How to Select a Pediatrician - Pediatrics Clinic in Ankeny, Des Moines, Clive, Iowa
Whether you are about to have your first child, or are considering switching pediatrics clinics, here is your initial checklist:
- Find a Pediatrician
- Read What Other Patients/Parents Have to Say
- Investigate Access to Appointments & Doctors
- Determine Insurance Acceptance
- Discover if the Staff is Friendly & Knowledgeable
1. Find out if the doctor is a pediatrician. Sounds simple, right? But pediatricians have the most experience, training, and education in working with children. Family physicians have completed four years of medical school and three years additional training in caring for patients of all ages including children. Pediatricians completed four years of medical school, with the three years of additional training focusing only on infants, children, and adolescents. If you want a doctor who has the most education with treating children, make sure your doctor is a pediatrician.
Ask: Where did you go to medical school? Was your residency in pediatrics, or with patients of all ages?
2. See what other area families say about them. Any large medical corporation will likely have a well-funded marketing budget. But you'll want to look past the flashy large print ads to see what real parents have to say. Read reviews on Google, Yelp, and other online review sites to hear it straight from the patients and parents.
Ask: Do you have patient reviews or testimonials you can point me to?
3. Access to appointments and doctors. When your child is well and could come in any time for an annual well visit/physical, any appointment day might be fine. But when your child is sick and needs to come in to the clinic right away, you'll want to know that you can get an appointment that very day. Don't wait until the day your child is sick to find out - ask during your initial phone call or appointment if they schedule same day sick visits. If your child is ever seriously ill, you'll want to know that your pediatrician will visit your child daily in the hospital for hospital rounds. Many clinics outsource this role to the doctors that work at the hospital. You want to know that your pediatrician will be there with you before, during, and after your child is in the hospital.
Ask: Do you do hospital rounds every day? Do you do same day sick appointments?
4. Insurance Acceptance. It should be clear from the website or your first phone call if the pediatrics clinic will accept most insurance carriers. Look for a statement on the website that says they work with almost all insurance companies. Call the front desk staff and ask if you have any questions. They may also work with people who do not have insurance. Call the front desk and ask.
Ask: Do you accept most insurance companies? Do you file claims with my insurance company?
5. Friendly Atmosphere. You'll spend a lot of your time at the office interacting with the front desk staff, nurses, and nurse practitioners. You'll be able to tell from phone calls and in-person interactions if you are comfortable and feel welcome. If not, move on. You'll want friendly helpful people if you ever have questions about billing, medications, or appointments. And part of considering the atmosphere is thinking about what type of building and location you'd like to visit. Consider if you like the idea of going to a mega-medical complex, and parking far away in a large parking lot, or a friendly, neighborhood building where you can park in front and have minimal waiting times.
Ask: Can I park directly in front of the clinic? Do your appointments run on time? And pay attention to how all of the staff speaks to you on the phone and in person. If it isn't Iowa Nice, schedule a free visit with another clinic to see if it would be a better fit for your family.
Best of luck on finding a pediatrician that fits your family, and congratulations on the exciting adventure of raising children!
Des Moines Pediatric and Adolescent Clinic in Ankeny
Call to Schedule an Appointment 515-964-2159