hospitals/pediatric specialists (Charlotte, Fayetteville, Huntersville: apartment, home, school)

[joanchris2000]

Hi, We'll be moving to the Charlotte area this summer, with a daughter with lots of special needs. We just got established with doctors in NC (all at Duke) since moving to Fayetteville last summer. It can take 6mos + to get appts with new docs, so I was hoping to find doctors NOW, get appts, so we can have docs closer to us. Hopefully we'll be able to find her specialists in the area and not have to go to Duke all the time. Being that far from home makes things difficult!
So, can anyone tell me the names of the local hospitals/medical centers? Any of them have special Children's emergency departments?
And if anyone has children with specialists, here are the pediatric fields we need, feel free to recommned (or NOT recommend!):
GI
Endocrinology
Neurology
Orthopaedics
Opthamology
Physical Therapy
and a REALLY good FAMILY practice, with less than 10 docs so they can get to know my daughter (and the rest of us).
Thanks a million for any help!
Joan
PS I don't care how far any of the docs are from wherever we end up living, we're thinking Union county, but since I've never set foot in Charlotte I won't know til I look around next weekend when DH moves to an apartment!

[Pikantari]

Hi there... I would consider talking to your daughters current physicians. Alot of times, Drs know other drs in different states, whether they went to med school together, worked together, know them personally, have seen there studies in jama, etc. I have asked my Rheumatologist for someone here and her partner was able to give a name right off the top of his head. Since you aren't that far, you are within the state, I think it will be a good possibility. I definetly would ask for a personal referral of her drs... I am sure they would be happy to help. I know when we come down we will need a host of physicians, adult and child, pcp and specialists... Good luck to you! Thats some of my advise. I don't know the area right now...

[niknaxx]

Originally Posted by joanchris2000

Hi, We'll be moving to the Charlotte area this summer, with a daughter with lots of special needs. We just got established with doctors in NC (all at Duke) since moving to Fayetteville last summer. It can take 6mos + to get appts with new docs, so I was hoping to find doctors NOW, get appts, so we can have docs closer to us. Hopefully we'll be able to find her specialists in the area and not have to go to Duke all the time. Being that far from home makes things difficult!
So, can anyone tell me the names of the local hospitals/medical centers? Any of them have special Children's emergency departments?
And if anyone has children with specialists, here are the pediatric fields we need, feel free to recommned (or NOT recommend!):
GI
Endocrinology
Neurology
Orthopaedics
Opthamology
Physical Therapy
and a REALLY good FAMILY practice, with less than 10 docs so they can get to know my daughter (and the rest of us).
Thanks a million for any help!
Joan
PS I don't care how far any of the docs are from wherever we end up living, we're thinking Union county, but since I've never set foot in Charlotte I won't know til I look around next weekend when DH moves to an apartment!

Why don't you do some research on Huntersville? We have a large hospital here and there is a big medical presence. A friend of mine told me that she had to bring her twins her to a pediatric eye doctor because there weren't any around Harrisburg. I find that unlikely but I do imagine it's possible that there weren't any there that participated in her plan...

[Mr.Sippi]

I hesitate to even reply, since i do not have a good answer but ill chime in. I think Cinder's idea was best. If she is at Duke, ask those guys as they will definitely know people in Charlotte.
I will say this about selecting Dr.'s. I have been in the medical business for 10 years, and have worked closely with Dr.'s in the hospital. There are a lot of bad Dr.'s who get recommended to people all the time. Dr.'s have a referral network, and sometimes even a referring Dr. wont know how bad they are or care. The best way to fond out is to ask someone who works in the business like a nurse or a doctor with no other interest in the matter.
In your case i think asking the guys at Duke is the best option.

[kmway]

OP:

I work with pediatricians and other specialists for a living. Currently the best facilities for children are Presbyterian Hemby Children's Hospital in Charlotte
http://www.presbyterian.org/health_s...ces/index.html,
Carolinas Medical Center Levine Children's Hospital http://www.levinechildrenshospital.org/body.cfm?id=8
and the new Northeast Medical Center children's hospital. http://northeastmedical.org/child_hosp/index.html (broken link)

These facilities are far superior to the other hospitals because they specialize in most of what you list.

If you'd like, I can confer with some of my clients and find specific specialists they recommend and PM you if you need help further. Just let me know.

[joanchris2000]

Thanks for all the help you've given. I will check out the websites provided. I've found in the past (in CT mostly) that going by other PARENTS recommendations was often better than asking her doctors....the doctors would recommend who they knew, but would often not know HOW they treated patients. I want good doctors, but also want them to be personable, we spend enough time with them! I've "fired" many docs, mostly ped. neuros and ped. GI docs (who are very hard to come by) as I didnt' like their treatment/attitude of my daughter and myself as her parent. I had finally had all my "ducks in a row" as it were, when we decided to move to NC! I would love to be able to get it right the first time with our move to Charlotte!
Thanks again and keep the suggestions coming!
Joan