When you become a parent, one of the most important decisions that you make is choosing a pediatrician. You want to be sure that your child receives the best possible care. This can mean different things for different families. Some parents opt for traditional visits to a pediatrician’s office, while others choose the services of an at-home pediatrician.
You may only have familiarity with the traditional pediatric care model for a reason; there are very few at-home pediatric practices in the Dallas / Fort Worth metroplex. While the traditional model, is well, traditional, the at-home model for pediatric care provides many benefits to families in a non-traditional way.
Here are the top 5 reasons why choosing an at-home pediatrician is beneficial for your family.
Convenience
One of the biggest advantages of pediatric home visits is convenience! You can schedule a visit at a time that works for you and your family. No more taking long periods of your day off from work, pulling the kids out of school for several hours or packing up all of the newborn paraphernalia to sit in the pediatrician’s waiting room. An added benefit is that you don’t have to worry about your other kids and what you are going to do with them while the baby is seen by the pediatrician.
Flexibility
At-home pediatrician visits are also much more flexible than traditional office visits. You can plan your child’s check up in advance, and if something comes up, you can reschedule easily. You won’t have to wait weeks for a new appointment.
An at-home pediatrician also offers flexibility when it comes to sick visits. For some reason, kids always seem to get sick on Friday afternoon at 4 pm. While this is a time where most traditional offices are closing for the weekend, you would have access to your at-home pediatrician to get your child taken care of before the weekend.
Cost
Another big advantage is cost. While most traditional pediatric offices take health insurance for payment, most at-home pediatricians do not. So how does this help with the cost of care?
At-home pediatricians work outside of health insurance coverage and charge a reasonable monthly fee. This fee covers all of the primary care that your child needs. When you pay your at-home pediatrician a regular monthly fee, you gain access to well child care, sick care, visits for injuries and all the time in between.
An at-home pediatrician will also give you their cell phone number. You never have to worry about getting your child taken care of ever again. Paying the at-home pediatrician also saves you from co-pays and surprise medical bills. Cutting out the insurance middle man is a win for families
Personalized Care
When you choose a pediatrician to visit your home, you can be sure that your child will receive personalized care. At-home pediatricians can spend more time with each patient, and we get to know your family and your child’s individual needs. Since we take care of fewer kids, your child is always a priority.
Peace of Mind
Knowing that you have a trusted pediatrician who is just a phone call away can give you peace of mind as a parent. As an at-home pediatrician, I am able to come alongside parents to help you navigate the world as it relates to your child’s health. There is no question that is too small or a problem that is too big for me to take care of in a family-centered way. If the issue falls outside of my abilities as a general pediatrician, I have a list of trusted specialists on speed dial that will help us take care of the problem.
© 127 Pediatrics, April 2022
Dr. Andrea Wadley is the owner, pediatrician, and breastfeeding medicine specialist for 127 Pediatrics. She has an established house calls pediatric practice in Colleyville, TX, and sees patients once a week at Sky Women’s Health in Fort Worth, TX for concierge breastfeeding medicine consults, lactation consults, fourth-trimester care, tongue tie clipping, and medical ear piercing.
