Moving With Special Needs – Part 2: Doctors
Read Part 1: Moving With Special Needs – Part 1: Schools
When we relocated about 200 miles from our previous home, we had to make decisions about schools before the move. I did my homework and took care of that with relative ease, but the medical care was a different story.
Our youngest son, Ben has a complex array of medical issues and sees many specialists. Since we have family in the city near where we used to live, it was reasonable to keep his specialists until we could get our bearings and determine which doctors we would need to change and which we could keep.
We knew we needed a local pediatrician right away, so before moving I looked up pediatric practices and called the office managers there.
The office manager of a medical practice wants satisfied patients, so they should be forthcoming in answering your numerous questions about the pediatricians in their office.
I asked about their experience with my son’s specific medical diagnoses, and then about availability and patient satisfaction.
Next, I narrowed the list down to a couple of doctors and set up an appointment to review my children’s medical history.
Honestly, the doctor with the most convenient scheduling won out. After meeting with her, I was pleased with her approach to patient care, and made the decision to move my children to her practice.
A few of the specialists we see make monthly commutes to a medical center that’s a reasonable drive from our new home, so for now, we will keep up with them. For the rest, we put our new pediatrician to work. Her office medical assistant has been adept at finding a team of specialists and getting referrals at the nearest medical center with pediatric specialists, and had also recommended an eye doctor and dentist who have been a great fit with my kids.
The medical changes have been far more cumbersome and complicated than the school changes, but because my son has been medically stable we have had the luxury of taking our time and getting it right. We have been highly satisfied with our changes, even though they have taken plenty of work to accomplish.
Finding an excellent fit in our pediatrician has been the foundation for a successful move and maintaining excellent medical care for our medically complex child.
More Help with Moving with Special Needs:
Back to School for Your Child with Special Needs: How to Be Ready
