Fed up with Ped's Office

I don't know exactly what area you are in, but my ped is great! He is very casual, but friendly and really takes time to make my son (13 mos old) feel comfortable before the exam. His name is Josh Rabinowitz. He is through Paediatrics of the Mainline Associates (PLMA) and he has an office in Paoli, right next to the hospital and in Lankenau. There is another Dr that I have also seen, Janet Michaelson, who is also very good.

HI
You should definately change doctors. You're son should never have been made to wait that long with a croup cough and definately not with newborns in the room. I have dealt with croup many times with my son since he was a baby and my doctor took him right in or got infants in so they weren't exposed. You should be able to reach the office any time, not just when they feel like it. I would change doctors quick. There is sometimes an emergency so you would have to wait but not for that long that often. Good Luck.

I don't know where you are from, but I work in a Peds office, and I'm absolutely crazy about all of the doctors. They're all very friendly, and seem concerned and helpful.

There are plenty of wonderful pediatricians out there. You should not have to put up with all that you have. Find another good doctor! I had to go through 3 doctors until I found the right one and I am very happy with mine now. Bedside manner and timeliness are very important and you deserve to find this!

L.

If you're looking for a new doctor (any doctor) set up an "interview" appointment. Most offices will do it for no charge and it will give you a chance to see if you like the office, doctor, staff, location, etc. We "interviewed" several pediatricians and found a fantastic one. We also found some awful ones... it's so important for you to feel comfortable with your doctor, in every aspect.

I think maybe you should seek another doctor. It is typical to wait in the office for a while sometimes but not all the time. Forgetting to bill patients with insurance for 2007 seems a little funny to me. How in the world would the doctor or his staff forget about getting paid. The not remembering the name thing, doctors, especially good ones can see many in a day so maybe they won't remember all the names but they can at least look at the chart going in. Too make this short, just get another doctor.

my sons ped office is nothing like that! we go in and the receptionist doesnt even have us sign in she knows who it is. then we wait maybe 5 minutes at the most in the waiting room and maybe another 5 for the doctor to come in. and when the doc comes in he talks to my son by name even though he is only 8 months old! i think if you tried looking around for another ped you would find one you are more happy with!

A good rule of thumb with any caregiver or service you plan on using often is if they mess up or rub you the wrong way twice, you're going to have trouble. They've disappointed you many times, so you should seek a different doctor. My doctor is no frills and a little too vague-but none of the other problems apply. I've heard no complaints from friends about their doctors either, so you can do way better. Good luck!
a m y

I understand your need to vent about your pediatrician. I have twins (2 1/2 years) who were born premature, and I did not like the bedside manner or attitude of our first pediatrician. I know he is a good doctor, but I switched to another practice and I am so much happier. It makes the visits to the office much more pleasant when you like your doctor and their office. If you are already seeing specialists, do you really need to be followed by a neonatologist? Our chidren are seen by a general pediatrician, and we have a few specialists that we see every so often, but have not needed a neonatologist since we left the NICU. Is he really offering care you could not receive from another doctor? If he is not, then I would consider switching. It will give you peace of mind and make your frequent visits to the doctor's office less stressful.

Hi H.,

So sorry to hear about your experiences with yours boys and the office. I have a 17 month old and we don't have a need to see a specialist but we were going to one office and typically, we had to wait anywhere from 15-45 mins to be seen (usually 15-30 but once in a while 45 mins) then maybe another 10 mins in the room. There were 4-5 different drs and we grew to like one in particular. There were 2 we didnt really like much. I felt that my questions were always answered and they accomodated me whenever possible. They always answered their phones and were always polite. We recently switched since we moved and we have been to this new office and we are SOOO happy we switched. We have been there 2 x so far for sick visits and the wait time was maybe 10 mins in the waiting room and maybe 5-10 in the office. It has been super quick. And we saw two differnet drs and they were VERY nice, didnt call Kailie "girl" and were really nice to her and my husband and I. They also were very knowledgable and answered all out questions and we feel even better with these drs and the office than the other one. They too always answer their phones and accomodate when they can.

