Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Is it just me, or do doctors nowadays seem too busy to be bothered with being personable? It feels like it's been a LONG time since my girls have had a doctor that really took the time to make sure I had all my questions answered (I miss you, Dr. Wise! With your superb bedside manner, friendly personality, awesome waiting area, papers to take home with measurements and shots given, information sheets for shots...I haven't seen your equal in the last four years...). And what IS it with doctor's offices being COLD too? We've got KIDS people. Come on.
I think any doctor's office that cares for children, should:
- have toys or children's books in their waiting room
- talk TO the kids
- TALK to the parents
- and listen to the parents' input and concerns
- make sure the parents are done talking before you leave the room!
Is that so strange?
So, here's some food for thought. If you were looking for a new doctor and calling around, what would you ask the doctor's office if you could only ask TWO questions? What do you think would be the most telling questions to ask that would help you know what kind of office you were dealing with? What kind of questions would accomplish this without the receptionist having to say, "Um, let me check on that. Can I have your number?" (Which has happened to me, by the way...)
Okay, rant over. But seriously, I would love your input on questions to ask!
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- Open to alternative vaccinations schedules? (As in can I do one per month instead of five billion at once?)
- Feelings about out of hospital births? (Do they respect midwives or think they're a menace to society?)
- How quickly get in for sick kid visit? (I want same day, preferably that morning.)
- View on antibiotics?
- If I feel my child needs to see a specialist do they give me a hard time or immediately call in the referral?
- Do they make the effort to speak to my child and ensure they are comfortable with any procedure? Do they sit down and ask me what questions I have? Will they return phone calls themselves when I have questions their nurses cannot answer?
- Do they give me parenting advice? I go to a doctor for medical advice, not to get their opinions on parenting so I appreciated when my doctor pointed out I have more kids than her (by a lot) and she wasn't going to give me any parenting advice. :)
I hope you'll find the right fit for your family!
I would use recommendations. Maybe that isn't helpful, but that is how I found both my OBs, and it really helped.
I also prefer Family Doctors to Pediatricians. Then they know the whole family better.
I like Heidi's question about alternative vaccination schedules. Actually, reading through her questions, um....DITTO.
ONE reason doctors' offices are always cold is that it keeps things sterile and...well, physically less exciting. True, when it comes to kids, maybe it could be warmer. But it's the same idea behind why patients often wear a hospital gown--it makes them more like patients to the doctor than a friend.
Am I being too vague? It's prevention of letting anyone be too sexy or get too excited. That's all.
That's what I learned when I asked (because I was super annoyed at being cold and wearing an ugly hospital flap-of-a-gown).
I hated our last pediatrician's office (but had to go to them because of insurance), but LOVE our new one. And I just went off of a recommendation--that really is your best bet. I like the question about getting sick kids in to be seen, and then I would see if you can talk to the pediatrician in person in an interview situation before going there. I've heard that you can do that, and that can help a lot.