Expectant parents often are overwhelmed with decisions: what to name the baby, which crib to purchase, and whether to breast or bottle feed. Often the very important decision of who will care for the baby’s medical needs is left to the last minute. The pediatrician should be a vital part of your new family’s life—not only as a guardian of your child’s health, but as a guide and a resource as you work your way through the process of becoming a family.

Children’s health needs differ from those of adults. This is why they need to go to pediatricians, who are trained to prevent and manage health problems in infants, children, and teens.

Established in 1930, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that parents ask the following questions when choosing among the pediatricians who are available under their health plan:
• Is the pediatrician accepting new patients with your insurance or managed care plan?
• What are the office hours?
• Is emergency coverage available 24 hours a day?
• Do nurses screen phone calls?
• Does the practice have an after-hours answering service, and is that service linked to the hospital?
• Is there access to specialists and intensive care if needed?
• How does the office handle billing and insurance claims? Is payment due at the time of the visit?

Parents also should ask about the pediatrician’s background. Does he or she have a subspecialty or area of pediatric interest? To what hospital does he or she admit patients? Is he or she board certified through the American Board of Pediatrics?

References are a good way to help choose a doctor. Talk to other people you know with children in your area—even if the children are older. Find out whom they use and what they like and dislike about their service. See if they’ve used other doctors in the area and why they switched. Keep in mind, however, that the person you’re asking may have very different requirements for a doctor than you. Find out what they were looking for when they made their choice.

An important factor in choosing a pediatrician is your comfort in speaking with her and being able to get answers to your questions in an understandable fashion. Make sure your doctor is willing to spend the time with you to answer your questions and that your doctor is able to translate from medical terminology to layman’s terms.

Remember that you want a doctor knowledgeable enough to handle both common and unusual health problems. Ask for the educational background of the doctor, how long he or she has been in practice, and how the physician keeps up to date with medical knowledge.

It’s useful to go on a physician visit with your spouse or partner so you may both get a sense of the interaction. Also, if you’re interviewing a pediatrician after childbirth, you may want to bring your child along. It could be helpful to see how your child and the doctor relate.

Finally, explore the doctor’s attitudes about things that are important to you. If you use complementary or alternative health methods or traditional health practices, ask about the pediatrician’s knowledge and acceptance of these. If you have important cultural, religious, or moral beliefs related to your child’s health care, express these to the pediatrician, and observe the response.

Remember that your choice of a pediatrician isn’t permanent. If, at any time, you aren’t satisfied with your child’s care, discuss your concerns with the pediatrician before looking at another physician. TPW