Is It Time to Fire Your Pediatrician?

Visiting the pediatrician isn't high on any parent's list of fun things to do. When your child has special needs, those visits can be even more stressful — whether because there are serious medical issues to be addressed, or because your child can't tolerate endless hours of heel-cooling in waiting rooms and examining rooms. The time may come when you wonder whether a different doctor, a different location, a different-sized practice, or just a different set of walls to look at while you wait would be a good idea.

Take our Pediatrician Check-Up and see if may be time to give that white-coat a pink slip.

CHECK-UP: The doctor

If you can check more than a few of these, start looking into the possibility of putting someone else in charge of your child's health care.

___ My child's doctor does not treat me with respect as a fellow adult.

___ I am uncomfortable talking with my child’s doctor.

___ The doctor makes me feel like a child.

___ The doctor does not like to hear suggestions from me.

___ The doctor and I disagree about my child’s needs or diagnosis.

___ I know more about my child's diagnosis than the doctor does.

___ When there is a disagreement, the doctor does not take the time to explain his or her point of view, just dismisses mine.

___ The doctor has made negative comments about me, my child, or my family.

___ I have spoken with other parents who have a negative impression of this doctor.

___ I avoid asking questions or mentioning things I've noticed just so we can get out of there.

___ The doctor sometimes handles my child in a way that makes me uncomfortable.

___ My child is afraid of the doctor.

___ The doctor makes no effort to engage or charm my child.

___ The doctor seems annoyed by my child's behavior.

___ I'm sure I'd have an opinion about my doctor if I ever saw him or her, but we always seem to be shuffled off to a junior staff member instead.

___ I’ve heard of another doctor who might work better with me and my child.

CHECK-UP: The staff

If you can check more than a few of these, you may want to relocate to a friendlier practice.

___ The pediatrician's office does not feel welcoming to us.

___ No one ever seems to remember us from visit to visit.

___ Everybody seems to remember us, and not in a good way.

___ I have to explain my child's history over and over to multiple staff members every time I take my child to the pediatrician.

___ It's difficult to call in and get an appointment.

___ It's difficult to get information on what's going on as we wait and wait.

___ I don't like the way staff members handle my child.

___ I don't like the way staff members talk to my child.

___ I don't like the way staff members talk to me.

___ I've heard staff members talk about me and my child in a way I don't like.

___ Other parents have mentioned hearing staff members talk about me and my child.

___ The staff uses equipment like papoose boards that I don't approve of and/or without consulting me first.

___ They're always messing up the insurance and I have to make call after call.

___ They're constantly sending things to that one lab my insurance doesn't cover.

___ They've made a switch and now don't take our insurance or are out-of-network.

___ You wouldn't believe what they charge me to fill out forms for camp and sports. 

CHECK-UP: The office

If you can check more than a few of these, you may want to find a pediatrician who offers a better location or set-up.

___ I wish the office was in a different location.

___ We spend more time getting to the doctor's office and getting home than we actually spend with the doctor.

___ We spend way more time waiting to get in to see the doctor than we do with the doctor.

___ My child loses so much focus and attention during the endless wait that he or she is unable to interact with the doctor.

___ Getting to the pediatrician's office, or parking there, is stressful to me.

___ The waiting room is cramped, crowded, and/or uncomfortable.

___ The examining room is cramped, crowded, and/or uncomfortable.

___ The examining room is full of things at arm's length that my child mustn't touch.

___ Something about the office frightens my child.

___ Something about the office distracts my child.

___ When we have to wait, there is nothing for my child to do.

___ There is no wifi. How am I supposed to amuse my kid without wifi?

___ There are other pediatricians that would be easier for us to get to.

___ There are other facilities that might better suit my child’s needs.