Location of Your Provider - Spouses Hospital or Not?

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

Don't want to derail the other post about which doctor you go to with this question but I wanted some opinions:

Do you guys have your providers at your spouses hospitals or other hospitals (if that's an option)? DD will have her pediatrician affiliated with his hospital but I'm making my annual visit appointment and that got me thinking.

The reason I ask is that the closest OB/Gyn office is within a 5 minute drive which would be insanely convenient but it's affiliated with the other hospital in town. Not to get ahead of ourselves but I'm not sure that's attractive to be with the other hospital (which is excellent, BTW) if I do get pregnant again anytime in residency. DH will be unlikely to be involved at regular appointments or ultrasounds anyway but he definitely won't be able to if they're at the other hospital. Plus, it would be easier for him to get to me and to receive any theoretical professional courtesies if I'm at the other hospital (that whole walking issue could rear it's ugly head again for example). That being said, if he's not going to be involved in my prenatal care anyway, wouldn't it make sense for me to go with the most convenient option for myself?

Plus you have the whole, do I want my husband's colleagues seeing my delivery sticking point... As a urologist, he will definitely have some interaction with OB/Gyn.

[Chrisada]

I've always been at DH's hospital. My first OB was his professor and he often works with my current OB. He suggested both of them to me. I know we've had a similar convo before on iMSN, and I think I was one of the few who didn't really care if DH's colleagues, including other residents, delivered me.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I've always been at DH's hospital. My first OB was his professor and he often works with my current OB. He suggested both of them to me. I know we've had a similar convo before on iMSN, and I think I was one of the few who didn't really care if DH's colleagues, including other residents, delivered me.

I agree, that's a very, very minor point to me.

It's more that the one close to me is sooooo convenient but they don't deliver at DH's hospital so that's tough/awkward for him to get away for ultrasounds or delivery.

[SuzySunshine]

If I was still in your shoes I'd want DH's hospital for the exact reason you mention. It was so much easier for him to come across the street or up a few floors for an appointment then it would have been if we were across town.

[Phoebe]

My provider has always been affiliated with DH's employer because that is all our insurance would cover.

[Chrisada]

So are there any OB's closer that are affiliated with his hospital? Or maybe you could see this one and then change to one affiliated with your DH if you got pregnant again? I'd probably opt for being at DH's hospital personally.

[Chrisada]

And like Phoebe's, other hospitals around our area are not even covered by our insurance.

[corn poffi]

Since I work at his hospital, my insurance is through them, so I would go here. Many of my coworkers have had our surgeons operate on/treat them, and I think that having my own co-worker do that would be weirder than having my SO's co-worker (if they weren't one in the same...)

But, even if I didn't, I would have no problem going to see one of his colleagues or even somebody he might work with on occasion. Body parts are just body parts to doctors, so I don't think they'd find mine particularly remarkable.

I agree with the others...being in the same building would be a definite plus!

[GreyhoundsRUs]

My provider has always been affiliated with DH's employer because that is all our insurance would cover.

Same here - plus like SS said. He can step into any open office to answer pages if he's with me for an appointment. They even got him a COW for when I was in labor so he could finish his call notes!

[Deebs]

Jen - Don't let him look up your results in EPIC - I have seen docs fired for the same thing at two hospitals. It is SO easy to do a quick search to see if employees have looked up family member's records.

I go to the hospital that I think is going to provide me the best care. Currently, I don't go through DH's hospital because I have three kids and there is a hospital closer. My kids go to providers at one hospital, and DH and I go to another. All three hospitals I delivered at were DH's hospitals and it was really convenient (although it was also convenient for him to get pulled out of my recovery room and help with patient care, so there can be a downside). If I have to go to the ED, I would probably go to where DH works.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

Ok, you guys sold me. I'll drive further so he can maybe attend appointments and/or there were any issues.

DD is at his hospital for this exact reason but there are Peds affiliated with his hospital near our location and not OB/Gyns for some reason.

[niener]

Jen - Don't let him look up your results in EPIC - I have seen docs fired for the same thing at two hospitals. It is SO easy to do a quick search to see if employees have looked up family member's records.

This. It's grounds for being fired everywhere we've been too. Some places won't even let you look up your own record so he should ask first if he wants to do that.

[oceanchild]

It's too bad the other practice is further away! Like others, our insurance only lets us see people affiliated with DH's hospital, but we also live right down the street, so it's the most convenient for pretty much everything too.

[moonlight]

It seems you really have your hands full and the close place seems really convenient but honestly how often are you going there right now anyways? Not much I guess.

As you know I don't have much of a choice because we only have the one hospital here and all the providers have offices surrounding the hospital area. If I had another choice I would still go there because we get a big discount on hospital services at our own hospital.

[alison]

Dh looked up his own record for something or other, and yeah, it's a no-no!