When looking for a pediatrician who’s a good fit for your family, it can be hard to know what to look for. Obviously, you want one who is knowledgeable and provides the best care possible for you child, but you might not know what services to consider. Read on for the 5 top services to look for in a pediatrician.
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After Hours
When considering pediatricians, make sure to look for what type of care they provide when they are not open. The last thing you want is to have a medical situation with your child come up after hours only to have no idea who to contact. Pediatricians will likely list on their website what procedures you should follow when you need to contact them and the office is closed. If it is important for you to be able to contact a staff member after hours, make sure to check if you can at each pediatrician’s office you are looking at.
Telehealth
The option of telehealth visits can be helpful if you are someone who would prefer to not go into the office for each visit. Telehealth visits are convenient if you are often traveling and you have found it difficult to schedule appointments. They are also great if your child or someone they are around is immunocompromised. Although not all visits can be done via telehealth, certain ones, such as for minor medical issues or mental health checks, can be done over video call. If you would be interested in telehealth visits, ask the pediatrician if they perform these and if so for what types of visits.
Lactation Support
If you are an expecting mother or plan to breastfeed a child in the future, you may want to see what type of lactation support the pediatrician provides. Pediatric offices often have a lactation consultant on staff or will recommend one to their patients. It can be more convenient to have one at the office so you are able to schedule appointments with them before or after your baby’s wellness check-ups. Often moms that want to breastfeed but are unsuccessful is a result of them being unsupported and not having enough resources. Seeing a lactation consultant helps set you up for a successful breastfeeding journey.
Parent Resources
As much as their job is to keep your child healthy, it is also a pediatrician’s job to support the parents as best as they can. When interviewing potential pediatricians, make sure to ask what type of support they offer to parents. This is especially important if this is your first child and you will want as many resources available as possible. A pediatrician should give you a list of helpful resources as well as be willing to answer any questions you may have. Being a first time parent is a stressful time and you will want to find the best support system possible, including a helpful pediatrician.
Sick Visits
You never know when your child will come down with something, so you will want to know what the pediatrician’s procedures are for sick visits. When your child is sick, you will want to get them in to see a doctor as quickly as possible. What is even better is being able to bring them to see a familiar doctor when they are sick. Ask pediatricians you are interviewing if they offer same-day sick visits when possible.
We hope that keeping these services in mind will help you to better narrow your search down for a pediatrician. To find a list of pediatricians nearby search ‘pediatrician Joplin MO’ or your city. From here, you can search the websites of pediatric offices in your area for the types of services they offer. Once you find a pediatrician that offers the services you are looking for, you can schedule a visit and see if they are a good fit for you and your child.
