Pediatrician Search

I have been so focused on finding the right doctors for my prenatal care and delivery in Raleigh, that I honestly had not even thought about the importance of finding a pediatrician. At my first appointment with Triangle OB/GYN they could not stress enough how important it was that I start the interview process immediately and I then learned that in order to registered with the Wake Med Birthing Center I also had to have one lined up! And I was already 10 weeks late registering with Wake Med!

And then I learn that the doctors fill up, only taking so many new patients a year, and as I was so behind it might be hard for me to get into anyone good!

I immediately got a stack of business cards from Triangle and started setting up appointments, asking around and checking out online reviews. I was only told by practices that they were not taking patients so that gave me a place to start. I seriously miss Yelp in San Francisco when it comes to times like these! Although there are some pretty decent local resources with reviews, etc. I scheduled my first interview appointment and then realized that I had NO IDEA what to ask about or look for. Luckily Jane (oldest, dearest friend and mother of 2 ... or is it 5?) called me back immediately and started going over the list of interview questions and things to watch out for as I was driving to the interview.

It is a different experience to be in a new town on a doctor search. When I was a child in Tennessee I think that I went to the only pediatrician in Gatlinburg, or at least the one that everyone we knew went to ... and then when we moved to Alabama I never really established a pediatrician. Quite honestly, I wasn't sure what all the fuss was about.

But then I started paying a little more attention and realized the complexity of the pediatric relationship. We are luckily on a PPO so most of the concerns of many parents do not apply to us directly, but if we were on an HMO it would be very different.

Then things started to click ... such as the fact that we want a doctor owned practice as opposed to a practice owned by a large medical network that has really been created to operate within the HMO system. So then even if you have a PPO you are only referred to their internal HMO specialists etc. Wow. This whole conversation about health care is suddenly effecting my life in a different way. I've been lucky enough since we were married to be able to go to any doctor I wanted and not really needed anything special. But when you are thinking about being able to provide the best health care for your child with OPTIONS it is a whole different story.

I am an avid supporter of Health Care reform and a Public Health Care System (the result of being uninsured most of my life and afraid to go to the doctor due to the cost) and I know things are going to be changing. But for now I have to make decisions based on the existing system.

So there is the canvas where we start our search, and I haven't even added the questions or concerns yet! I generally asked about walk in hours, on call systems, specialties, labs, vaccination schedules, use of antibiotics, developmental testing, alternative treatments, etc. Some of the interviews are done in a group whereas other interviews are individual, depending on the practice.

In my first group interview I felt like such the California mom - really I did. The other mothers to be (all first timers) were on an entirely different page. I was a little bit shocked at the lack of concern about the questions I had vs. "Does it cost extra to call in after hours." (Which of course it does not!) One mother to be looked at me and said "Why wouldn't you want to give your child antibiotics whenever it would make them feel better? If your insurance covers it?" and I just wanted to SCREAM "So they will work when the child actually NEEDS THEM for something that won't heal in two days!" Has this woman not read a single article about antibiotics or watched the news over the past 10-15 years? Really?

Luckily the doctor helped me out quickly and explained that it isn't prudent to get antibiotics for ever ear infection as they usually just take a day longer to heal on their own, etc. Needless to say I immediately started liking this doctor, Dr. Erin Wooten of Oberlin Road Pediatrics.

She continued to answer all of my questions in an educated and genuine manner (and with answers that I agreed with, which always helps!). I think I found the right place and at least plan to start at Oberlin Road.

I wonder what this experience would have been like in a small town? Without 2 medical schools and other various medical facilities in the immediate area? Or if I was in Huntsville, would I have just gone with the doctor that all my friends were using? Would I have known to ask these questions? Would it have mattered? Will health care change so much in the next few years that this interview and research process will have been pointless for Thriller's long term care?

It is a strange and ongoing process, getting ready for a baby. Lots to do, lots to learn.