How to Choose a Pediatrician

Pediatricians have special training and skill in treating diseases and illnesses of children. They have passed special exams in order to qualify and be certified for treating infants, children, teens and young adults.

Searching for a good pediatrician begins while you are still pregnant and by middle school of your kid, you mayhave established a rapport with a good pediatrician who suits your needs. But in some cases, you may face the need to find a new pediatrician- you may be moving home or may be your doctor has retired. If you are moving to Mumbai, you may be on the lookout for a pediatric specialist in Mumbai.

Here are a few tips on how to choose your pediatrician:

• Get referrals: You may find a pediatrician by word of mouth. Get referrals from your gynecologist, nurses, relatives, friends and colleagues. Suppose the case is that your old pediatrician is retiring, get referrals from him or her. Most local medical societies also provide names of pediatricians. If you happen to be situated near a teaching or community hospital, get references of the doctors in their pediatric departments. You must collect at least three if not, a dozen names. You may even consult your insurance company for a list of doctors.
• Contact doctors: After you zero down to a few doctors, call their offices to get basic details. Check out the location of the office- this is a major consideration as you don’t want to end up in a long commute with a sick child in case of emergency. Another consideration is to check which hospital the doctor is affiliated to, as you might need emergency care in the hospital.
• Meet pediatrician face to face: By now, you will have around 3 or 4 doctors in your list. Arrange face to face meetings with all of them. When you set up a meeting or a prenatal visit, enquire whether doctor charges for such visits. Some do charge fees for first visits which may not be covered by insurance.
• Ask questions: It is important to clarify many issues in the meeting with doctors-what is the availability of the doctor? If she works in group practice, when is it convenient to consult her? In case of medical emergency, who would be on call- doctor or nurse? Do you make house calls? Does the doctor have kids of his own, especially those of the same gender as your kid? What is his qualification and experience? With which hospital is he affiliated? Does the practice accept your insurance policy?
• How do you click? It is important to have a rapport with your pediatrician. For example, some may like a young female while others may like a grandfatherly type. Some may only like doctors with parenting experience, whateveris their age. You must go along with your gut feeling about the pediatrician. After all, you have to cooperate in moments of crisis. You will want to choose from the best pediatric specialists in Mumbai.
• Check out the doctor in action: By making a prenatal visit, you can check out how the doctor and his office work. An occasional lag is OK but two delays in a row is bad news. You can make good use of your visit by chatting up parents present there about their experience with the doctor and his office. Also, get a good look of the office- is it kid friendly and suitable for waiting? But the true test of the doctor is when she actually treats your kid. You may appreciate her sense of concern or be turned off by her lack of it.

These are some ways to choose the right pediatrician for your baby.