Keith and I chose our family doctor because his office is located about a block from our house and he's affiliated with the hospital where Keith used to work. We got lucky that we like him a lot. He's great to talk to and his office staff is great. Plus, we never have a long wait when we see him.
He's a family practitioner, so he treats Autumn, too. We don't have a separate pediatrician. Some people are surprised by this, but it's worked great for us. It's especially convenient when we're in for one person but just have a quick question about another. But the best thing is that he really seems to care about all of us.
Babyzone recently sent an article about how to pick your doctor. They say, "Physicians, like everyone else, come in all varieties of professional excellence and individual temperament. When you engage the services of a physician, you are generally seeking two main qualities: competence and compassion. Almost all other desirable characteristics can be summarized by those two qualities.
"The relative importance of those qualities varies depending on your needs. If you are seeking a specialist from whom you primarily want technical expertise, you might tolerate poor communication and long waits in the office. However, when selecting a primary-care physician, you might focus on the doctor's compassion. Your primary-care doctor should have enough concern to give counsel and act as a guide and a support. This is particularly helpful when you need specialty care and must navigate the sometimes bewildering maze of clinics, specialists, and preauthorizations.
"Cost is also an issue. Some insurance policies contain words and concepts that are difficult for lay people to understand. Terms like health maintenance organizations, co-pay, out-of-plan, and preauthorization may imply restrictions on which doctors you can see, where you can be treated, and how much it will cost you in addition to your monthly insurance premium. You should understand these terms before you need a physician.
You can read the rest of the article here.