Questions to ask when interviewing a pediatrician?

[BeachBum]

I have an appointment on Wed with a pediatrician. I have two issues I know I want to discuss with him (circumcision and vaccination) but I'm just not sure what other questions I should be asking. Or what type of stuff I should be trying to get a feel for.

Can anyone share their experiences? Or is there a list floating around I should know about?

thanks.

[Chylynn]

This was a form that we used when we interviewed our pediatricians. HTH! :D


Pediatrician/Family Physician Interview Sheet

Name: __________________________________________
Location: ________________________________________

Use these questions to guide you during your interview. Although the doctor may answer all the questions effectively, trust your instincts--if the relationship doesn't feel like a good fit, examine why.

Things to Remember:
Most doctors have only about ten to 15 minutes to spare for an interview. If the interview takes longer (up to 30 minutes), some physicians may charge a consultation fee.

Basics:

How long have you been in practice?____________years
Do you have children of your own?____________________________
Do you have any sub-specialties?_____________________
Are you a solo or group practice? solo/group
If solo, who covers for you if you're not available?_________________
If group, how often will I see other doctors?_______________________
What are your hours?_______________________________
Are any evening or weekend hours available?_______________________
How can I reach you in an emergency?__________________
Do you encourage parents to call for routine/non-emergency questions? yes/no
What hospitals are you affiliated with?_____________________
Will you be available for discussions on my child's behavioral developments; that is, tantrums, discipline issues, social development, etc.? yes/no
Baby Care:

Where do you stand on:
bottle-feeding_________________________________________
circumcision______________________________________ ____
getting baby to sleep_________________________________
antibiotics_______________________________________ ____

Questions to Ask Yourself:

Did you feel comfortable with the doctor? yes/no
Is the office conveniently located? yes/no
How long were you kept waiting? ______minutes
Did the waiting room and the examination rooms have toys and books to occupy your child? yes/no
Did the waiting room have a seperate side for sick/well children?

Was everything clean? yes/no
How helpful were the nurses and support staff at the office?

[Sidsou]

One question that ended up being important for me was "do they have any children and how old?". I found that the doctors that had the younger children at the time tended to be the most up to date on various info/products out there and also could understand a lot of frustration that first time parents face.

[Ohana]

I think it's pretty common now for a number of doctor's to pool their resources and take evening and weekend call. I'd ask how their process works and who you'll actually be speaking to on nights and weekends.

In our case, we're connected to pediatric nurses at the nearby (award winning) pediatric hospotal after 6 and on weekends. I believe many of the peds in the area use them, and they are fantastic.

Also, I had a nurse friend recommend that I find a ped close to our house (because there's a very good chance you'll spend a decent amount of time there, especially that first year). She also recommended that we go with a nearby clinic, because they have a walk in clinic (convenient if the ped is completely booked or on vacation), which is also open on weekends. DD's records are there, so they have access to all the pertinent info, 7 days a week.

I like this system, because it is very convenient that we take DD to the same place even if she's sick on the weekend or in the early evening. But since our ped works for the clinic (and not a private practice), I've noticed that he takes a lot of vacation and time off, so it can sometimes be a slight challenge to get in to see him. But he is a fantastic ped, so I'm more than willing to work around his schedule.

We interviewed our ped a few weeks before I was due and asked many of the questions posted above. But really, we chose him because he was recommended by someone I trust, and we had a really good feel about him from talking to him.

[emschwar]

Here's a word file of questions I assembled from a bunch of different sites. It's pretty all inclusive - http://home.comcast.net/~emily.schwartz/Pediatrician_Questions.doc

[BeachBum]

Wow guys. Good info! So many things on there I hadn't thought of.

Thanks for sharing that document,emschwar. It was very helpful.

[jh124]

Wow guys. Good info! So many things on there I hadn't thought of.

Thanks for sharing that document,emschwar. It was very helpful.
Just have to echo this. Great checklist!

[ktdelsur]

Bumping for those of us looking for extra questions to ask our peds at interviews coming soon!