Maybe because your dr is a specialist this is why there is such a long wait but me personally, if I didnt like the dr and had to wait that long, I would look around for another dr until I found one I did like and felt he/she could take just as good care of my child. There are a ton of drs out there and your bound to find one you like and dont have to wait forever for. I wish you only the best of luck.
K.

Not all ped offices are like this. I found one I absolutely love, but it took me many years to find. If you are part of a playgroup, I'd start asking or at your son's preshool ask other moms. If you hear about the same office from more than one parent, chances are you have a keeper. Even if you get high praise for one, set up a meeting to meet w/ them. Ours has late evening hours & Saturday hours too. They have a sick waiting room & a well waiting room. They have a nurse on staff to ask those Mommy worry questions. Its saved me many visits to the office & I always feel better knowing they are there. They are a practice w/ about 8 doctors & I've learned early on who I like & who I don't. I have 3 on my list & I request them when scheduling an appointment. And they always save space for sick visits, so I can get in the same day w/in a few hours of a phone call. I know it sounds like a dream (we're in PA if you are too) In reguards to the specialist you have hired, we had a similar situation w/ one of the docs in the office. She is double certified & many in the hospital & office have told me what a brilliant doctor she is. If I have a seriously ill child that's who I should see. The way she made my daughter & myself feel, she will never see one of my kids again. I met w/ the office manager & told her how awful our experience was w/ her. I was more concerned new people to the office would think that is how all the doctor's were. I've also fired doctors before. Remember that they work for you!!!! I wrote a termination letter explaining why he was being fired. If anything if will knock the ego down a bit.

The only advice I really have is do not take it out on the billing department. From someone who works in billing for a doctor, we often hear all of the complaints patients have with our office only after they receive a bill. They are seperate problems and try to keep them seperate.
After saying that, I agree that you deserve better treatment from the doctor and his staff. You are the consumer and have a right to treatment that is consistant with your wishes.

Not all ped's offices are like that! You need to find another one that makes you happy and that you feel more comfortable with. I am sure the doctor is very smart and good at the med side of things. But you babies could have a regular ped that would be more accommodating. There are many good docs that try to be available for you, have good hours and try to run close to schedule. Of course dealing with sick babies can put an office behind, but not that behind every time. The peds we go to has a 24hour nurse line. The nurses answer the phone, talk to you, answer questions and help decide if you should be seen. They are typically very quick and the docs are friendly and take the time to answer questions. I live in Monroeville, and we go to Dr. Falcon. Good luck!

Six years and four doctor's offices later, I found the right doctor for my girls. The longest I had to wait in the waiting room was 5 minutes and around 5 minutes in the room. Infact my daughter's last well visit took around 30 minutes from start to finish. The doctor is great and he is the only doctor to listen to my concerns about my daughter's contipation issues. Every other doctor I talked to it about just brushed me off. They answer the phone all the time. The only thing I don't like about them is that some of the girls who answer the phone are smart mouth, but not all. Also, the doctor and nurses address my children by name.
I don't belive that all doctor's are the same. It may take you a while to find the right one, but there are some out there worth going to .
Good luck

H.,

There is no excuse for this. Your son's now need a pediatrician, not a neonatologist. They are past that stage. There is absolutely no reason you need to stay with this doctor. Ask friends for referrals, then set up meetings to interview these doctors and find the right one for you. I recommend going to www.parentcenter.com. It's a good sight for all things parenting and can provide you with a checklist of things to consider when choosing a doctor.

Remember that the doctor is answerable to you. You have to control the situation when in the exam room with the doctor. Go in prepared with a list of questions and make sure they get answered. Also, I would force him to address the boys properly if you want to stay there. However, it sounds as if you don't.

I don't know what part of the city you live in. If you are in the Monroeville area, I can recommend my ped office. It's Children's Community Pediatrics.

Good luck.

A.

I have to say not all pediatrician's offices are like that. My boys' ped's office has 2 waiting rooms, one for the sick, and one for the well check up. When we go there we usually wait maybe 15 minutes to be seen and sometimes a couple in the room. Also there is 2 dr. and 2 PAs at the office and they all know my boys by name. Half of the time they see me walking in and tell me I can go sit down without having to check in at the counter. So I would definately say you have a reason to complain. In my opinion if you are that unhappy I would find a new pediatrician.

