Finding the right medical provider is not the easiest task in the world, especially when it comes to your kids. Not only do they have to be brilliant and the best, because they will be taking care of the most precious thing in your entire world.
I have two children with a complicated medical history. Because I started with a medically challenging kid, I became a force when it came to my children’s healthcare. Whether this is a good or a bad thing is yet to be determined. There have been a couple of instances when I have been a little extra when it comes to my kids’ healthcare. No one is more fierce and a better researcher than a mom with a sick kid. Thankfully, both of my medically complicated youngsters have been treated, and we should be past their diagnoses now.
While we were in the thick of it, I depended a lot on their specialists but mostly their primary care provider. Thankfully we have always been blessed with great primary care providers. When we moved from Texas to Illinois, I was worried we wouldn’t find a provider as good as ours in Texas. It turns out we found the best nurse practitioner. She caught my youngest’s tethered spinal cord, she called us on her day off to give us peace of mind, didn’t judge me when I looked like a postpartum swamp monster, watched me tear up in her presence, and she was just easy to communicate with mom-to-mom. Over the summer, she announced she was leaving the practice to pursue an extra specialty. While I was super happy for her, I cried big, fat, eat-lots-of-chocolate, tears over it. How would I find anyone better to take care of my kids?
So here are five things I considered when looking for a new provider:
- Recommendation: There is nothing like a recommendation from someone you trust when it comes to medical providers. Now, I know sometimes what works for your friends doesn’t work for you, but a good recommendation is usually worth its weight in gold.
- Communication: Can I communicate with this person well? Will they take the time to answer all of my questions?
- Common Ground: Do you have the same beliefs when it comes to things like vaccines and treatment methods?
- Trust: Do you feel like you trust this person with your child’s care? Does your child seem comfortable around this provider?
- Office Staff: This seems like it shouldn’t matter, but it does. If you can’t communicate with the office staff for a provider, you may be less likely to contact your provider when you need them.