Thanks.

[emschwar]

I'm going to add this to the list of frequently used threads in the sticky. Hopefully more people will find it that way. (And I'll stop having to look up that link again everytime, since I never remember what it is :) )

[jasonsgal]

I am preggo and due in mid-January. We are new to this area and our drs. office gave us a list of recommended pediatricians. In this area you can schedule a meet and greet with potential pediatricians and ask them questions.

Can anyone recommend some questions that we should ask?

Thanks so much!

Karen

[kindermom]

I pulled questions from here as well as from quite a few web sites. I asked nearly every question on this list and then some.

Good luck!

Questions for the pediatrician
Pediatrician Background, Credentials, Experience
When and where did the pediatrician complete medical school and residency?
Are they a member of the American Academy Of Pediatrics or any other specialty organization?
How long has the pediatrician been in practice?
Does the pediatrician have any areas of subspecialty?
What hospitals does the pediatrician have privileges at?
How soon after the baby is born will the pediatrician come to see it at the hospital?
How does the pediatrician feel about mothers calling in after hours over "little things"?
Is there a specific time during the day that the doctor will take phone calls?

Office Logistics
Is the office conveniently located for less travel time with a sick child? Does the practice have multiple offices you can visit?
What are the office hours and is there any early morning or late evening hours for working parents?
How long in advance must you book appointments?
Are there any diagnostic facilities on site such as X-rays, blood work, etc.?
What lab work can be performed at the pediatrician's office?
Is there a specific time during the day that the doctor will take phone calls, and how does the office handle your phone in questions? Do you return every call?
Does the doctor answer any general questions by email?
How does the office deal with after hours emergencies?
Is there a 24 hour answering services that can connect you to a doctor?
Who covers for the doctor when they are on vacation?
Does the office mail out reminders for scheduled immunizations and checkups?
Does a pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) work in your office?
• Many parents like to work with PNPs, as they often spend more time with them, and their fees are lower than a doctor's.
Do you charge for phone calls?
• Most physicians do not charge for these calls, but some do. Typically, most parents of firstborn children call frequently.
What is the scheduled length of your appointments?
• The closer her appointments are (10 to 15 minutes apart, rather than 20 or 30 minutes, for instance), the more likely it is you'll do some waiting, as well as be rushed through your appointment when you do see your health care provider.
Do you have a "sick-child" waiting room?
If you share a practice, will I always see you?
How long do patients typically have to wait before each appointment?
How far in advance do well-child exams have to be scheduled?
If the child has an urgent illness, what process do
When during the day is the office busiest? It may be difficult to find an open time slot to make appointments at these busy times.
Will the doctor come to the hospital to examine the baby after she is born?

Fees, Methods of Payment
Does the pediatrician accept your insurance?
How are insurance claims handled, and will the pediatrician bill your insurance company directly.
Do they accept checks and credit cards?
What happens if you miss a scheduled visit? Can you easily reschedule?

Philosophy
What is your philosophy about child rearing?
• Do many of the mothers in your practice breastfeed their babies successfully?
• Do you think children should be fed on a schedule?
• Sleep in the same bed with their parents?
• Wean at a particular time?
• What is your usual recommendation for babies who cry when they're put to sleep at night?
• What is your philosophy about antibiotics or other medication for children who have colds or other ailments?
• What is your opinion about infant vaccinations or circumcision?
How often do you want to see the baby in the first year? Why?
• Pediatricians more than family practitioners will schedule several "well-child" visits for your child. Pediatricians believe this to be a form of preventive care and an opportunity for parent education. Feel free to discuss in advance with your doctor or nurse the purpose of these "well-child" visits, so that you can decide what's appropriate for your child's care.
Is the doctor willing to refer you to a specialist if your child needs extra care?
Does the pediatrician focus on disease prevention and in what major ways?
How will the pediatrician monitor the developmental progress of your baby?
What kinds of educational materials on safety and injury prevention are available?
Does the pediatrician believe in the importance of vaccines? (Note: timely use of vaccines is considered critically important by most major health authorities.)

