I heart Dr. Michel

Source: www.tribecapediatrics.com

I feel so lucky to have had Dr. Michel Cohen as Miss L's pediatrician while we were in New York. I always thought that Tribeca Pediatrics was a wonderful practice. Dr. Michel rode his bike over to our apartment for Miss L's first appointment the afternoon we arrived home from the hospital. He gave us great reassurance and support as new parents. We enjoyed his low intervention, common sense approach. We always looked forward to our appointments, especially Miss L. She loved playing in the waiting room and looking at the fish in the patient rooms. She never fussed during her appointments and always wanted to run around between the rooms to follow the nurses and say hello to the other patients. She was eager to run into Dr. Michel's arms when he came in the room and when she was a newborn she did a lot of cooing and later rolling around the exam table. In fact, whenever we strolled by Tribeca Pediatrics on Warren Street, Miss L pointed and motioned that she wanted to go inside.

So I will admit that there is a very high bar to impress me with a new pediatrics practice here in SF. Needless to say we were extremely disappointed (and traumatized) by our first visit to a new pediatrician this afternoon. I had taken recommendations from local moms and was excited that the practice was within walking distance (still feeling like a New Yorker walking to the doctor). Mister T went with us, which is a good thing because he might have thought I was exaggerating about what happened.

We walked in the front door to find a drab white medical office that could have been mistaken for a lab or ENT practice. There wasn't a toy in sight. No bright and whimsical wall-size paintings. No hip, modern decor. No train table or push toys. The air was humid and stuffy (and San Francisco is not a humid place, there is always a cool bay breeze).

When we checked in the receptionist looked up our appointment and asked if this was our one-year appointment. I told her it wasn't since Miss L was 22 months. We were taken to a patient room, which also didn't have a toy in it. There were a couple of old books that you would expect to find in a dilapidated public school that lacks funding to buy books that were published in the last 20 years. There were cabinets at toddler height with no safety latches that held medical supplies. Miss L was bored immediately and was trying to open them and pull out the tongue depressors. The room was so sterile and uncomfortable. There was no place for me to sit so I just stood, trying to fill out a myriad of paperwork while Mister T tried to keep Miss L out of trouble.

Here is where it gets even better. The nurse came in and without acknowledging Miss L told us she needed to take her weight. We had to take Miss L out of the patient room to an adult scale in the hallway and try to get her to stand on it (with all of her clothes on). She didn't like this so Mister T had to get on the scale with her and then by himself. There was no way I was going to voluntarily be weighed!

Then we returned to the patient room where the nurse told Mister T to shut the door because Miss L was going to cry while she took her length and there was another nurse outside our room who was on the phone that couldn't be disturbed. All I could think was maybe she wouldn't expect her patients to cry if she showed even the slightest bedside manner and actually interacted with the children (and maybe with a smile on her face).

After all of this the doctor finally came in to see Miss L. She didn't interact with her much at all. She just asked us a few quick questions and then wanted to see if we had any questions. We discussed the immunizations that would be needed at the 2 year appointment. She seemed impressed that Tribeca Pediatrics had electronic patient records when looking at their wonderful graphs showing Miss L's development from Day 1. Then she debated aloud whether she should take a stethoscope out and even check Miss L. She seemed afraid to approach her on this first visit.

Since this was supposed to be more of a meet-and-greet appointment, Miss L did not have any shots, but she left the office screaming and crying inconsolably and stayed that way hugging me tightly the whole way home. Oh, and right before we left the receptionist asked me if I wanted to book Miss L's 15-month appointment.

My conclusion: Miss L and I should come back to see Dr. Michel for her 2 year appointment. When I see him I will ask if he wouldn't mind relocating to SF and before he makes the move if he could ride his bike out to California for the twins first doctor's appointment.