Whether you are preparing for the arrival of a new baby or simply moved across town and are looking for a physician in your neighborhood, finding the right doctor for your child can easily become an overwhelming experience. In addition to seeking out a personable staff and good location, parents must also decide whether to use a pediatrician or a family practitioner.
“Making the decision as to which type of specialist to use is truly a personal decision for parents,” explains Dr. Bernadette S. Haggerty, a pediatrician on staff with Texas Children's Pediatric Associates in the Woodlands. “However, there are differences between pediatricians and family practitioners and it is important that you determine what factors are most significant to your family before choosing your child’s doctor.”
Pediatricians and family practitioners are both considered specialists and have undertaken several additional years of training beyond medical school. The main difference is the broader knowledge of family practitioners, who care for patients of all ages, versus the concentration by pediatricians on conditions particular to infants, children and teenagers.
While family practitioners are able to treat the entire family, Haggerty reminds parents that children frequent the doctor’s office much more often than most adults do, so chances are parents will make more office visits for their individual children than for general check ups for the entire family. Additionally, since pediatric practices only take care of children, the environment is likely to be more conducive to children’s needs.
Regardless of the specialty chosen, Haggerty suggests that parents and parents-to-be ask neighbors, family and co-workers who are parents for physician recommendations. “Question specifically what they like about this doctor,” explains Haggerty. “Your friend’s priorities in a health care provider might not be your own.”
Additional tips from Haggerty include:
- Visit more than one office or doctor.
- Notice how the office staff treats you. Do they believe in the “no question is stupid” philosophy? You must feel comfortable in calling them with all your questions, regardless of how big or small they seem to be.
- Is a physician on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to handle emergencies?
- Does the doctor provide a phone number parents can call with non-emergency questions?
- What are the fees for well-baby checkups and sick visits?
- What lab work is done on site? Are more extensive tests performed nearby or will you have to drive to another location?
- Is the doctor affiliated with a particular hospital system? This could determine how quickly or easily it is for your child can be admitted to a particular hospital should special medical care be required.
Many of these questions can be answered by setting up an initial consultation with the physician. At this time, you can also expect to hear about the physician’s philosophy of care, discuss the amount of visits you may have during the year – depending on how old your child is – and spend some time talking about child safety measures, such as the type of car seats they recommend.