[Ole Miss Bride]

Wow, kindermom! Awesome list! I'm totally printing that out and using it myself. Thanks!

-Betsy

[jasonsgal]

kindermom -

Thank you soo much!! DH and I have been struggling trying to gather information -- pretty hard since this is our first babe and his jaw dropped when he saw your list. We feel so much more prepared now!!

Thank you!

Karen

[cagey]

bumping to see there's anything else out there!

Also, did you call or visit with these questions?

[Asha]

i'm not a parent, but i ask any dr. if they are board certified.

[Aletheia]

I know this wasn't in your original question, but I thought I'd chime in to say you could also get a family doctor. The same questions would apply, obviously.

Why consider a family doc? You could see the same doctor as your baby-- this can be not only practically efficient (one appointment instead of two!) but can be good for those early months when you still aren't quite two separate people-- esp. if you are breastfeeding. Plus, your child can continue to see the family doctor for as long as they live in the same place.

Just a thought from the wife of a soon-to-be family doctor!

[kiki61872]

I know this wasn't in your original question, but I thought I'd chime in to say you could also get a family doctor. The same questions would apply, obviously.

Why consider a family doc? You could see the same doctor as your baby-- this can be not only practically efficient (one appointment instead of two!) but can be good for those early months when you still aren't quite two separate people-- esp. if you are breastfeeding. Plus, your child can continue to see the family doctor for as long as they live in the same place.

Just a thought from the wife of a soon-to-be family doctor!


we do! and we are VERY happy with our choice - although to my suprise not many people understand our choice. both of us use this doctor as well as my dad and my brother. i feel knowing my family history is very important. the practice is small which i like and i also like all the doctors there.
many pedi practices that i contacted have a million docs there and have long wait times. i didnt want to feel rushed or like i was bothering them with questions which is the impression i got with a number of pedi practices i contacted. our doc is right on the same page as us on a number of baby issues. the times i have called the office to ask a question - i can get him on the phone and not have to speak to a nurse (nothing against nurses!!)
i just love it.

[Ohana]

Cagey We just called the Ped and arranged a meet and greet. They generally set aside 30 minutes to meet with us and answer questions, talk about their practice and their philosophy, etc.

One thing I would be certain to clarify is who do you call after hours? In our case, we are transferred to an answering service, who puts us through to the pediatric nurses at a local Children's Hospital. They are very knowledgable, but I don't really think we would ever get the opportunity to speak to the ped after hours.

[ginandchris]

bump

[Camdynlyn]

bumping!

[cagey]

I found one of the most 'telling' questions was asking them what books/schools of thought they recommeded for new parents for things like development, general discipline, what to expect, etc.

Most recommended the AAP book or something similar, but I had one recommend that I subscribe to Child Magazine. Ummmm....that's fine for things like how to turn down birthday party invites, but NOT what I was looking for in terms of overall childrearing guidelines :rolleyes:

[amtaylor]

I found that a lot of the practices in our area actually charge for after hour phone calls and then just tell you to go to the ER. We searched for a long time and were finally able to find a practice that doesn't charge for calls, is open 7 days, and will come into the office to see you after hours before they send you to the ER. They are capable of giving fluids and other things that Urgent Care centers do at that time, so that's really helpful.

[Wrighty26]

We just did some interviews and found of ped. I found it was really important to ask how the Dr. felt about working mothers-- since I'll be going back to work, pretty much full time, soon after the baby is born.

I did find that some Drs still hold the philosophy that mothers should stay at home-- and while that would be AWESOME it's not doable for us.

What I also really liked about the Dr. we picked is that he has 5 children (ages 10-27). He also highly regards a mother's instinct.... and told my husband that he needs to accept that we are always right when it comes to our babies/kids ;)

[Camdynlyn]

I just took a while to go through the list and make a word file with our questions. We will see a pediatrician tomorrow (same one that amtaylor goes to). They have group information sessions about 2 times a month and they let 9-10 couples come. I have a feeling most of my questions will be answered through the information session but I was told to come with questions I have specifically.

