Nightmare at the Pediatrician's Office

I know how you feel kid.

In case you haven’t heard, we recently moved (yeah it’s been a few months now) but we’re still settling in making the necessary changes.  One of those changes was getting my daughter a new pediatrician.  I asked my mommy group for recommendations and chose a local Pediatrician that was part of a group based off of how much others liked her.  Especially because I was told she listens well.

So, I’d like to take a moment here to express what I expect from a doctor or pediatrician.  

1. Bedside Manner – Be nice!  It doesn’t cost you a thing to smile, introduce yourself and spend a few moments getting to know me and my daughter. 

2. Knowledge – This should be a given.  After all, didn’t you attend medical school and have loads of information in that skull or at your finger tips that I don’t?  Isn’t that why you make the big bucks?

3. Courteous Staff – That bedside manner had better extend to your staff.

4. Time – I’ve paid for my visit.  I think a doctor should take the time to spend at least 30 minutes with you.  

They should never be more booked than that.

Now, does that sound so bad?  Am I really asking too much?  You don’t think so either huh?  Then, please tell me why in the last 10 years I have only found two doctors that fit this description?  Are medical licenses now coming out of a cereal box?  Is it because only rich people can afford to become a doctor, so they therefore think they are better than the patients that they treat?

In case you couldn’t tell, we had a pretty horrid experience this morning.  Our appointment was for 7:50am.  I got there right on time and the door was locked.  So I stood outside with my cranky two year old, in the rain, for 25 minutes until they opened the door.  The girl at the counter never apologized but was otherwise really nice.  She had me sign a bunch of stuff and we sat down.  At 8:45 I was finally called back.  Kaylee through a fit about having to leave the front area with the fish and her new friends, she threw herself down, I struggled to pick her up and get going.  The burse came over picked her up, but she wasn’t nice about it.  

She acted as if I was a horrible mom for letting my child act this way in public, and she had kids!

The nurse basically stood in the room with us with her laptop and never said a word.  She didn’t introduce herself, she didn’t smile.  Heck we may as well have not been in there with her.  Finally she left and in came the doctor.  I got an introduction, no smiles.  She was in and out.  She looked Kaylee over, asked if I had any serious concerns, which I had a few (which she dismissed and didn’t explain) and left.  Someone came and gave her shots and then she had a blood prick for her iron count.  This all took 15 minutes.  I’m not kidding.

I guess most people would be happy to get in and out, but not me.  I had questions about development and things like that.  She never gave me a chance to ask them. 

Kaylee’s old pediatrician in Asheville was so nice, but stupid.  She didn’t seem to know anything about babies.  If this is what I get for complaining about her old pediatrician I am so very sorry.