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How to Find a Pediatrician Last week a mother asked me for a name of a Pediatrician from the Lewsiton, Maine. I told her that I do not know of any Pediatrician from Lewiston. However, I suggested to her to asked at least three friends. And I added “Look for a Pediatrician with at least seven years of practice.” I requested for her e mail and I told her that I will inquire from some of my colleagues. About an hour later, I sent an e mail to a Pediatrician from Augusta, Maine who I know has more contact at Lewiston. That same night he sent me four names of Pediatricians and I e mailed it back to the mother. Then I started thinking of a better way of recommending another Pediatrician from another city or State. I can’t remmember of reading any article or research about the qualities or criteria for defining a “good physician.” Is it reasonable or even necessary to define the qualities of a “good physician”? If we can rate cars as to their cost and quality, why can’t we do the same thing for physicians? I asked my wife, a Registered Nurse and who has been my business manager since I started my practice 30 years ago, “What qualities of a Pediatrician that parent should ask to make a good choice?” This is her idea: Is the Pediatrician board certified and an active member of the American Academy of Pediatrics? Is the Pediatrician in practice longer than five years? Can the Pediatrician see a patient the same day if the parent is concerned? Are they using electronic medical records and have computers at each examining room with T1, cable, or Satellite Disk connection? Is the waiting time less than 30 minutes? How long do they return urgent phone calls, within the hour or longer? Do they have their own website that has preventive advices and commonly asked questions? Are they accepting e mails? Can they communicate through e mails? Do they use the American Academy of Pediatrics software on Preventive advice? Do they advocate the Bright Future? I think these are reasonable questions that a parent should be asking from their “candidate” physician. They should not just pick the phone book and look at the yellow pages. Nor they should just ask one friend and make a decision in chosing their physician. I wish there is a more objective guideline that parents can follow in choosing a Primary Care Physician. If you have suggestion on How to Find a Physician, please e mail me: lleonidas@pcpediatrics.org Leo Leonidas, MD, FAAP; Assistant Clinical Professor in Pediatrics, Tufts University School of Medicine; Attending Pediatrician, Eastern Maine Medical Center, Bangor How to Find a Physician Dispensing Liquid Medications How to Give a History Baby Body Language Parent’s Grand Rounds Diagnostic Likelihood
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