Anyone Ever Have to "Dump" Your Pediatrician?

Updated on August 07, 2009
K.S. asks from Huntington Beach, CA
6 answers

Hi Everyone,
Ok newest question, have you ever "dumped" your Pediatrician for another? My daughter does not like her ped. and I'm not crazy about him either but his office is 5 minutes away from the house and takes our insurance.

We met his back-up (he's a one man office) and she is awesome! My daughter asks if she can go back to her. Bad thing is that she lives 30 minutes away (without traffic and there almost always is). I have a recommendation for another place but it's in the opposite direction from work and school.

And how do I do it? Just start going to the new place and ask them to call the old place to transfer the files? Is this something I have to do? The ped. is a nice enough guy, and I don't want to offend him, I just don't think we're on the same wavelength.

Thanks ladies!
K.

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More Answers

D.D.

answers from New York on

Doctor's offices are use to changes mostly due to insurance. Call the dr office you are thinking of changing to and make sure they accept your insurance and are accepting new patients. If your insurance has a pcp that directs care then call them next to change your daughter's pcp are request a new card. Then stop in the dr office and sign the paperwork to have your daughter's records transfered. If they ask (and I'm almost certain they won't) just say insurance changed and they'll nod knowingly.

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S.D.

answers from New York on

Hello

What happened to me was the opposite. One day I took my son for his regular check up (about a year and half a go) and SURPRISE my son's pediatrician was gone. I really liked him very much.. he was understanding, carering and playfull person with my son ,and obiously, my son was very comfortable with him. Also, I feel very confident about everything I would ask him about my son's health and physical development. Like I said, he was gone one day and no person in the office would give me his new address or phone, so I could still taking my son with him.. Anyway to make the story short the new doctor that was assigned to my son, was a complete desaster so I left the clinic and since then, my son had had 2 diffent pediatritians and just recently, about 3 months ago I found a new one a litte farder away from where I live,yes is far away, but I have to give it a try. My point here is that your son needs to feel comfortable with the doctor and most important, you have to feel confident and secure about the person that is following up on your child's health. Finally, when it comes to our children well being, something that is very important for us , I do not think distance and time should be an issue at all. Until you find the right person to take care of your son's health, try and chance as many doctors as you may want to do it. Love Chaquis

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S.J.

answers from New York on

Kristal,
I will have to switch pediatricians also for my 6 month old because of insurance and they said I have to fill out some forms to authorize the release of information- something like that. Its not as easy as having them fax records over, unfortunately. Just tell them your insurance changed or something.
Good Luck, and if you can recommend anyone in or near Morristown please let me know.
Thanks,
S.

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L.B.

answers from New York on

Normally, you have to call your insurance to change pediatricians (so they'll cover your visits to the new one) and sign the release forms to get her records transferred. Please don't feel the need to explain or apologize to your old ped -- you used his services once and now you won't be. If they ask why you're transferring, you can always say something vague like, "We decided to make a change." (obviously! :) If you REALLY feel the need to explain, you could always say that, at 3, your daughter's beginning to feel more comfortable with females examining her.

You have a right to change doctors and people do it all the time, so don't feel badly and don't let them make you feel badly! The worst thing that can happen is that your pediatrician (whom you'll probably never see again) will be upset, which is far less important than you and your daughter being comfortable with her doctor!

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L.N.

answers from New York on

no problem. you don't have to explain yourself. go in the office and sign the release forms. of course if you feel more comfortable with the other one, go with that one.
i have dumped pediatricians before because they sucked :)
it's all about my children.
good luck

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C.R.

answers from Syracuse on

YES, I've dumped a ped before and I've also followed the one I LOVE to another practice...30 minutes away isn't that bad...especially for piece of mind...the one thing I would recommend is checking if your new ped goes to the hospital you would go to for emergencies...this is just a major convience not a requirement, but when I'm @ the ER it's so nice to know my ped knows who to call there and sends in Dr.s he trusts for my kids. As for the records you have to sign a release you can probably do it at either office but even if you do it at your old Drs office your dealing with the staff not the dr and if they ask be honest, you're not upset, your daughter is more comfortable with the other and in the long run that's the best choice! Just make sure the practice you want to transfer to is taking new patients. It's hard to find a Dr that you will agree on everything with, but there are major issues (and I rank comfort for the child up there) that you should have in common. Good luck and don't feel guilty...this is your child after all! (and it happens all the time)

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