Choosing a Pediatrician
Choosing a pediatrician is a big decision, and one that expectant parents should put a lot of thought into. A pediatrician should be chosen prior to delivery.
Because of the frequent visits during baby's first year and the years that follow, the relationship between parent and pediatrician is an important one. When researching local pediatricians, here are some important questions to ask:
- Which insurances are accepted?
- How far is the office from home?
- What are the office hours? Does the pediatrician offer evening and weekend hours?
- Is someone on call from the group 24/7?
- What is the typical wait time for an appointment? How are sick visits handled?
- What is the pediatrician's stance on breastfeeding? Circumcision?
Expectant parents are encouraged to set up meetings with multiple pediatricians before making a decision.
Upon arriving to the Birthing Center, the staff will ask for the name of the chosen pediatrician. If one has been chosen, please let the staff know. If not, there are pediatricians on call and one will be assigned to care for the baby during the Birthing Center stay. Parents have the choice to continue seeing that pediatrician upon discharge, or to choose another.
UM Shore Regional Health is an affiliate of UM Shore Medical Group - Pediatrics, a multi-location practice offering care to pediatric patients from birth through college. Pediatricians care for patients in their office locations as well as in the nursery and Pediatric Unit at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton. Learn more about the team at UM Shore Medical Group – Pediatrics.