My pediatrician is nothing like this. It's easy to make an appointment, we have a reasonable wait in both the waiting room and exam room, the doctor knows both kids names. I've even seen him shopping, and HE came to ME to say hi. Great guy, treats the girls wonderfully. His answers are clear.

I would have switched ages ago if I had your pediatrician.

This is not typical for a pediatritian. I have never waited more than 5 minutes for my appointment. My daughter was born at 36 weeks and considered a preemie. I just go to a regular ped. now. That just seems like way too much hassle for what it is worth. M.

Not all doc are like that. I find that specile doc always have long waits. I have a ped and his office moves rather fast and there great. There are a couple of doc in the office but they are follow up with the other one when it comes to your child. There is one doc there that i feel has not nice manners, But that could be me.

It is hard to belive that the office would not put the little ones in another area. You don't have to settle for anything. If you feel that the office is not helping your children or helping you to help your children. Then you have every right to go to another office.

Listen to yourself you are the one that knows what is best for your children.

I can't speak from a preemie standpoint because both of my girls were full term, but this doctor does not sound worth your aggravation. Plus I wonder if a neonatologist is still necessary. Personally I would start calling other pediatrican practices and interviewing them. Make a list of what is important to you (i.e. wait times) and call and interview the staff asking these questions. If they give you all the right answers then you may want to ask for a interview with one of the doctors. The practice I take my girls to was more than accomodating with a prenatal visit. I then interviewed the doctor. At this time you may want to ask if they are capable of handling any of their specific issues since they were preemies. Keep shopping until you find a practice that you like. There are good and bad so do a little leg work before introducing your boys to a practice or doctor you are not going to be satisfied with.

It sounds to me that you should look into a new office, they apparently are too busy, no one should ever wait 1 1/2 hours with a sick child! How after 3 years does this doctor not even know the boys names!! Finding a doctor is hard, and every visit is different depending on who you see if you go to practice with several dr's and nurse practioners. I have 3 kids, 10, 8, and 4 we go to Chester County Peds, they have offices in Coatesville, Exton, and one other (not sure where). I live in Coatesville so when they need their yearly check-ups we go to that office, but for sick appoint. we are always sent to Exton (15-20 min drive), I'm not happy with that, but once we get there we are seen in a matter of minutes, and they have a SICK ROOM in both offices. The doctors are good, but I really like the nurse practioners because they are nice and spend TIME answering your concerns. Doctors broke away from this practice a few years back and formed KIDS FIRST (not sure if right name) they are also in Exton. C.C. Peds number is ###-###-####. Good luck and best wishes, E.

Hi H.,
Unless your sons are having ongoing problems I would definitely switch to a different doctors office. From your post I couldn't find one redeeming quality about this doctor other than to say the nurses recommended him. If you have to stay with this specialist, I would make the appointments first thing in the morning or the first thing after lunch. The receptionists are usually good about telling you when those times are!

I love my son's ped. There are about 8 in the practice with 2 different offices and I have really grown to love one in particular in 9 months. Their practice has a sick and a non-sick waiting room and I've never had to wait more than 15 minutes. As soon as we are taken back the nurses start the exam and the doctor follows within 5 minutes.

There is also a lousy ped in the practice who has ZERO personality. He might know his stuff but he can't even look me in the eye. I can't deal with him and I will not see him again. People like that should have desk jobs on a computer with little or no human interaction.

If I were you, my next post would be for a recommendation for a new pediatrician in your area!

I wish you lots of luck.

I disagree with your friend. My son sees my doctor, Dr. Lisa Robertson. I LOVE her. She has been my doctor for 8 years, she NEVER seems to forget ANYTHING she has seen me or Evan for, and, if you have been to the ER or have an on-call situation, she ALWAYS checks back the next day. I have found her to be just as up to date on childrens issues as any pediatrician I have spoken to, which is quite a few, because of my job. I rarely wait longer than 30 minutes in the waiting room, and NEVER that long in the exam room. She is kind and compassionate, as is her office staff, who also seem to know all the patients by name. She is also only about 40 years old and has a young son herself, so, she's easy to relate to. Just in case you decide to call her, her number is ###-###-####. She and Dr. Kondash are in the same office, he's also VERY nice.
Good luck
T.

