Pediatricians Advised to Dump Difficult Parents

Can you imagine getting a letter from your pediatrician saying, "Find your family another doctor. You're fired!"

Come to think of it, I once wrote a "Dear John" letter to a pediatric practice that kept my kids waiting too long to see what seemed like a different doctor every time. It'd still be a jolt, though, wouldn't it, to get a formal letter from the family doctor saying that your vaccination viewpoint makes you no longer welcome in the waiting room? That's what a presenter at an American Academy of Pediatrics meeting last week advised pediatricians to do when their efforts to educate about the need for vaccines are unsuccessful, lest they be liable for the illness of an unvaccinated child (or a child who sat next to an unvaccinated child for hours in the waiting room).

According to an ABC News report, Dr. Gary Marshall told the assembled healers, "If it becomes obvious that you and the family will never see eye-to-eye on a specific issue, there's no reason not to 'fire' them, providing you follow the steps necessary to avoid charges of abandonment. Those include providing written notice that you will no longer treat their children and giving them a set time frame -- at least 30 days -- to find another physician."

And really, that seems fair enough. It's good advice for parents, too -- if it becomes obvious that you and the family physician will never see eye-to-eye on a specific issue, there's no reason not to "fire" them, either. For some families it may be vaccines, for some it may be the seriousness with which the parents' observations are taken, for some it may be willingness to discuss alternative treatments, for some it may be an issue of "wait and see" vs. "do something right now." And for some, it may be unacceptable waiting-room waits and turnover of staff. Consistency of care is a good thing, but it doesn't mean you have to stick with a pediatrician who doesn't feel right to you -- or to whom, you strongly suspect, you don't feel right.

If you find yourself on the market again, check Before You Pick a Pediatrician for some ideas on finding a better fit.

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