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Choosing a provider who is competent, caring, and meets your needs as a parent is one of the most important decisions you will make.

Understanding what’s most important to you
Start your search for the pediatrician, family practitioner, or pediatric nurse practitioner who is right for you and your family by thinking about what you need and what you look for in a health care provider.
Is it important for you to find a health care provider who:

• is close to where you live?


• is close to where you work?


• has convenient hours to schedule appointment times?


• is covered by your insurance?


• has appropriate certifications and training?


• has a qualified, caring, and friendly staff?


• feels the same as you do about issues such as breastfeeding, circumcision, and immunizations?

Who will your health insurance cover?
Make sure that you understand how your health insurance coverage will work with certain providers.  For more information on this topic, see Payment…It’s Time for Health Insurance.

Ask around
Ask for recommendations for a health care provider for your baby from people whose opinion you trust--your obstetrician, nurse-midwife, relatives, or friends with children.  You can also contact local hospitals and medical schools for recommendations, or you can request a list of board certified pediatricians from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Visit and become acquainted
You want to make sure that the doctor you have chosen is the right one for you.  Therefore, it’s important to call the office and make an appointment to get to know the doctor, staff, office, and to ask questions.

1. The telephone call
This is the initial contact between you and the physician or staff.  When you call, ask about basic practice procedures such as office hours, telephone hours, fees, hospital affiliations, night and weekend coverage, billing, and emergency care.  They may have a sheet or booklet they can mail you that describes practice procedures and what services they provide.

2. The brief visit to get acquainted
Make an appointment to visit the pediatrician’s office to meet the doctor and staff and tour the facility.This visit usually lasts 5 to 10 minutes.Look around to see how busy the office is, if there is a separate waiting area for sick children and well children, and to get a feel for the office and staff.Are they warm and friendly? Do they wash their hands before and after they come into contact with children? Is the doctor someone you can talk to easily?

3. The full prenatal visit
This is a regularly scheduled appointment with both parents present, if possible. You will be able to go over procedures, ask questions, and discuss any concerns you may have. This is an especially important visit if:

• this is your first pregnancy
• you are a young parent


• you have complications or other anticipated problems
• you are anxious for any reason
• you are adopting

For more information
There are many computer resources you can use to help you find a health care provider for you and your family. Click on the links below to begin your search for your child’s health care provider.

Choosing a doctor for your child
KidsHealth, an organization sponsored by the Nemours Foundation, has a web site devoted to deciding on medical care for you and your family. This article explains the different options you have for medical care providers and suggests how to begin your search, gives examples of important questions to ask, and tells you what the doctor’s office should look like. http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/system/doctor/find_ped.html
The American Medical Association will help you search for a physician in your area.
http://www.ama-assn.org/aps/amahg.htm

Visit Children’s National Medical Center to find a doctor near you. http://164.109.176.237/AboutProgramsAndServices/LocatorMapPoint.asp

The National Association of county and city health clinics will help you find a local health department in your area with the state directory of local health departments. http://www.naccho.org/GENERAL8.cfm

Finding a clinic
The Bureau of Primary Health Care, which is part of the Health Resources and Services Administration of the US Department of Health and Human Services, can help you find a medical clinic near you.
http://www.bphc.hrsa.gov/databases/fqhc/default.htm

Does this doctor provide quality health care? The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has an article entitled, “The Doctor Will See You Now — What You Should Know About Your Doctor’s Education” that tells you about three major areas that determine a doctor’s qualifications to practice medicine.