Because of relocating and a disagreement between my husband and our first pediatrician I have had my kids to 3 pediatricians. I won't tell you that any of them have known my kids by name upon seeing us in the hallway, but they knew it by the time they entered the exam room. The only occasion where I had to wait over an hour was during a particularly busy day one winter for a late afternoon appt. Otherwise we typically are in the waiting room for 15-20 minutes and the exam room for 10 minutes waiting for the dr. Our peds have all been kid friendly and took the time to answer my questions and concerns in a respectable manner. I've never had a problem reaching the office to make an appointment. I don't know anything about whether or not your sons still need to see a neonatologist. Is there another one you can consult? Perhaps the 2 specialists could give you their opinions on whether you should continue with the neonatologist. If they are good doctors they will be honest about what is best for your children.

The one thing that I always tell people about a pediatrician is that there has to be good "chemistry" between you because this is a relationship that you will have for a LONG time. I think that you need to shop around. I also don't think that you still need a neonatologist at this point. Neonatologists are really only specialized in newborns, thus the name. He may not know how to effectively talk to or interact with a toddler.
Once you find a ped that you have a good connection with (as well as their office) it is a relationship that you don't want to part with...like your own personal physicians.
Good Luck!

Hi H.
I have a 9 mos old son who was also a preemie in the NICU for 3 weeks, has required mutiple office visits for reflux, respiratory issues, etc. We have never waited in the waiting room or back in the exam room for more than 10 mins. There are 5 pediatricians in the group all with excellent bedside manner. I would follow your gut and start looking elsewhere.
Good luck!
B.

I think that if your boys are healthy now, you should seek out a different peds office. I never wait more then 10 mins. and in the rooms it is about 5 at the most. The doctors know my daughter and me. I do wait a while to get an appt. but that is the least of my concerns.

There are a lot of docs like yours, but since he is a specialist, he will tend to be more that way then not. I think you should move on to an office more centered to you and your children.

Hi H.!

No this is not how it should be! I would like to recommend my ped but are you close to Reading? If not I would still suggest that you switch peds. My ped specializes in preemie care as well as the regular practice. If you would like her name just let me know! Thanks!

S.
Mommy to six little gifts!

Hi H.

I agree with the other Mom's. It is time for a new pediatrician. I am sure if you chose a new pediatrician that ever had worry and thought your guys needed to see a neonatologist again he/she would tell you. Find a doctor who you are comfortable with, who knows your children's names and listens to you.

Me pediatrician is part of a large practice and I am sure has many patient's she sees, but even passing in the hall way she knows us. If I am in the office with one of the kids, she asks about the other by name.

Good Luck!

Time to find another doctor. Put your feelers out and follow up on any leads. When your experience's become "painful" instead of helpful- time to move on.

H.,

Find another pediatrician - you are going to see one until your boys are old enough to visit a family doctor so you should feel comfortable with him/her. If your children need a specialist, any pediatrician would be able to tell you that. I live in DE and I absolutely love the office we go to. It has seven doctors and two nurse practioners. I can get an appointment on the same day I call. They have someone at the office seven days a week. You do not have to put up with the added stress of the doctor's office on top of a sick child.

L.

H.

I think you should get a new doctor. Everyone is entitled to a doctor who they are comfortable with. I'm sure you can find a better, more personable, less crowded doctor somewhere. Just research it. He should certainly know your boys names and if he doesn't, he should have read their chart and at least pretended like he knows their name - for their sake. There are nice, funny, personable doctors out there - I promise you! My kids LOVE going to their peds!

This doctor's office is NOT typical of the average pediatrician's office. My son is 17 months old and LOVES going to the doctor's office because of the way he is treated. We are always taken to the 2nd waiting room so my son can roam about freely, the longest we have ever waited to see the doctor is 30 minutes (and that has only happened twice), and the doctor knows my son's name, his tendencies, and his normal behavior (and my son has only been sick two times since he was born). He also gets a small toy after shots which always makes everything better. You need to stop seeing a neonatologist (at this point in time, there is no reason your boys cannot see a regular pediatrician) and find a family doctor or pediatrician that you and your husband enjoy taking your children to.