Thanks for all the help!

[ejs]

Bumping! Anyone have additional questions they care to share? Thanks!

[LyLMyssChaos]

The only downside(and a word of caution about) to having a Family Practice doctor is when you end up in a situation like ours; my parents, siblings, myself, my DH and my kids, all have the same doctor, but my dad received a phone call that said he was no longer with his current practice. He has taken a leave of absence, so now we are all left scrambling to find a new doctor, which will not be easy because he has been our doctor for more than 20 years (we even have his home address, home email, etc.) We are hoping he can refer us to a new doctor, but in the meantime, I have a newborn, a toddler, a 3 year old and myself with chronic health issues that no longer have a doctor!

I would love to see that list that emschwar posted, but I don't have the proper program! Is there anyone that has it that could either save it in another format for me, or just PM me the list? I would appreciate it so much! My kids are all due for well baby visits and my 6 week old hasn't been seen since the day he left the hospital!

[emschwar]

Here's the list of questions.
Pediatrician Questions
· What is your pediatric background?
· Do you have a subspecialty or area of pediatric interest? If so, what is it?
· How old is the doctor? If older, how long do they intend to keep practicing?
· Will your child be examined by the same physician each time or by all the doctors in the group on a rotating basis? Rotating, of course, provides a number of professional opinions, but you'll have less opportunity to develop a personal relationship.
· Ask if your baby will see the doctor, a nurse practitioner, or other service provider during routine visits. You'll want regular contact with a single party with whom you and your child can develop a relationship. If the doctor herself sees patients only for emergencies, you may want to look around since you will both be far more comfortable in an emergency situation with your baby's regular physician.

· Do you and this pediatrician share similar views about topics such as circumcision, breastfeeding, single parents, and working mothers? If not, is she open to different opinions or other approaches?
· How does the doctor support breastfeeding?
· What is the office policy for routine blood testing?
· What is the doctor's opinion of newborn sleeping arrangements?
· When does the doctor recommend starting solid foods?
· What is the doctor's view on weaning?
· What is the policy on immunizations?
· Is there anything you would like to know about my family?
· What resources do you recommend I use for learning about my baby?
· How does the doctor help you understand your child's development?
· How often will you see the doctor for well-baby checkups?
· How does the doctor recommend you prepare an older child for an office visit?
· What does the doctor do to help older children not dread a trip to the doctor?
· How does the office handle phone inquiries? Does it set aside specific times for parents to call in with questions or is there an open advice line during office hours? And if staff members handle the inquiries, do they dispense their own advice or relay the doctor's?
· If I have a minor question, when is the best time to call?
· Will the doctor come to the phone during office hours?
· If I cannot speak with you, who will handle my questions?
· Is there a telephone hour before or after the work day?
· Ask the doctor how accessible she is, whether she's available to take calls during the day and evening, how quickly she gets back to parents, how reliable her answering service is.

· How flexible is the doctor's schedule? You may prefer a pediatrician who regularly sees patients in the evenings or on weekends.
· What are the office hours?
· Are there other partners?
· Under what circumstances would we see another doctor in the practice?
· For an emergency during office hours, would arrangements be made so we could see you, or would we see whichever doctor had openings?
· What is the average waiting time for appointments?
· How long do I have to wait to get an appointment for a non-emergency issue?

· How are appointments handled for children who are sick with a contagious illness? Some practices schedule those children at different times from kids coming in for well-baby/well-child medical checkups; others offer a separate door or waiting room from which the contagious can enter and exit.
· Are there separate waiting areas for sick and well children?
· Are there separate toys for sick kids and healthy ones?

