is everyone's pediatrician's office like this?

i took my 16 week old in today because he's not feeling well. 1st off let me say i i never should have gone because he's not all that sick. congested and a low fever late yesterday. he is just sleeping a lot more than usual and eating less so i got concerned. that being said - the doc's office was crazy busy. all waiting rooms were packed (sick room, well room & infant well room). i literally stood in the corner of the sick room with the baby at my feet in car seat. after five minutes of moving him out of the way of kids playing and kids coughing all around us, i decided this wasnt a smart idea. i waited another 15 minutes and then nicely asked how much longer it would be. i said i wasnt complaining but that my son is only 16 weeks and i was afraid he was going to catch something worse in that waiting room. they said 5 - 10 more min. so i waited 15 more and finally left without being seen.

so if you are still reading this my question is - are all offices like this? i am not a demanding person at all. is it unreasonable to think i shouldn't wait with a baby in a sickroom for more than that? this place is just so big with too many patients. every time i go i see a different doc or even a PA and i feel like they don't really know DS. i think this is kind of the last straw with this office. in 4 months time they've done a bunch of things to turn me off. so i guess my 2nd question is - anyone wanna recommend a ped? (i'm in seaford so merrick to massapequa or even bethpage or levittown)

Re: is everyone's pediatrician's office like this?

I would not be happy with that. I have waited a while at times but it is rare and most times I am in and out. There is only one Dr at the place I go.

Re: is everyone's pediatrician's office like this?

My ped's office has a sick room and well room. I have waited for an hour before.

Re: is everyone's pediatrician's office like this?

I left a practice because I waited an hour for my sick visit when my DS was sick a year ago. it wasn't even busy and there were 2 doctors working. I don't tolerate that kinda of stuff.
It was the best decision I made. At the new practice, sick or well I never wait more than 10-15 minutes.

Re: is everyone's pediatrician's office like this?

ours is not. they have set times for well, set for sick. if you need to be seen with a sick child, its usually in the afternoon - well visits in the am.

Re: is everyone's pediatrician's office like this?

No, I would NOT be happy. When looking for a Ped first thing I asked was about waiting with a baby and they said they DO NOT keep infants under a year old in the waiting room. You go immediatly into a room

Re: is everyone's pediatrician's office like this?

Re: is everyone's pediatrician's office like this?

No-
With infants, I get moved right to a room...no matter what kind of visit it is.

Re: is everyone's pediatrician's office like this?

My old practice was just like this. DS was sick at daycare and I called and got a 6pm appt. I walked into a zoo and was not seen until 8:45. I left this practice. The new practice does not have a wait like the other and the waiting room is never crowded.

Re: is everyone's pediatrician's office like this?

Re: is everyone's pediatrician's office like this?

My Ped always puts my little one in a room right away.

I highly recommend Caring Pediatrics in LEvittown

Re: is everyone's pediatrician's office like this?

I have never waited longer than 10 minutes at my peds office and wouldnt' want to with a sick child

Message edited 10/26/2010 1:15:25 PM.

Re: is everyone's pediatrician's office like this?

no it isn't like that for us at all. and, if i take DD for a well check during sick times (b/c I can't come any other time) I sign in and wait in the car. they call me when the room is ready and I go right in. they are very nice and the doctors know us.

Re: is everyone's pediatrician's office like this?

ours has a sick room and well room as well, and they will also take your cell # if you want to wait in your car and call you when to come in if you want if it was ever too crowded

Re: is everyone's pediatrician's office like this?

absolutely unacceptable
I'd rec our ped, but we're in suffolk. Hope your little guy feels better soon!

Re: is everyone's pediatrician's office like this?

It only happened to me once when it was back to school time and there were a million kids there for school physicals.
Otherwise it has never been crowded when I have gone, especially not in the sick waiting room.

Re: is everyone's pediatrician's office like this?

The only time I wait is for the last afternoon appt for well visits, which is 1:50pm. It seems like this time is hectic with wrapping up the wells and getting ready for the sicks kids.

Re: is everyone's pediatrician's office like this?

I've never had that issue. The most I've waited with DS has been 20 minutes.

They make their best effort during sick visits to get infants into rooms ASAP and they only see infants for well visits between 1-2pm every day (unless you need to go otherwise).

My ped's office, and the other one I interviewed, only have one waiting room. They feel that "sick" kids parents will bring their kids into the "well" kids waiting room since they don't think their kid is that sick or they don't want their kid getting anything else.

Re: is everyone's pediatrician's office like this?

my ped office told me that if I am bringing in a sick infant to call when I arrive and they will have me come in a separate entrance and they are seen right away.

Re: is everyone's pediatrician's office like this?

My 14 month old had croup last week - I had to take him to the PED three days in a row. Each visit the ped emphasised that DS was contagious so to keep him away from infants expecially and other kids. I arranged with DH to pick up our 4 year old from pre k so DS would not come in contact with any of the kids and make them sick.

Each visit last week we were left sitting in the waiting room for at least 15-20 mins while there were infants ( a 6 week old!) sitting there and each time I made the receptionist and the mom of the infants aware of what was wrong with DS. Nothing was done - I ended up hovering at the exit door with DS in case he coughed near any of the babies -so unacceptable.

So yes my peds office is like this too. I stay because touch wood my kids are rarely sick and I do like the ped.

Re: is everyone's pediatrician's office like this?

i have never waited more than 2 minutes to go into a room. i wouldnt tolerate that.

I hope Luke is feeling better! I LOVE my ped. He's Dr. Silverstein on Merrick Ave in Merrick.

Message edited 10/26/2010 2:38:11 PM.

Re: is everyone's pediatrician's office like this?

Re: is everyone's pediatrician's office like this?

My office is not like this. Infants are asked to come in the morning (to be separated from older sick kids). They usually bring infants directly into the exam rooms. The longest babies are ever waiting is around 5 minutes. While my practice has multiple docs, I usually ask for the main ped that my kids see.

Re: is everyone's pediatrician's office like this?

Re: is everyone's pediatrician's office like this?

No. When they see i'm bringing my infant they push me ahead.