Hie my name is Tina, and i feel you with this one.I agree with what you are saying about doctors , you wouyld think they would be the most patient and humble people since they are working with sick children.Im trying to find a paedeatrician for my son, and I hope i find somebody good and kind.

Have you considered writing the doc a letter...you don't have to sign it...just list some the concerns...and if you don't see a change after that...look for a new doc...my son's ped is a specialist...and is amazing...he is in his late 60's and still knows my two year old and myself...his staff is amazing and that makes it all the better...remember you pay this mans bills...he works for you by providing you with medical care...he technically is your employee so if you don't like his performance...then you fire him and move on to someone who will provide you with the kind of care that you are looking for. Best of Luck!

Hey-- good decision to hunt for a new doc. My son was 10 weeks premature and once he left the nicu he has been at a regular doctor. He sees a neonatologist every few months just for a check up. I defiantly think they are past the stage of needing a special doctor. Besides what good will a neonatologist be if you can never reach them!

I agree with all the other moms on here. I would find a new doctor. My son is 5 years old and we have followed the same doctor since he was born. He unfortantly has left PA but before he did he opened a small practice in Butler and it only has 3 doctors. They have no problem if you prefer one over the other. I think that they are all great. They know both of my kids by name, the receptionist knows my daughter by name. My son had many problems with his ears and no matter what time I called, on the weekends, day or night you hear from the doctor. I have never had to wait more than 10 or 15 minutes in the waiting room. Normally I walk in and just before I sit down they call me into an exam room and in there your again lucky if you are waiting for more than 10 minutes. Also as for calling in to get appointments I've never had a problem there either. I call, talk to a nurse and if a nurse is not available then they give them a message on my childs condition. I usually receive a phone call in less than a 1/2 hour and with 2-3 hours I am at the doctors office. They also have walkin times on monday mornings.
Good luck of finding new Pedi. Hope I helped.

No way-this is not normal! I have never waited more than ten minutes in my ped's office and that was only because they were squeezing me in because he was sick! Totally unacceptable! I am no way a doctor but if your boys have specialists than you should be fine with just a regular pediatrician. My Dr's office has 7 Doc's and they all walk in shake my boys hands and intruduce themselves to him first and ask him questions-very comforting to them because they feel in control and they ask questions.
I wouldn't spend another minute in that office! You need to feel safe and comfortable and easily get a hold of your Dr's
T.

It sounds to me H. that you need a new pediatrician. They certainly won't miss your business since they don't even know your names. It doesn't sound like you need a neonatologist any more since the boys are older and fine now. I have found that the best plan is to go to an office that only has a few doctors but is willing and able to get you in for sick visits on the same day. I recommend that you make a list of all the things that frustrate you about this particular doctor (and his staff). Then think about what the positive opposite of that might look like. Then you have a list of the things that you want your new doctor to do and have implemented in their practice. Maybe you want to ask about how they bill and their waiting room arrangements (sick and well together? or separate?) Then tell them that you are looking for a DR. for your kids and could you meet with the Dr. some time? There is no reason to continue with this lousy Dr. your kids aren't in any imminent danger are they?

Sounds like you have some research to do :) Make sure you ask for patient recommendations and ask your friends and neighbors if they have any one they really like and trust.

H.,

Personally, I think any doctor like you described, ped or otherwise, should not be allowed to work with the public.

That said, I have two suggestions for you. First, is I would speak to the doctor or an office manager. Sometimes there are things in the works that aren't obvious to you. For example, I had problems with one doctor's office that would regularly notify me that they needed to move my appt. sometimes by as much as 3 months. I finally spoke to the doctor, who was grateful I had told her and said she'd put a stop to it.

However, it sounds like this guy is probably deeply ingrained in his way of doing things. If he isn't willing to address the issues, I really would find a new doctor. While this guy may be tops in his field, if your babies aren't in need of specialized care, there are many peds who are wonderful and more patient friendly.

Regardless, I would not put up with such treatment.