Summary: parents find a practice that CARES

I started this series on the consumer driven approach to choosing your pediatrician. My initial criticism was of ChatGPT's advice on how to choose your pediatrician.

My hope is over the last several weeks I have given you a different perspective that challenges you to consider not only how but why you choose the site of the care for your child.

In the end, I thought I would give ChatGPT some credit as well. Though, I may differ on the how to find a pediatrician I am well aligned on this answer to what makes for a successful pediatric practice...

Running a successful pediatric practice requires a combination of medical expertise, excellent patient care, effective management, and strong communication skills. Here are some key steps to help you establish and maintain a successful pediatric practice:

Provide Quality Patient Care:

• Focus on delivering high-quality medical care to your young patients. Keep up-to-date with the latest medical advancements and best practices in pediatric care.
• Build trust and rapport with both children and their parents or caregivers. Make the experience as comfortable and positive as possible for everyone involved.

Create a Child-Friendly Environment:

• Design your office space to be welcoming and child-friendly. Incorporate bright colors, toys, and decorations that make children feel at ease.
• Have a dedicated space for play and activities to help children relax before their appointments.

Offer Comprehensive Services:

• Provide a range of pediatric services, from routine check-ups and vaccinations to specialized care for chronic conditions.
• Consider offering educational programs for parents on topics such as child development, nutrition, and safety.

Build Strong Doctor-Patient Relationships:

• Spend time with patients and their families to address their concerns and answer their questions.
• Develop a personalized approach that takes into account each child's unique medical history and needs.

Efficient Appointment Scheduling and Management:

• Implement an efficient appointment scheduling system to minimize wait times and improve patient satisfaction.
• Use electronic health records (EHR) to manage patient information, appointments, and medical history securely.

Excellent Communication:

• Communicate clearly and effectively with parents, explaining medical conditions, treatment plans, and any necessary precautions.
• Be accessible and responsive to phone calls, emails, and inquiries.

Staff Training and Development:

• Ensure your staff members are well-trained in customer service, medical procedures, and handling pediatric patients.
• Encourage a friendly and compassionate attitude from all staff members.

Community Engagement:

• Engage with your local community through workshops, health fairs, and educational events related to child health and parenting.
• Establish partnerships with schools, daycares, and other child-focused organizations to increase your visibility.

Online Presence:

• Maintain a professional and user-friendly website that provides information about your practice, services, and contact details.
• Utilize social media platforms to share informative content, health tips, and engage with your community.

Continuous Professional Development:

• Stay current with the latest medical research and developments by attending conferences, workshops, and training sessions.
• Consider pursuing certifications or additional training in specialized pediatric areas.

Patient Feedback and Improvement:

• Encourage patient feedback to identify areas for improvement and address any concerns.
• Continuously evaluate your practice's performance and make adjustments as needed.

Remember that building a successful pediatric practice takes time and dedication. Focusing on exceptional patient care and building strong relationships will contribute to the long-term success of your practice.

As a parent and consumer, seek practices that embody the CARES principles.

Comprehensive: Opt for a practice that provides comprehensive care, dedicated to addressing both your broad needs and those of your child. Look beyond routine well-child check-ups and find a practice that offers holistic support, encompassing physical, mental, and behavioral health services for individuals of all ages. Ensure their commitment extends to managing minor ailments, chronic conditions, and complex care scenarios.

Accessible: Choose a practice that offers a range of accessible care options, with a team that is dedicated to delivering timely and appropriate care through various means. As a parent, you might need to reach out via phone, email, walk-in visits, or appointment scheduling. Does the practice extend beyond in-office care, accommodating your schedule as well?

Relationship-centered: Prioritize practices that place a high value on nurturing their relationship with you and your child. Do you consistently see the same healthcare team, or are you directed to the next available provider? Does the practice proactively follow up after care, especially when further attention or tests are required, or do you need to initiate contact?

Educational: Select practices that prioritize patient education during visits. You should leave with a clear understanding of the information provided, and all your questions and concerns addressed. Look for practices that extend education beyond appointments, offering talks, webinars, focus groups, and trustworthy online resources that you can refer to whenever needed.

Stable: Continuity of care is crucial, as are the enduring relationships you build with office staff, clinicians, and your pediatrician over time. Seek out practices where staff turnover is minimal, and the care team has maintained consistency over an extended period. Frequent changes in office staff, nurses, and pediatricians can signal potential issues. While you may not have insight into financial stability, assess whether the practice keeps pace with modern office equipment, technology, maintains a child-friendly environment, and invests in the physical space.

Overall, I wish all practices believed in the need for being a site that CARES. Thankfully, I am come across so many great practices across the country I am encouraged that you may find one right in your own area. Its not surprise that we need more pediatricians and more caring adults for our children.

I came across this wonderful site and would encourage you to review. If we want to raise caring kids, we need to care for them.

"Research?in human development clearly shows that the seeds of empathy, caring, and compassion are present from early in life, but that to become caring, ethical people, children need adults to help them at every stage of childhood to nurture these seeds into full development."

We all should learn to CARE more.... its what our kids need.

?Note:?As a reminder this newsletter is written from my experience and perspective.?The newsletter does not imply or relay the opinions of others.??The intent is to offer an avenue for dialogue and discussion around important topics in healthcare and healthcare innovation from one doctor’s perspective.??I am a physician and so can only write from my perspective.?If you are clinician, provider, nurse or whatever my goal is to enable you to agree or disagree.?I have no intention to suggest or imply that only the physician perspectives matter.??They do matter but as part of a larger dialogue that can foster better health outcomes.