family doc?

cookiemonster03 · December 2011

My college roommate (who I chat with once in a blue moon on FB) told me she ditched her pedi (her girls are 1 and 4) and they all see a Family Practice doc now. Thoughts? I've never heard of this, but one stop shopping sounds nice (I do love our pedi, but I need a doc anyway,and itd be nice to have someone who could see the kids if need be)

xojo1 · December 2011

I think this is what we will do when we have kids, unless they have some sort of medical issue. My brother and I both saw our family care doctor from birth until recently (he moved and I switched insurance providers). Never had a pedi. It was nice because both my parents go to him and he really knows our family history on top of being familiar with us from the very beginning. They also seem much easier to get in to see than my friends' pediatricians.

mesa81 · December 2011

I like the pedi right now because they are so good with new parents. They have nurses you can call and ask any type of silly question to. I feel like a family practitioner may not have the same rapport. We'll see as she gets older though, right now it works great.

cookiemonster03 · December 2011

Our pedi is under a mile away and has amazing hours - evening hours except on the weekend, and open Sat and Sun for sick visits. I don't want to break up with them, but I like the idea of a back up option/family prac doc for when they're teenagers etc as well. I just looked up a few and I think I'm going to call for an appointment. Is it weird to call for a physical? I've never had one other than the OB but have no idea how else to test out a practice.

xojo1 · December 2011

Not weird. I try to get a physical every other year. It's free and it definitely helps build a relationship. I actually need to set one up with my new doctor so I can meet her.

Magda has a good point, but I think that just depends on the doc. My mom has told us that when my brother was a baby and sick (he got croup a lot) our doctor would come in on the weekends to meet her after she called telenurse.

Jules08 · December 2011

This is what we do. We go to a small family practice (the three Dr's are brother and sister and then a friend).

Connor and I see the sister and DH sees the brother. It works out really nice because all of our history and info are in one place if it's ever needed.

I LOVE my doctor and would cry if I ever had to switch. She is amazing: so helpful, lot's of fun, and makes you feel extremely comfortable, etc. (I could go on and on) I trust her, she has young kids of her own, and I never even considered a pedi just because it makes sense to bring him to her.

firewife9278 · December 2011

We're definitely using a family doctor! A and I already see the same doctor (on the rare occasions that we're sick enough to see a doctor). It's an amazing practice and I'm very happy that we'll be taking H there as well.

Jules08 · December 2011

Ooh some good points that I am going to add to...

I can get myself, DH, or Connor in at any time. Even if I call two days before, they will always find a way to squeeze us in. (We typically don't have to wait long in the office to be seen either.)

There is an on call staff that we can contact anytime and the dr even tells us her on call schedule and says to call any time. She's called me on the weekend before to follow up and just see how I was doing after being sick.

mesa81 · December 2011

I should add that in MA we have a shortage of Primary Care doctors- I need to switch because mine is an hour away and last time I called around to find one within the facility I wanted, they booked out a year.

It totally depends on the practice, like Jo said in terms of response. If DH and I had a rapport with our doctors than that would be different. If we planned on being around this area long-term, that would be different too. I basically just asked all the new moms (RNs, PAs/ MDs etc) who I work with and got the same answer every time.

If you find like you connect with them and they are responsive to your needs, I don't see the harm in switching over completely.

xojo1 · December 2011

mesa81:
last time I called around to find one within the facility I wanted, they booked out a year.

For real? That's ridiculous! Most of the time I'm calling is because I'm sick and need to be seen. If I call in the morning, I could always get in that day to see at least the nurse practitioner or PA. I could always get in to see the doctor with a day or two (he only works MWF). My new doc is at the practice Matt has been going to and it's the same way. To get in the same day, he might have to see another doctor in the practice, but can always be seen. Now, I guess if I'm calling for a physical they might not get me in so soon, but I doubt it would be more than a week (they got me in within a week for a tetanus booster).

mesa81 · December 2011

Jo- I'm referring to an initial new patient physical to get in the door! Otherwise, if urgent, I can be seen that day or within the week.

xojo1 · December 2011

mesa81:
Jo- I'm referring to an initial new patient physical to get in the door! Otherwise, if urgent, I can be seen that day or within the week.

Oh, well that reassuring at least. But, if the wait is that long, they really shouldn't even be accepting new patients.Sheesh!

marytini · December 2011

As a provider....I prefer that you see a pedi. I don't see babies often, so when I am asked by parents certain questions, I don't know the answer, but I know a pedi would, b/c they only see kids (and I hate to tell them to go to a pedi just to have that ? answered) Most kids I see are for sick visits, and not well child exams though, so I know our docs who do the well child exams are more confy seeing the babies. Also, as someone who has no children, I feel even further behind the curve since I have no life experience, if that makes sense.

family doc?

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