Interesting New Policy at My Drs. Office

[va32h]

Or rather my children's doctor's office.

I had to take my son in this morning; he had a bug bite and he had scratched it and it became inflamed and irritated. I brought his little sister with me, as I usually do.

When I got there, the receptionist informed me that they had a new policy - only the child being seen for the appointment could be brought to the office. They would make an exception for me today, since I didn't know, but in the future, I could only bring the child who was being seen.

Their reasoning was that the waiting room was not large enough to accommodate very many people, and that parents were often distracted by siblings, and not able to provide sufficient support to the sick child or listen to the doctor's instructions/questions.

My kids like their doctor very much, so I'm not planning to leave the practice or anything. But this policy will make appointments much more inconvenient for me, and I said as much to the doctor when I saw him.

Has anyone else heard of something like this?

 

[Maleficent13]

I have been in healthcare a long time, and I have never heard such a thing, especially at a ped's office. I understand the overcrowding issue, but now you have to add the stress of finding child care to the already stressful situation of a sick child?

Hmmm...I'll have to think on this one.

 

[lovemygoofy]

My personal doctor has this policy sort of but absoutlely no children should be with the patient. I have seen sevearl people have to leave without seeing the doctor because they brought their children with them.

 

[Hillbeans]

Wow, that's a new one.

I'm kind of 50/50 about that new policy. I see the pros and cons, but the cons by far outweigh the pro's IMO.

 

[darrose]

I would look for a new doctor!!!

 

[BelleBeautyandtheBeast]

While I may agree with their reasoning I just don't see how they expect this policy to really work.
As a mother of 3 kids I often have to take more than 1 with me when there is an appointment with the pediatrician. If it is possible to leave one or two with someone else I will but that is not always possible.
I am willing to bet this policy doesn't last long.

 

[luvwinnie]

I know my brother wouldn't take both his kids because he didn't want the healthy one exposed to other sick kids if he could help it.

 

[robertsmom]

Personally, this policy sounds crazy to me. Kids don't get sick on a schedule. How many people are going to be able to find last-minute child care when one of their kids gets sick???

 

[Annette_VA]

Wow, what a bunch of crap that is!

So, now you have to find a sitter to take your kid to the dr? Ridiculous!! Are they going to pay for the sitter?

I'm a SAHM. I don't really have a babysitter. Both sets of grandparents are in town, though. But, what if they weren't available? I couldn't get my kid seen? Total BS!

 

[RitaZ.]

I have never heard of that policy. When kids are young, parents make lots of visits to the ped's office and finding a babysitter isn't always possible. There are a lot of compassionate and empathetic pediatricians out there, I would find a new one.

 

[Melrosgirl]

Never heard of it and don't like it.

 

[ckmommy]

I would be getting a new Dr. I have five kids--no family in town and my DH travels and is not in town during the week. Finding a babysitter or friend to watch the other kids while I take one to the Dr. would be expensive and inconvenient. As a side note, I do not "love" my dr.( I like him though), so I would not feel bad leving the practice.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I would look for a new dr! When my kids were younger and one was sick, very often one of the others would also be sick enough that they wouldn't be able to go to a friend's house while I had the one child at the dr appointment. They would need to go with me. They didn't need to see the dr themselves, but they couldn't be left with someone. And my DH's job didn't allow him to stay home easily until our last child came along. Even then, though, there were times that he was out of town or had a phone call (he now works at home).

Also, kids don't always give a lot of notice that they are going to be sick. It's one thing to get a sitter for a well child appointment, but for a spur of the minute appt? Just doesn't always work out even if a person has people to call (and not everyone does).

 

[Poohs Pal]

I imagine after this doctor lose's many patient's due to this policy he will probably change his mind. I can't imagine when you have a last minute apointment trying to find a baby sitter before heading out to the doctor. Shame on that Ped's doctor. Susan

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Bizarre.

I am a nanny, and I have my own DS. In 12 years of caring for children and dealing with multiple pediatric practices I have never heard of a policy like that before! I take my charges to the doctor all the time. I guess if the office had that policy one of their parents would have to take off work and go to the Dr. or stay home with the sibling who wasn't being seen.

I think insisting on one child per parent is unrealistic.

 

[bamajill]

I would be finding myself a new doctor and I would also make sure my doctor knew WHY I was leaving their practice.

Chances are if my kids all live in my house, they have probably all been exposed to whatever germs the sick one has....

Anyway, that policy would not work for me and I would be looking for another doc ASAP.

 

[fabumouse]

Sometimes medical Doctors forget that they are selling you a service. It's difficult to imagine many other situations where a service provider would feel free to dictate the terms of how you are going to purchase their services. Bummer that they feel the sick kid isn't getting enough of your undivided attention, but that's just life with siblings. Sheesh! ITA with the other posters - find yourself a new doctor.

 

[Keggy]

WOW - that is very inconvienent policy.

Kelly

 

[disneymom3]

That is just nuts if you ask me! What are you supposed to do with other ones?

I try my darndest to have a sitter for well child check ups but germs don't give you much notice!

 

[sugarpie]

Wow!!!

My doctor is the exact opposite. She wants me to bring the neighbors in with me I think! If I don't bring the kids in for my appointments she's wondering where they are. And where's my husband. I've canceled a gyno appt. because I didn't have anyone to watch the kids and her nurse called me back and told me to bring them in with me. For a GYNECOLOGICAL EXAM!!! (I didn't go, BTW)

I usually find a way to only bring one of my kids to the doctor at a time, though. I can't concentrate when the other one is tearing up the exam room.