Better healthcare, less driving. How to choose a pediatrician with an all-in-one solution.
Choosing a pediatrician is a decision that will impact you and your family for years to come, so it shouldn’t be taken lightly. When thinking about how to choose a pediatrician, or how to find a good pediatrician, keep in mind the importance of selecting one that meets your needs. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), a newborn should have at least ten scheduled visits between the first week of life and their second birthday, and that’s without accounting for any potential illness or injury. You’re going to spend a lot of time with your pediatrician, so you’ll want to make sure to choose the right one. Here are a few things we recommend looking out for.
Your Pediatrician’s Style and Personality
The good news here is that pediatricians are, generally speaking, good with kids and good with families. They probably wouldn’t have become pediatricians otherwise, but that doesn’t mean that every provider is the right fit for every patient. Finding a doctor whose style of care and personality meshes well with yours will be paramount to a successful relationship as your newborn grows. While those first two years are particularly rapid-fire, you’re likely to continue visiting your pediatrician for well-checks and illnesses throughout your child’s life.
If you’ve taken care in choosing your baby’s healthcare provider, those visits can be a source of comfort and continuity rather than a source of anxiety. In addition to immunizations and wellness checks, your pediatrician can provide guidance and help you navigate those tenuous early months and years of parenthood. Even the most well-prepared among us is bound to encounter confusing, unexpected, or frightening scenarios, and you want a provider with whom you’re comfortable asking the questions that keep you up at night.
What questions should parents ask when choosing a pediatrician? Each family’s priorities will be different, so tailor your questions to your specific needs and concerns. As you learn how to choose the right pediatrician, consider factors such as their experience, philosophy on healthcare, and availability during emergencies.
What that means for you is likely to be different from another person, which usually means jumping from office to office meeting potential pediatricians. To avoid moving your child’s records, it might be easier to begin at a larger practice with more than one provider. Then, if you hit it off better with one member of the practice, it will be a more seamless transition to make them your provider.
Pediatric Cost and Insurance Coverage
The last thing you need while caring for a newborn is an unexpectedly high bill because of an insurance mishap. Fortunately, most insurance plans cover pediatric visits at the same level as general practitioners, which means you can get expert care from a team of providers with three additional years of training in kids’ care without incurring any additional cost. We partner with most major insurance companies to provide access to care to as many people in our community as possible. Of course, your specific coverage may vary based on your provider and plan, so we recommend reaching out to your insurer, just to be safe.
Pediatric Care That’s Simple and Convenient
Once you remove every provider covered in your network and every provider with a personality mismatch, you should have a list of reasonably suitable options, any of whom could provide quality care for your baby.
But why settle for reasonably suitable when you deserve an amazing experience? Caring for your child should be comfortable and convenient. We’d even venture to say it should be pleasant. If that’s what you’re looking for, here are a few additional things to consider.
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Convenient Locations: A long commute to and from the doctor’s office is inconvenient in the best of times and can be disastrous in an emergency. We have offices located all around the Salt Lake valley and are expanding rapidly to serve an even wider area.
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Operating Hours: We know that new parents lead busy lives and that you may need care outside of ordinary business hours. While most of your visits can be scheduled during the 9-to-5 day, our South Jordan office is open until 8:00 P.M Monday through Friday and Saturdays from 10:00 A.M. until 2:00 P.M.
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Integrated Pediatric Care: On occasion, your pediatrician may need to call in reinforcements with specialized knowledge. With other pediatric practices, that means a referral and directions to another building across town. But, with our integrated care model, this can often be handled in a much faster and more convenient way. We offer integrated care with on-site specialists, including lactation consultants, dentists, orthodontists, and therapists. If you’re wondering how to find a pediatric dentist, our integrated care model can simplify the process. What’s more, because our providers operate as a team, there will always be someone to treat your baby, even if your usual pediatric provider isn’t available.
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Personal Touch: On top of everything else, your pediatrician’s office should go the extra mile to ensure your visits are safe, comfortable, and pleasant for you and your baby. Our offices are always clean, cheery, and spacious. Our support staff is always friendly, and our facilities offer separate entrances for sick and well patients as an added layer of precaution.
As you learn how to choose a good pediatrician, remember that the right provider should meet your needs in terms of expertise, compatibility, and convenience. Keep these factors in mind as you evaluate what to look for in a pediatrician.
At Families First Pediatrics, we know that you have one set of priorities and your children have another. Our goal is to fulfill them both. We hope that your search for a pediatrician ends here. To set up an appointment, stop in, call one one of our offices, book online, or by text, at (801) 254-9700.
Struggling with breastfeeding?
Overcome common nursing challenges and make feeding time rewarding for you and your baby by meeting with one of our friendly, experienced, IBCLC-certified lactation consultants.
Reminder: Most health insurance companies require adding your new child within 30 days of birth. Make a note to add your baby to your policy within this window to ensure all their visits are covered.
