Berkeley Parents Network: Switching Doctors within a Practice

Berkeley Parents Network

Switching Doctors within a Practice

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > Health & Medical > Switching Doctors within a Practice

Switching to a different pediatrician

Switching to a different pediatrician

March 2005

My two children currently see the same pediatrician in a small private practice of 8 doctors. I have been considering switching them to another doctor in the same practice and wonder about the etiquette of doing so. Although their current doctor is a kind and competent pediatrician, I feel like I could be getting more out of our visits and have grown tired of hearing the same advice and anecdotes again and again each visit. We have seen other doctors in the practice when we've visited for drop-in care, and I do have one or two in mind that I feel are better choices for us. So my question is, how can I switch? Our current doctor has seen my children for about 1 1/2 years now. Do I just start making appointments with another doctor instead? What if they ask why I am switching? I don't want to offend our current pediatrician, but I just don't think he's a good match for us. Thanks anon

Just ask the new doctor if s/he will take your kids. We switched from male dr. to female when my daughter turned 10 and then changed to another female dr., all in the same practice. They're all busy enough that there's no problem and hard feelings.

I just did the same thing and had the same concerns. One of the nurses at my children's practice said the doctors ''don't care'' but the new doctor we switched to said that the doctors do sometimes take it personally. She suggested I write a note to the other doctor explaining the situation. That's what I did. I was honest about the switch, but also said many nice things about the doctor we were leaving b/c she was a nice person and a very competent doctor. I just felt that the new person would be a better fit for one of my children in particular. Liked both, but happy to have switched

If you'd like a wimpy way out, here's my advice. I just did something somewhat similar with my dentist office. There is a hygenist there that I don't particularly care for, but seem to have been ''assigned'' to. He's a nice guy, but there's just something about him that rubs me a little wrong. My husband and friend are ''assigned'' to a wonderful hygeinist! How jealous I've been! Since I'm a complete wimp about such things that really shouldn't matter, I took the wussy way out and found out which days he's not in the office and started scheduling all my cleanings for that day. I just avoid him. How wimpy am I? Will that work with the pediatrician? Can you find out his/her ''off'' day and start scheduling appointments on that day? After a few visits, it should seem completely natural to make the new doctor a permanent assignment. I know it really shouldn't matter...but.... -I'm a wuss!

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