We went to check out a pediatrician practice last night and overall they seemed ok. But I noticed that they didn't have separate waiting areas for sick kids vs. well kids, and I'm wondering how big a deal this is. I remember my pediatrician growing up had separate areas.
Would this be a deal breaker for you? Should we just be sure to bring anti-bac or wipes and if he touches the toys, clean him up as soon as we're out of the waiting area?
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
I worried about this too and honestly it turned out to not be a big deal at all. Our appointments are always early before work and there are hardly ever any other patients IN the waiting area. Even though they didn't have a separate room they did have areas.
hostess / wonderful watermelon / 39513 posts
Doesn't matter to me...germs are everywhere in the hospital and doctor's office.
squash / 13764 posts
We don't have separate waiting rooms at our pedi...there just isn't space! They do try to get us into the exam room quickly, although then we wait a while in there sometimes. I wouldn't worry about it!
GOLD / cantaloupe / 6581 posts
We don't have separate waiting rooms and it hasn't been a big deal. I just stay away from everyone!
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
Ours also doesn't have a separate waiting room and it hasn't been an issue for us yet!
wonderful grape / 20453 posts
Sick baby appts are at different times than the well baby appts at our ped's office. And if you have to mingle and go to a well baby appt when it's sick times, they bring you back quickly so you don't wait near all the sick kids
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
Not a deal breaker, although ours now has one for well, sick, infants and teens, all separated.
grapefruit / 4823 posts
It didn't matter to us. I figure sick kids ended up in the room we are going to before us.
GOLD / wonderful olive / 19030 posts
Our office only has a newborn room, not a "sick/healthy" room. It wasn't important to me knowing that germs are everywhere. The sick kid could be in the same room as your healthy checkup right before you go in, cross contaminating everything anyways. i wouldn't worry about it.
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
Ours doesn't have separate waiting areas but it hasn't been an issue for us either! I always try to take the first appt of the day, if possible. And if I can't I usually keep LO on my lap. There aren't really any toys in the waiting area, just a TV so for the short wait I have him sit with me.
GOLD / wonderful coconut / 33402 posts
It didn't matter to me and so far it hasn't been an issue.
hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts
Not a deal breaker. They had a small area for babies under 3 months. Beyond that, it's just one big room. I love my pediatrician group too much to care that there isn't a separate sick room. 
pomegranate / 3863 posts
Not a deal breaker for us. Hasn't been a problem so far, but he is too young to be playing with the toys/touching everything!
coconut / 8472 posts
Wow, I'm amazed that no one cares, lol. I will say there were a lot of toys in the waiting room, so when he's 2 or 3 it will be a lot more difficult to reign him in than a newborn. But I guess it's not that big a deal.
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
@mediagirl: I agree. The important part is finding a pediatrician/family doctor you love! Everything else is a perk I would like it for sure but it's not an option.
coconut / 8472 posts
@Mrs. Pen: Haha, well we didn't *love* them, so maybe that's a bigger deal.
pear / 1723 posts
We don't have the option and hasn't been an issue so far. Usually aren't many others there, and if they seem sick, we sit on the other end of the room, or pace the hallway in front.
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
@ShootingStar: Ahhh... that might change things then. If I didn't love our doctor I might be more critical of other things.
kiwi / 613 posts
Not a deal breaker for us. I would have liked our office to have a separate area, but I don't let my LO touch anything when we are in the waiting area anyway in fear of all the gross germs.
nectarine / 2504 posts
We have a separate waiting room for kids that are sick but I feel like the doctor's office is generally a germy area It would not break the deal for me.
pomegranate / 3398 posts
We do and I prefer it that way. I don't know that it would be a deal breaker but I'd have to think about it if they didn't.
watermelon / 14467 posts
It wasn't a deal breaker for me. I wasn't really super concerned with that. The ped I went to growing up didn't have separate waiting rooms for sick and well patients.
However, the ped we ended up going with does have separate sick, well, and contagious diseases entrances. There aren't any toys in the waiting rooms though since they are smaller.
persimmon / 1026 posts
As for the toys, I always make sure to bring a couple small things and books to keep in my bag so LO is occupied. Luckily we never have to wait more than 10 minutes. I used to work in a doctor's office and let's just say the toys in the waiting room were sanitized maybe once a month...I'm totally not a germaphobe but I will always bring our own toys from home for him to play with and then wash them later after the appt!
pomegranate / 3414 posts
Not a deal breaker for us since they enter through the same door and check in at the same counter. In our peds office you have to walk through the sick kids side (which is much bigger and had toys in it) to get to the healthy kids side. I get more frustrated about the toy situation than anything, try telling a healthy preschooler they can't play with the fun toys but have to go sit on the side with no toys.
hostess / eggplant / 11068 posts
It never even crossed my mind that there should be separate waiting rooms! So I guess it's not a deal breaker for me! LOL!
pear / 1992 posts
When we were looking, it was a feature I specifically was searching for. We didn't have any ties to one Dr. or office though so I was starting from scratch.
If I had a doc or practice that I had really good recommendations for, or that I had a personal reason for wanting then it would probably not be a deal breaker. It is nice to have though, as my girl hasn't ever been for anything except a well visit
grapefruit / 4671 posts
There is no space for that in most doc's office in Manhattan so I don't care.
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