· How do you reach the doctor in an after-hours emergency? When the doctor is not on call, who covers for her? Will the answering service contact her immediately, and how quickly does someone respond to your call? Also, will you hear from her specifically or someone else outside the practice?
· What is the procedure for emergencies at night or on weekends?
· How do I reach you after hours or during an emergency?
· To what hospital do you admit patients?
· How often are you on call?
· Who decides if my situation is an emergency?

· How does the practice handle payments, billing, laboratory charges, and insurance claims?
· What are the standard fees? How is payment handled?
· What HMO or insurance is the doctor affiliated with?
· Are lab tests/blood work done onsite, or will we have to drive somewhere else for these?

· Also, pay attention to such intangibles as the doctor's style. Do you want a pediatrician who offers choices and lets you decide which one works best for you? Or would you be more comfortable with one who gives a lot of direction?
· Pay attention to how well your doctor focuses on your needs, how well you feel your questions have been answered, and whether or not you feel rushed or your concerns are brushed aside.

· Perhaps less important, but certainly worth noting, is the overall atmosphere of the office and the ease of parking.
· Is the waiting room clean?
· What is there to do in the waiting room to keep children entertained? Safe toys for all ages? TV? (What’s showing on the tv? Is it suitable for younger kids, or is it geared more towards older ones?)
· How often are waiting room toys cleaned?

[LyLMyssChaos]

Oh thank you so much!!

[mommydearest]

Here is my list so far...

Questions for pediatrician

1. Do you have children?


Well-Baby Visits
1. Do you come to the hospital? Do we need to call you or will they do it?
2. What hospitals do you have privileges for?
3. When first seen?
4. How often?
5. Will we see the same doctor each time?
6. Do you recommend the AAP immunization schedule? Delayed Hep.?
7. Do you recommend feeding on a schedule or on demand?
8. How much weight gain?
9. When do you recommend formula over breastfeeding?
10. How long do you recommend breastfeeding?
11. If we do need formula, what kind?
12. Do you recommend a particular pacifier or type of bottle once breastfeeding is established?
13. When do you suggest starting solid foods?
14. For sleep, what do you recommend? (CIO, rocking…etc.)
15. Do you recommend the baby sleep in parents’ room or in a crib?
16. For a daycare or sports physical form, do we need an office visit?
17. How long do you typically schedule appointments for?
18. Can I get well-baby visits on Saturdays?
19. What are the first and last appointments?
20. How far in advance do we need to schedule well-child visits?
21. When should I call with questions?
22. How long do I need to wait to take the baby places?
23. Can you recommend a lactation consultant?
24. How is insurance billed?
25. Are you a LabOne draw site? How do we handle this?
26. Any books I should read?
27. Do you send remiders of visits or immunizations due?
28. What happens if we miss a visit?

Sick Visits
1. What to do if child is sick?—Can she be seen the same day?
2. Can my mom bring her?
3. How high for a fever before she needs to be seen?
4. What is your thoughts on antibiotics?
5. Does an NP work here? If the baby is sick, who do we see?
6. Do you charge for phone calls?
7. Who covers weekend and after hours emergencies?
8. Who calls back with questions?
9. How do you handle referrals if we need to see a specialist?
10. Can you handle small emergencies in the office?

[magrat]

My only advice is to pick a few of the questions that are most important to you and focus on those. There just won't be time to discuss every parenting issue, as well as office hours and so on. For instance, I asked about vaccines and circumcision. The first ped I interviewed prefaced everything with "The American Academy of Pediatrics says..." and I couldn't get her own opinion at all. She seemed rather dismissive, or uncertain of her own authority. The second one I interviewed had a very intelligent discussion with me on both topics and spoke to me like I was an intelligent adult. I'm confident that even if we disagree on something down the road, she will be informed on the subject and will be able to discuss it with me.

[jenji]

Such great questions, ladies!! This is exactly what I was looking for!

[Rosebud]

Great thread- I'm compiling a list of questions to ask potential pediatricians.

