The Problem with Visiting All the Doctors (Within the Same Office)

             Hey folks! I've made it no secret in the past that I am not a huge fan of doctors. And, while I had a great VBAC experience with the office I went with here in Indiana, you know what was really annoying? Having to see every doctor in the practice. I'm not sure whether this is becoming more of “a thing” in the medical world in general, but I have a feeling it is and wanted to get some things off my chest in regards to it pertaining to OBGYNs.

             First of all, at least at my office, I got the impression that I would still have a main OBGYN (and perhaps I was supposed to) of my choosing, but I would need to at least meet with the other two because of their policy. “Ok. That's fine,” I thought. After it was all said and done, though, I think I ended up seeing the doctor I originally wanted less than the other two! I felt like I was being passed around! But, I'll get to that more in a minute.

             Don't get me wrong: I don't know if this is their reasoning or not, but I can totally understand them wanting patients to meet with all of the doctors because you just never know who is going to be on-call when you go into labor. However, I personally found a lot of faults with this system. (Btw, does anyone know if there is a specific term for doctor offices like this? I would love to know that!)

*First of all, you don't get to know one doctor very well. I don't like that. I loved my OBGYN in Arkansas that I had when I was pregnant with Myka. She almost felt more like a friend than a doctor...And I only had to see another doctor in her practice once, I think, when she was on vacation. Like I said above, I ended up having to see each of the three doctors at the practice here about equally. And I wasn't really crazy about any of them.

*Again, these practices can make you feel like you are being shuffled around. Who wants to feel like they are being passed around, especially when you're hormonal and pregnant?

*You may/will end up having to either see a specific doctor you don't like or a gender of doctor you don't prefer. I realize how trivial this sounds, but having a baby is a big deal. You should want (and deserve) to be seen by someone you are comfortable with and trust! We are paying them, after all, not the other way around.

*With all of the above being said, in these types of offices, you don't seem to have much choice in who provides your care. Yes, I realize you could choose a different doctor's office, BUT...What if it's the only one your insurance will cover? What if, you're like me, and it's the number one or ONLY place you're allowed to VBAC at in the area? What if you live in a rural area and it's your only/closest choice? So, shouldn't we be allowed some freedom in choosing which doctor we would like for our care and to form a decent relationship with?

*I feel like all of these things, whether combined or even one single item, can cause even more anxiety in some patients. Although I am picky about OBGYNs, I also feel like I'm fairly laid back, especially after having two kids. Some people, however, are already high-strung, whether it be due to pregnancy-related concerns or a pre-existing anxiety disorder. Why cause even more, unnecessary stress for these patients?

             What are your thoughts on the matter? Do you think you should have to see all the doctors in a practice or just the one you choose? Have you ever been to an office like this? I'd love to hear your thoughts below!