or many families, finding the right physician for their child can be a challenge. A new Physician Referral Program at Children’s Medical Center of Dallas makes the process easy for parents, regardless of what they are looking for in a doctor or practice.

In fact, whether a family is new to the area and looking for a pediatrician or long-time community members trying to find a specialist, the Physician Referral Program can help in a matter of minutes. With just one phone call, families can locate a doctor based on the parents’ needs -- by participating health insurance plans, location or medical specialty. And families can have peace of mind knowing this service is offered through Children’s, which is ranked among the nation’s 10 best pediatric hospitals by Child magazine.

The process is easy, and both the service and the call are free. When callers reach the referral service by dialing 877-445-1234, they will be greeted by a friendly voice and their referral will be based on the caller’s individual needs. Once a referral has been made, the call center will provide the family with the physician’s name, address and phone number so they may make an appointment that fits into their schedule. The caller also will be given the option of a conference call with the doctor’s office.

In addition to the new Physician Referral Program, Children’s offers families a wide range of resources, including medical information on its Web site, www.childrens.com.

Recognizing that it is often difficult for parents to sort through the massive amount of medical information on the Internet and determine what is accurate and reliable, Children’s offers parents access to an extensive library of information about pediatric illnesses and conditions, as well as parenting and safety advice.

Provided in a format that is easy to use and understand, the Children’s site includes information about topics such as general pediatric care, adolescent care, terminal illness, safety, newborn health, surgery, cancer, burns, heart diseases and defects, growth disorders, mental health, orthopedics, dental and oral health and organ transplants. To help parents better understand each topic, statistics, diagnostic tests and procedures, treatments, illustrations and a glossary are included for each topic.