just in case care?

[rebirth]

My DH and I are tentitively planning a trip when I am 35 weeks, and although I expect not to be early I am a planner, and like my bases covered! I already have found the OB I would want to care for me if I were to need it, and I have insurance. I wouldn't care if I had to pay the co-pay for an initial or w/ev or a phone consult.... I'd rather be covered. I see firsthand the toss up on call care is, and I do not want to be dealing with that, or having a CP who won't respect my wishes.

How do I go about getting the doctor to agree to this? He is a pretty natural friendly Dr (Tate in atl), but I have no idea of the feesability of doing this.

Any pointers?

[sweet.p]

If you have chosen a local hosp and doctor that you feel comfortable with and unwilling to risk the randomness of just showing up at some other hosp and doctor, DON'T travel at 35 weeks if all of that really matters to you and making you feel insecure!

Talk to the doctor that you are using during your pregnancy what you should do if you go into labor while traveling. Typically you would just show up in the ER, or if you have a local name of another doctor you can call them and they would meet you at the hospital.

Highly unlikely that you're a priority for that new doctor, so it's unlikely you can dictate that you want them and not one of their on-call colleagues or partners if you go into labor on vacation.


I would Discuss this with your health insurance company to make sure you would be covered (it's not about co-pay). They might not cover a routine prenatal visit to that other doctor if there is no clinical indication you need to see a MD, if you do they would say go to the ER.

Have you spoken to this doctor in your vacation destination, are they willing to go to your birth? It's not common to do this.
If you wanted a routine visit (if that OB had time) it's $$ out of your pocket.

[Maggi315]

I'm not sure I understand what you want your doctor to agree to? That you are traveling? Or want to have this other doctor as backup? You really just need to get all your medical records copied and then travel if you want. there isn't anything for your other doctor to do, although if you did go into labor, you could call him and ask him to call the doctor you picked.

however, if you are traveling and go into labor, you will have to call this new doctor and let him know you are possibly in labor. If you go to the ER or the floor is dependent on the hospital, around here you don't go to the ER if someone calls first, you go straight to the floor.

But you would get whoever is on call and at the hospital at that time, it could be another doctor or even another practice (doctors in solo practices usually cover for each other).

So, basically, just let your doctor know you are traveling, get a copy of your medical records, maybe call the doctor you are thinking about and ask his office what the procedure will be, and then go ahead and travel! There's not much else to do and you don't need a doctor's "permission" to travel or to see another doctor if you go into labor. Even if you have an HMO, if it's an emergency, they will cover costs (minus copays and deductibles).

[rebirth]

Essentially what I want is to have a care provider I feel comfortable with if I did go into labor or need to go to L&D for some reason while travelling. I do not want to get stuck in a strange place with a CP I don't feel comfortable with. I have a midwife locally, but she'd be little help to me 9 hrs drive away, or even at 35 weeks as I'd be pre-term. I have no idea if a doctor would even be willing, and I do understand they often work in group practices or have other backups. I do feel I would be able to expect a higher quality of care by not officially being a walk in, which is my main concern.

[sweet.p]

Originally Posted by rebirth

Essentially what I want is to have a care provider I feel comfortable with if I did go into labor or need to go to L&D for some reason while travelling. I do not want to get stuck in a strange place with a CP I don't feel comfortable with. I have a midwife locally, but she'd be little help to me 9 hrs drive away, or even at 35 weeks as I'd be pre-term. I have no idea if a doctor would even be willing, and I do understand they often work in group practices or have other backups. I do feel I would be able to expect a higher quality of care by not officially being a walk in, which is my main concern.

Call around and ask the providers in the area you're traveling to, that would be the only way for you to know for sure if they would take a temporary patient if you needed them when you are visiting..

I don't think anyone can answer your questions except that doctor.