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Choosing a pediatric practice for your children requires careful consideration of the alignment between the practice philosophies and your own. Exceptional care occurs when physicians, nurse practitioners and office staff share your family's priorities and philosophies regarding medical care. This alignment fosters mutual respect and enables shared decision-making.
Please read the following checklist carefully to be sure our clinic is the appropriate medical home for your children. We eagerly anticipate meeting you and establishing a mutually rewarding relationship.
| Topic | Practice Philosophy | Agree! |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Home |
We are dedicated to offering comprehensive medical care and serving as your primary medical home. In line with this commitment, we kindly request that you reach out to our office as the initial point of contact before seeking specialty care or visiting another provider for urgent medical attention. Of course, if your child faces a life-threatening issue, please call 911. Our aim is to either provide suitable care in our office or facilitate referrals to the most appropriate specialist, ensuring seamless coordination of your healthcare needs. Additionally, when you do consult with a specialist, we kindly ask that you request a report to be sent directly to our office. This allows us to stay informed and maintain the most current information in your medical record. |
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| Antibiotics | We prioritize responsible antibiotic usage and strive to avoid overuse. Our approach involves educating families on the appropriate use of antibiotics while adhering to evidence-based guidelines. We do not automatically prescribe antibiotics for conditions like ear pain or a green, snotty nose. Furthermore, we do not routinely issue antibiotic prescriptions over the phone, as we believe this practice does not align with sound medical principles. Instead, we prescribe antibiotics when we deem them to be the appropriate course of treatment. |
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| Vaccines | Our Vaccine Policy adheres to the schedule recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). To ensure the safety and well-being of our current patients, we are unable to accept families who choose not to receive routine vaccinations at this time. | |
| Insurance | Please ensure that we participate with your insurance plan. You can find a list of our participating insurances by clicking here. It is your responsibility to understand the limits and coverage of your particular health insurance policy, to present your cards to us at each visit, and to be prepared to pay any copays at the time of service. While our billing staff will make every effort to assist you with insurance questions, if you have inquiries about your coverage, it is advisable to check directly with your specific insurance company. Our office aims to prevent any surprises in billing; however, we are obligated to bill your health plan according to federal guidelines and the actual services provided. For further details regarding insurance, please review our Office Financial Policy. |
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| Office Hours | We strive to accommodate the needs of our patients by providing both routine well visits and sick visit appointments. While walk-in appointments are available if necessary, please note that walk-in patients are seen in the first available sick visit appointment slot and may not be called back before a scheduled visit. To ensure the most efficient care for you, we strongly recommend calling ahead to schedule an appointment. Please take a moment to review our office hours to determine if they align with your family's schedule. |
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| Scheduling Appointments | For acute care needs, please call our office to speak with our triage staff, who will attentively listen to your concerns and schedule an appointment for you if necessary. In some cases, an appointment may not be required, and our staff will provide guidance on your issue or consult with the physician and call you back accordingly. If our nurse is currently assisting another caller, you will be prompted to leave a message, and we will promptly return your call. For routine well visits, please call our routine appointment line. Well visits can be scheduled up to 3-6 months in advance and also 12 months after your child turns 3 years old. Additionally, you will receive an automated reminder 3 months ahead of your child's next well visit. Automated reminders are also sent for any vaccines that your child is due for. |
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| Timeliness & Missed Appointments | Our practice prioritizes punctuality for appointments, recognizing the value of everyone's time equally. As a courtesy, we provide reminders for upcoming appointments via phone, text message, or email. We kindly request that you arrive at least 10-15 minutes before your scheduled appointment time. While we understand unforeseen circumstances may arise, resulting in tardiness, we reserve the right to reschedule your appointment if you arrive late. Missed appointments incur costs for both our practice and our patients. Therefore, we may charge a $25 fee for canceled or missed appointments and require 24 hours notice for cancellations. A fee may be applied for a second missed appointment, and the third consecutive missed appointment will lead to only offering same-day appointments or discharge from our practice. For new patients, a fee may be charged for missing the FIRST appointment. | |
| Billing and Fees | Insurance copays are required to be paid at the time of service. If you are unable to fulfill this requirement, we kindly ask that you contact our office before your visit to arrange a payment plan. | |
| Technology | Our practice emphasizes efficiency through the utilization of technology. We encourage you to explore our website, register for and utilize our patient portal, and take advantage of automated reminders for appointments as well as for routine care and immunizations that are due. We use an online check-in through Phreesia for all our appointments. You will receive a link via text or email to check-in 1-3 days before your scheduled appointments. We kindly ask that you complete the registration and check-in process before coming in the office for your appointment. If you are unable to complete the registration from home, please arrive 10-15 minutes before your appointment and we will assist you completing the check-in process. But at the same time, we strongly encourage you to do so from home when you receive the link. |