5 Tips for Choosing a Pediatrican

My name is Dr. Kia Nelson, a pediatrician at Sauk Prairie Healthcare, and I'm here to tell you five helpful points to think about when choosing the right doctor for your child. Along the way, I will also give examples of what we do here at Wisconsin Heights Clinic, to give you an idea of what a pediatric practice can look like.

Alright, here we go.

The first thing to consider is your pediatrician's accessibility. How easy is it to get ahold of your pediatrician for urgent questions? How soon can you be seen by your doctor? Does the clinic have limited hours? When your little one is sick, you want to be able to get the care they need fast. Life gets busy and you don't want to be waiting hours in a full urgent care rather than getting that face time with your child's doctor. This is why it is important to know how you are able to communicate with your child's pediatrician and how quickly they can get patients in to be seen.

In my practice, for example, we have an online portal that patients can use to message me and my nursing staff, as well as a direct phone line to the clinic staff. Patients can use these methods to ask questions, give updates, or make appointments. Either my nurse or I will get back to our patients almost always within the same day. I also keep same day visits open in case of those last minute medical needs.

The second point to consider is the size of your pediatrician's clinic. Do they work alone or have a provider team? How many different providers and staff are working in the same space? Is the clinic part of a large healthcare system or a local independent healthcare system?

There are pros and cons to both a big and a small clinic. A larger clinic usually has many different types of doctors working under one roof, while smaller clinics usually feel more personable.

Our clinic, for example, is considered a small clinic and is part of an independent healthcare system based in neighboring Sauk Prairie. There are only four providers at our site, meaning that everyone from the front desk receptionist to the nurses to the other providers themselves will get to know my patients well. We talk frequently as a team, so it is easy for my nurses to keep me in the loop on patient care. The benefit of working for a local hospital system is that we have the flexibility to meet your healthcare needs so you don't feel like just a number.

Alright, the third consideration is the location of your pediatrician's practice. How easy is it to get there from your home, work or child school? Is there easy access to parking? Are there multiple locations that your provider works out of? For me, I work mainly at the Wisconsin Heights Clinic in Mazomanie, Wisconsin. For those of you who may not know, this is about 15 minutes Southwest from Sauk City and just up Highway 14 from Cross Plains and Middleton. I also practice a couple times per month out of the Sauk Prairie Hospital campus in Prairie de Sac.

A fourth aspect to consider is your pediatrician's other roles. Will your child's provider attend the delivery and see your child in the hospital as a newborn? Does your provider have a specific interest or additional specialty they practice? This may be important for you and your child if you have a specific healthcare need or if your child is ever in the hospital.

For example, I am also a newborn provider who attends deliveries and cares for newborns in the hospital. I am also able to care for children admitted to the Sauk Prairie Hospital. Another example is that my partner, Dr. Hoerz, practices osteopathic manipulative medicine to help patients with problems, like back pain or headaches, in addition to his primary care practice.

The fifth and final factor that is probably the most important to think about is your pediatrician's communication style. How long do they spend in a clinic visit with you? Do they explain things in a way that your child understands? Do you feel like your family's concerns are being addressed? Your child's relationship with their doctor is a longstanding partnership in which you want your child to feel comfortable opening up and discussing sensitive topics when needed. You want to make sure there is enough time in the visit so you can voice all of your concerns.

Here at Sauk Prairie Healthcare, we are fortunate that we are able to take the time needed with our patients to make sure all of their questions are answered. It is my goal to never let a patient and their caregiver walk away without understanding the nuts and bolts of what we discussed at our visit.

So now that you know what aspects to consider when choosing the right pediatrician for your child, it is time to do your research and make sure you make that phone call to schedule their first visit. Many clinics even allow you to schedule a meet and greet appointment to make sure that your provider is a good fit before fully establishing care. If you're interested in making a meet and greet with one of our providers here at Wisconsin Heights Clinic, give us a call and we'd love to see you.