should i switch our pedi?

[lmh2402]

i love our pedi in many ways. it's a single-doctor practice so we always only see her. she knows the kids. her staff knows us. her staff is super pleasant. she's totally, uber-pro BFing, co-sleeping, delayed vaccines. she's always nice and pleasant when i've call the emergency line at night.

i really, truly like her.

but what i don't like:
- she goes on vacation...two weeks at a time...at least four times a year. and there is no warning for this happening. i mean, i guess you can see it's around the holidays. but then also in the summer.

- i detest the guy she uses as a covering doc. really do not like him and do not trust his competence.

- she is totally antiquated re: technology. no website (where you might see that she was going to be on vacation), no email access - you cannot email her or the staff, NO FAXING?! (how odd is this?).

- her office is fairly run down, small, and there is only one waiting room for sick & healthy patients to share.


i'm really torn as to what to do. i wish that i didn't like her. but i do and i feel like it would be personal and awkward to leave. i can't even imagine how i would ask for a copy of all our records.

and i see the office manager at preschool pick up / drop off b/c her son attends the same school as DS.

WWYD?

[hillview]

I woudn't change. Having someone you really like who knows the kids well is hard to find. I'd schedule well visits around her vacation schedule.

[SnuggleBuggles]

No, I wouldn't switch. My awesome ped has no online presence and the waiting and exam rooms aren't terribly exciting. I also have no strong feeling about sick and healthy waiting areas. I'd bring up the covering Dr. concerns with her casually but I wouldn't leave over him. Nothing you said raised red flags.

[lmh2402]

I woudn't change. Having someone you really like who knows the kids well is hard to find. I'd schedule well visits around her vacation schedule.

oh yes, i always do.

problem is i seem to have kids who are sick often. and we've been unlucky enough to be desperate for an appointment and call...only to find out she's gone for the next two weeks...and we're suck with the awful guy

but i appreciate the perspective.

ugh. i wish she just had a better covering doc. and/or that she could not go on vacation so much for so long

[PZMommy]

To me those aren't deal breakers. If you don't like the dr that covers for her, could you just go to urgent care instead??

[gatorsmom]

Well, we used to see a fantastic group of doctors who we're located for a long time in a very antiquated office. The building was just old and kind of shabby. But they stayed there because they had a lease. And it was a convenient location for the doctors. They had no email and had just started their website before we moved. But they were friendly and fantastic.

But I would hate having to go to her quack replacement. If I were you, I'd switch for the peace of mind of knowing you will always have a ped you love available- not just when she's in town.

As for transferring files, does she have a copy machine in the office? Switching docs isn't that big of a deal. People change all the time due to location, convenience, different insurance carriers, etc. just ask her for copies of your files and tell her you will miss her. It's all good

[Green_Tea]

I would not switch over those things. Our peds do not use email or have a website (are there pediatricians who do??). I don't think fax machines are cutting edge technology these days. Most peds communicate exclusively via phone, from what I've observed.

Our docs recently moved into a newer, fancier location but it has no bearing on the care they deliver, positive or negative.

It sounds like the real issue is that you hate the guy who covers. I'd let the ped know that you don't care for him/her, and ask for an alternative. Or go to urgent care.

[lmh2402]

ok, all good feedback

thank you! i will talk to her about the covering guy and see if she has any other recos or solutions.

i do not like the urgent care places around here.

[BayGirl2]

I'm different I guess, I tend to prioritize convenience. So if a service prover isn't easy for me to contact and work with that's a big negative for me. There are a lot of Peds in my area that can do a great job of caring for my kids. But I'm a working mom who prefers to connect online and via email. I need good urgent care coverage and I'm used to having clinic access on weekends. My priorities may be different if my kids had special medical needs, but for healthy kids with our current lifestyle I'd switch.

[LizLemon]

I have used several pediatricians already due to moving, and none have had email access. I'm not sure how standard that is. I think typically they want to have your calls routed to the nurse so the nurse can get the information they need to do an assessment. All the practices I have been to have had websites - which have been fairly useless in terms of what you are looking for. None of the websites have on them when the doctors are on vacation. When my old pediatrician would go on vacation, I would only know when I would not be able to schedule an appointment with her and my daughter's well visit would have to be significantly delayed.


thank you! i will talk to her about the covering guy and see if she has any other recos or solutions.
I think this is a great idea. I would try to work with the Pedi as well, if it were someone I liked.

[AngB]

I definitely would not switch for those reasons.

[BayGirl2]

I have used several pediatricians already due to moving, and none have had email access. I'm not sure how standard that is. I think typically they want to have your calls routed to the nurse so the nurse can get the information they need to do an assessment. All the practices I have been to have had websites - which have been fairly useless in terms of what you are looking for. None of the websites have on them when the doctors are on vacation. When my old pediatrician would go on vacation, I would only know when I would not be able to schedule an appointment with her and my daughter's well visit would have to be significantly delayed.


I think this is a great idea. I would try to work with the Pedi as well, if it were someone I liked.

I know I am spoiled. With Kaiser NorCal we have all electronic medical records. I can email my Dr and get a direct response back or call an advice nurse. Often for something minor they'll give a phone appt with a Dr and there's an urgent care clinic at the hospitals after hours, specifically for Peds. I can refill most prescriptions online, view Dr's notes from past visits and get all kinds of other health info, like a virtual tour of the delivery rooms or ORs. All our Drs can access any of our records. So when DS had tonsil surgery his Ped could see the surgeons notes and know what mess he was prescribed. If I can't remember which kid had their last appt when and what their weight was I can look it up online. I email my Dr and my Ped all.the.time when I have a symptom that's not serious but mildly concerning. It often saves me a trip in, or causes me to go in when I otherwise would have ignored something bc I have no time to call.

I don't think this is the norm, yet. But once you get used to that level of technology it's hard to give it up. I do think there's a trend toward it, given the benefits of eRecords and the need to cut healthcare costs.

I personally maybe have a lack of trust/confidence/respect in non-tech savvy professionals in general. So any pro that refuses to embrace technology is kind of a turnoff to me. I'd wonder if they stay up to date in other areas. I'm probably too judgey on this issue.

[ShanaMama]

I wouldn't leave. You can def bring up the covering dr issue. Can you just self refer to another Ped if she's away? Like, not switch to them, just go for a sick visit?
My peds office has separate waiting rooms but ya know the germs hang out in the exam rooms & on the toys too. I don't think your issues are worth leaving a great Ped.

Try turning your post around: if you found someone who had an excellent covering dr & separate waiting rooms but wasn't a great dr would you be thrilled?

[queenmama]

I would stay. We (unofficially) quit going to our pedi of 12+ years because he wasn't supportive of EBF and delayed vaxing. He is a great doctor for all of the reasons you like your pedi. The things you dislike are not dealbreakers.

Lara

[TwinFoxes]

Baygirl, I think Kaiser is on the forefront of using technology. Most small peds offices are nowhere near that level I would say. I'm sure Kaiser has entire departments dedicated to the IT infrastructure. Small offices wouldn't have that support. If Kaiser had to rely on the doctors to set it up, I'm betting they'd be no more advanced than other peds! :)

OP, I wouldn't switch. Are you sure there are docs near you that use email to connect with patients? There are so many bad peds out there it seems, I wouldn't lose a good one for the reasons you gave. Unless you've already got another awesome one that's been recommended, I'd stay put.