Much of the cost is dependent upon the type of insurance you have, but you should inquire about how this is handled. To become board certified, a doctor must have completed four years of medical school, three years of pediatric specialty training and passed the board exam given by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The exam is taken every seven years for recertification. It would be optimal for the physician to have privileges where you will be delivering so she can see your infant from the very beginning. In addition, should your child need to be hospitalized, you would want to be comfortable with the hospital where your doctor attends.
Some doctors can handle most urgent matters in the office.
Others will refer you to the emergency room. There are pros and cons to both systems. Appointment making ensures your child will be seen shortly after you arrive, however, that appointment time may be later than you might like. In small practices and practices which have several offices, the covering physician may be someone in a totally separate office who has never seen your child before, whereas, moderate-sized offices share call among the physicians within that office. When your child gets a cold which does not require antibiotics, you do not want a physician who is all too ready to give them to you for no good reason.