Choosing the Right Medical Care for Baby

Choosing the medical care for your baby is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. This provider will provide you with important advice and monitor your child growth for many years. She will listen to your concerns, guide you through the trials and tribulations of childhood and answer questions that others will not be able to. She will be your best friend when your child is sick. Her advice is invaluable.

Parents have several choices when it comes to quality medical care for baby.

Pediatricians
A pediatrician is a medical specialty which focuses on the physical, emotional, and social health of children from birth through adolescence. The primary focus of pediatrics is on preventive health care, but this professional will also help you when problems arise. These specialized doctors complete 4 years of medical school and then must complete 3 years of pediatric residency. A pediatrician must pass a written examination given by the American Board of Pediatrics to become board certified. Pediatricians must re certify by taking examinations every 7 years. Therefore, pediatricians must keep up-to-date on changes in children's health care. They must also take a certain number of medical education courses each year to be eligible for license renewal in the state where he or she practices.
Some pediatricians become specialists in particular areas, which may be, cardiology, critical care or emergency medicine, or hematology. Thus, they usually have between 1 to 3 years of additional training after their residency to be board-certified in their subspecialty.
Family Physicians
Some families choose to maintain their family physician for the care of baby. Family physicians must complete their medical school, just as pediatricians. They also must complete 3 years of residency. While residents they train in pediatrics and several other areas, which may include internal medicine, orthopedics, and obstetrics and gynecology. They usually spend several months training in each area. They are required to take a certifying examination of the American Board of Family Medicine. They are also required to earn continuing medical education credits and take periodic re-certification examinations.
Family physicians are qualified to care for patients of all ages. The family physician would treat all members of the family. Your child would be able to see the same doctor from birth through adulthood.. A family physician will know the medical histories of all family members and may also be more aware of the family situations including, emotional and social issues within your family that can affect not only baby’s health, but all other members of the family.
Be sure to ask about age policies because some family physicians see only a few children or don't see children younger than a certain age.
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Another choice is the pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP). These professionals generally have a master's degree in nursing and have special training in obtaining medical histories, performing physical examinations making medical diagnoses, and providing counseling and treatment. They may specialize in a particular area, such as neurology or endocrinology. They always work closely with doctors in hospitals, clinics, and private practices. The numbers of PNP's is growing each year and are excellent alternative choices.
There are advantages of using a pediatric nurse practitioner. PNP's spend more time with them than doctors discussing health and child care issues. They are knowledgeable, work under the supervision of doctors. If a parent wants to see only the doctor or feel the doctor should be consulted after the PNP has seen your child, most practices will honor the request.

Always choose the doctor before the baby is born.

Make a list of questions to ask the doctor before the baby is born. Fill out the necessary forms and provide the necessary insurance papers. Be sure the doctor knows as much as she can about your family and your pregnancy. You might do this in a conversation with the doctor or simply submit a letter to the doctor with the filled out forms.

Consider some of these questions, but add your own personal questions before placing your call to the doctor.

Interview Questions
1. What are the office hours? Flexibility of the doctor's schedule may be a concern, especially if you work outside the home; you may prefer a doctor who offers weekend and evening hours.
2. Is this a solo or group practice? If it's a solo practice and your doctor is not available on weekends or evenings, what are his or her coverage arrangements? If it's a group practice, ask about the qualifications of the other doctors in the office. Who will see your child if your doctor is on vacation or otherwise unavailable?
3. Does a PNP work in the office? How does he or she fit into the practice arrangement?
4. With which hospitals is your doctor affiliated? It is important to know the reputation of the hospital and the nearness to your home.
5. Will your doctor come to the hospital when you deliver to examine the baby once he or she is born? If your baby needs to be hospitalized, who will care for him there?
6. How does the office handle phone inquiries during and after hours? Is it an answering service and will they give immediate information to the doctor regarding your needs. Does the doctor give you his/her cell phone number?
7. Are special times set aside for parents to call in with questions or is there an open advice line (usually staffed by a "phone nurse") during working hours? How are after-hours calls handled? How quickly can you expect a call back from the doctor on call after you have contacted the answering service?
8. Are after-hours calls routed to a "nurse-on-call" system? This is a service that employs a staff of nurses to give parents advice about how to handle most common childhood illnesses. If your child's illness is thought to be serious, the nurse will transfer the call to your child's doctor or a covering physician, or advise you to go directly to the emergency room. Otherwise, a record of the call will be relayed to your child's doctor the next day.