backgrounds or have similar things that make us “tick”. After waiting another ten minutes or so I was greeted by Doctor Alexander and quickly learned that I had it all wrong. She was very snappy in her speech and seemed like she was in a rush. Although that made me feel a bit uncomfortable I had my list of questions and intended on sticking to them in addition absorbing any information she planned on sharing on with me.
Looking back at my list, I think I may have been able to get in 4 of my 17 or so questions. Seeing as this is my first child and I do have a background in health, I would say that I might have more researched opinions on certain topics than most. I want to be a well informed consumer and believe that the relationship I establish with the Doctor I choose to treat my child is very important. Although me being well informed about immunizations was supported by Dr. Alexander, it came off very strongly that relationships with parents was not a priority. This was something I felt in the first 30 seconds or so and I regret spending 30 more seconds of my time convincing myself of this. This is known as “thin-slicing” by Malcom Gladwell in his book Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking. I should have trusted my intuition and ability to gauge what was most important to me without spending the additional time with her.
After waiting in the main lobby for almost ten minutes and waiting in Dr. Alexander’s office for almost another ten minutes, I was dismissed by a ” I have to go, I’m very busy and know you came late. “ Guess I had one too many questions for a “Nice to meet you” to get interjected. At least I now know that I am better prepared for my next interview after this trial run.
- Choosing Your Child’s Healthcare Provider : 10 Things to Consider - Lara Jana M.D., F.A.A.P.
- Choosing a Pediatrician - Elizabeth Pantley
- Pediatrician Interview Sheet - www.babycenter.com
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