Question: Did the doctors you interviewed meet with you one on one? I just set an appointment to meet a pediatrician who comes very highly recommended by my OB and moms I've spoken with online. He sounds perfect on paper and is right down the street from me. However, he only does group consultations for prospective parents and the next one isn't until January. Is this normal for busy city practices or would it turn you off?

[EJH]

Rosebud...

I know our friends found their ped through a group session like you are talking about...they've been happy though with their choice.

The practice we use, at least in our case we met with one of the Nurse Pracs, rather than the ped. She answered every question a doc would have, and there are 2 NPs that pretty much run the peds office we use.

[katmg]

I was able to have a one-on-one (well, DH was there too, but he didn't ask much! ;)) with my ped. But, I know in our area, pediatricians often have a "happy hour" for meeting new patients - usually in the evenings, in a group setting.

I think I'd be more annoyed by the fact that the next meet and greet isn't until January than I would by having to meet in a group setting.

[mommydearest]

After meeting with 2 peds in 9 months, I have a couple more suggestions:

If you want to breastfeed---ask if the doctor breastfed her own children and/or pumped when she went back to work. There is a huge difference on how hard one might work with you if she breastfed her own children than if he/she formula fed. I picked a doc at first that actively pumped for more than a year. We didn't end up staying with her for other reasons that had nothing to do with her, but she was VERY helpful about nursing suggestions before DD was born.

Many doctors who did not breastfeed are not as up to date on it as you might like. We talked about it this week at my breastfeeding group, and about the crazy things doctors told people there. When you are already having trouble, having a doctor hand you a can of formula is probably not the most encouraging thing! Some docs also had their patients supplement a lot in the beginning, which can hurt the milk supply and frustrate you. One person's doc even suggested Gatorade as supplement to nursing. Needless to say, she found a new doc immediately.

Also, if you aren't sure about vaccination schedule, communicate with the doctor about it. Some doctors are more rigid than others. You want to figure this out now, and not while you are being pressured in an office visit.

I live in a small town, so some people I know are friends with the middle-school age children of my doc. They are nice kids. While this isn't always indicative of anything, I feel more comfortable in her parenting advice knowing that she has raised 2 great kids.

Good luck. Know that whoever you pick, you can always change if you don't feel right after the first real visit.

[Rosebud]

EJH & katmg- Thanks for the feedback! I'm bummed to have to wait until January, but maybe I'll interview another ped or two in the meantime, just to have backup. It's good to know that these group meetings aren't uncommon.

[Rosebud]

Just wanted to update that we had our group meet-and-greet and it was great. There were five couples there, not so many that it felt impersonal in any way.

We went in with a short list of questions to ask the pediatrician (all taken from this thread)- just the things that were most critical for us to know. When we arrived we were given a welcome letter that addressed many of the most important questions-- insurance coverage, hospital affiliation, sick appointments, after-hours calls, etc.-- which was great because we didn't have to scribble down notes through the whole meeting.

The questions we went in with (and he addressed most of these before we even had to ask):

Do you offer same day sick appointments?
Do you have any late or weekend hours?
What happens if I need advice after hours? Is a doctor available on-call to talk to me?
What hospital is the pediatrician affiliated with?
Are there any extra charges for advice calls during the day, after hours advice calls, refilling medicines, or requests to fill out forms, etc.?
How many doctors are in the office? Will I always see my own doctor?
How long is a typical appointment?
Are there separate sick and well waiting rooms?
Is there a children's play area in the waiting room?
What is your basic philosophy on discipline, potty training, immunizations, prescribing antibiotics, etc.?
What are your thoughts on circumcision?

And another one that any of you who live in a city should ask: What's the parking situation? Turns out the one bad thing about this pediatrician is that there's only valet parking at the office, so $15 a pop every time we go there. But he did tell us about some meters that aren't too far away. It's good to know this up front, though.

In the end, a lot of it comes down to how comfortable you feel with the doctor's personality and his/her general philosophy, I think. That's why it's so great to meet them in person before you commit.

[Annette]

bumping

[tandt]

Bumping up for our meet-and-greet for a prospective ped.