Finding the right pediatrician is not always an easy task. Many managed care plans limit your choices. Furthermore, many families will live in several different towns before their children are grown up, making it necessary to choose a new pediatrician more than once.

But once you locate a pediatrician that makes both you and your children feel at ease, you’ll know the effort was worth it.

Start by asking friends for names, checking with local hospitals or going to the American Academy of Pediatrics Web site, www.aap.org. If you are moving, ask your current pediatrician for a referral. Look for the letters “FAAP” after the pediatrician’s name. This indicates that the pediatrician has passed the American Board of Pediatrics exam and is now a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The next step is to conduct interviews with several pediatricians. Most pediatricians do not consider it an imposition on their time and do not charge for the visit.

“Interviewing potential pediatricians is absolutely essential to making sure you choose the right one for you and your children,” said Dr. Carol Berkowitz, former president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “Interviewing allows parents to get a sense of a pediatrician’s accessibility, personality and philosophy of practice.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents ask the following questions:

-Is the pediatrician accepting new patients? Is he or she covered by your insurance or managed care plan?

-What are the office hours?

-Is emergency coverage available 24 hours a day, seven days a week?

-Is the pediatrician available by phone or e-mail? If so, when?

-Does the practice have an after-hours answering service? Is that service linked to a university or children’s hospital?

-Where are patients referred after hours?

-Is there access to pediatric specialists, if needed?

-What hospital does the pediatrician prefer to use?

-How does the office handle billing and insurance claims? Is payment due at the time of the visit?

A family’s relationship with its pediatrician can be a lasting and rewarding one. That’s why it’s worth taking the extra time to find a pediatrician that is a good fit for you and your children.

Provided by NewsUSA

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Don't Stress!
by Betsy Bethel

When I was about seven months pregnant, I started asking all my friends about pediatricians. I narrowed it down to two and called their offices to set up interviews.

One office said the doctor didn’t do prenatal interviews. The other one did, so I asked that doctor’s receptionist a few preliminary questions. One issue important to me was that I be permitted to refuse certain immunizations or to get them administered in separate doses rather than the popular combo vaccines. The receptionist checked with the doctor and said he administered only the combo vaccines.

Back to the drawing board.

Then one friend told me her children see her family doctor, the one she has gone to all her life. I thought, why not? I set up an interview with my doctor, who it turns out did her internship in pediatrics. My husband and I met with her, and she seemed a good fit.

She didn’t give separate vaccines, either, but she respected our wish to find an alternative — which we finally did (although we had to go clear to the Allegheny County Health Department in Pittsburgh and pay out of pocket).

For logistical reasons, when Emma was about 7 months old, we switched to the pediatrician’s office that was closest to our home, which ended up being the first office we contacted that “didn’t do” interviews. The office’s reputation was good, however, and we have been happy with it. They also give combo vaccines but have been flexible with us, respecting our decision to get separate shots in Pittsburgh and to hold off on some vaccines until Emma is a bit older.

Another issue important to me is that Emma not be given antibiotics unless absolutely necessary. A couple times at both the family doctor and the pediatrician, she was prescribed antibiotics “just in case.” The doctors knew I probably wouldn’t fill the scripts, and I only needed to once. It was a compromise that pleased us all.

Lessons learned: Don’t stress about the doc decision. Most pediatricians will work with you and what you feel is right for your child. And your decision is not set in stone; you can always switch doctors down the road.