Posted on 03/03/2014 1:55:36 PM PST by AlmaKing
My wife is about 2 weeks away from giving birth. The hospital contacted her today and told her that they would not release the baby until we have given them a pediatrician's name.
I don't know if this is policy or law in Arizona. I have started making calls, but am not getting anywhere yet.
Anyone heard of this?
I have other children and was never told anything like this.
It ticks me off because I see it as a threat and a loss of control of my child.
I can try another hospital, but I don't know yet if it will be the same policy or law. And of course my wife doesn't want to switch hospital and doctor.
This URL is the list of FR members in AZ- (It is from the locale board, you can go to account, profile, Arizona, Member list). 969 of them.
http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/profiles2?m=member-list;location=51
had my first a couple decades ago, and the hospital required the name of a pediatrician before you checked out. As it turned out, the pediatrician on call was perfect for us, so we put his name down.
my understanding at the time was for records of tests done at the hospital to be sent to a pediatrician for follow up in case there is a problem - especially since discharge is now typically one day. bilirubin problems can crop up - happened with my second child - you’ll need a pediatrician for follow-up blood test results.
Oh, I'm guessing after the standard 72 hours of post-natal care, which is all virtually every insurance company will pay for (unless the mother or child has complications.) The hospital will be ready to release the baby real fast when they realize they will no longer be getting paid...
Say you and your wife are illegals. Not only will they kiss your butt they’ll also pay your entire hospital bill.
Likely the hospital also won’t release your child to your care without examining and approving of a suitable carseat no more than 10 years old, and only after you and your wife both watch some mandatory “never shake a baby” videos. These are the breaks... you can fight with the nurses and claim outrage, but in general never fight with a nurse, especially ones who are caring for your wife and child.
Probably a little late in the game to arrange for a home delivery, but if you scramble, maybe you can find a midwife to accommodate your concerns, but it’s a little unlikely one would take your case so close to delivery not knowing anything about the mother’s medical condition.
best thing to do in your case is just find a pediatrician. You are about to have a lot of questions and concerns you never expected, best to know what number to call to get actual answers instead of ignorant or outright dangerous advice from friends and the internet. If you don’t like the pediatrician, switch doctors or just don’t schedule any appointments.
My neighbor (missionaries from the U.K.) birthed 3 at home with a midwife. One in Israel. Thru her I have met several who have given birth at home.
So when you show up a the hospital, do you expect them to deliver the baby? My guess is that the hospital will let you use their facilities if there is a pediatrician overseeing the delivery of the baby. It’s up to you to find the pediatrician of your CHOICE. I don’t see government in this. I see hospital policy shaped by legal experiences.
SOP for many hospitals....my daughter and husband was faced with this last time they had a baby..
They had a doctor from their first baby, but he was on vacation...
Didn’t matter until he sent a letter stating he was the babies doctor...they were not going to release their newborn...
It may not be hospital policy, but a dumbass social worker/glorified clerk that makes stuff up to get the paperwork done.
It sounds as though there is a problem with Obamacare coverage of pediatricians at the hospital where your baby will be born. It isn’t a big deal, but check your insurance and find a pediatrician who will be covered under your insurance plan.
...and stop worrying.
Yep. Understand the frustration. Give them a name and move on...
Unless you’re planning on living in a cave and never seeing other humans again, having a Pede is a good idea. Babies get nasty things, and since their systems are so small, those things can kill them in the time you or I would get over a cold.
Why not just ask your obstetrician for a referral?
Have the baby at home.
You stand a better chance that your baby will grow up to be President if he or she is born at home.
Jimmy Carter was the first President to be born in a hospital and we all know how that turned out.
This is not an unusual request. The obstetrician delivers the baby, once it pees (im not kidding) there is a transfer of responsibility from the OB to the pediatrician for affirming health. It’s an institutional standard procedure for which mitigation of risk and responsibility is paramount. Lots of opportunities to be sued if this hand-off is not made correctly. They should have a ped on-call so you might inquire about that.
[Everything is making me upset lately.]
Join the crowd here...
Get a lawyer and fast. Preferably one that has experience in child custody and fighting hospitals to release children. Have your lawyer contact the hospital’s lawyer and determine if this is a clerical error or policy or law.
Also contact your insurance and ask them if this is their policy. Since they are the one who will be paying the bills, they often get listened to more than anyone else.
Get a lawyer and fast. Preferably one that has experience in child custody and fighting hospitals to release children. Have your lawyer contact the hospital’s lawyer and determine if this is a clerical error or policy or law.
Also contact your insurance and ask them if this is their policy. Since they are the one who will be paying the bills, they often get listened to more than anyone else.
Home birth
Agree. I think it’s just a line on a form. Unless there is really is a law or they actually contact the doctor.
I did this for my son going to school. Nonsense about health forms wherein the state requires you list not just doctor but dentist. I only just signed up dentist for my son, mostly think it’s as am to have kids going to dentists. But anyway, I had no real experience with kid dentists, but wrote the name in anyway. No questions.
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