MercyOne pediatricians and family medicine providers support your child from infancy all the way through adolescence and young adulthood. In addition to being personalized to meet your children’s unique needs, it’s convenient to have somewhere to go or someone to call when your child is sick.
Whether you’re going to be a new parent, or just need to establish care for your children for the first time, our experts rounded up several tips about choosing the doctor just right for your family.
Easy ways to find a doctor right for your baby:
Find a provider by city/zip code
Why should I find a doctor for my child?
Whether a pediatrician or family medicine provider, both can make sure your child is meeting many developmental milestones as they grow, so they can provide early intervention if necessary. Having a provider for your child means you’ll have someone to turn to and who knows your child’s medical history.
“We do specialized screenings and are versed in knowing when children are ill or healthy, as well as any developmental delays that may be going on,” says Dr. Angela Townsend, a pediatrician at MercyOne Waterloo Pediatrics Care. “We can refer them if there are any problems.”
Do I have to choose a provider before my baby is born?
The short answer – no. But there are definite benefits to having a provider lined up before your baby is born. Things like follow-up care visits, convenience and relationship building are all important factors to consider in choosing a provider before your baby is born.
“It is a good idea to have the discussions before the birth of your child,” says Dr. Timothy McCoy, family medicine provider at MercyOne South Des Moines Family Medicine. “If you can tell the hospital who your provider will be, they can automatically send all of the birthing records and newborn medical information instead of calling the hospital to get records.”
What advice do you have for parents when choosing one provider over another?
When it comes to choosing the primary care provider just right for you and your child, there are many things to consider including:
- Location close to home or work.
- Clinic hours, after hours phone triage and on-call protocols.
- Medical training, training and certifications.
- Special interests like behavioral health or chronic medical conditions.
- Open conversations and honesty.
- Vaccination schedule.
“It's ok for providers and patients to disagree on situations, but both need to hear each one's opinions and come to an agreement on plans moving forward,” says Dr. McCoy.
“It’s really good to get to know someone very well who’s going to care for your child,” says Dr. Townsend. “You want someone who’s compassionate. You want someone who knows you, knows your family, knows your scenario. It’s always best to find a caring, empathetic provider.”
Providers who are here for your family!
Pediatricians and family medicine provider are awesome people and love kids! They want what is best for your kids too!
“It's super fun to watch kids grow, watch their personality develop... watch how they respond to anything from a tongue depressor, to watching them roll over for the first time,” says Dr. Townsend. “Even helping parents and guiding them through the developmental stages of their child.”
