Making Life Easier

(at the Doctor's office)

Parenting, by definition, is not an efficient process. Those teachable moments tend not to arise during the most convenient times. We have a number of suggestions that will hopefully make life easier, and give you more time to play with your children.

Office Visits

Emergencies

Call our office number (473-7028) or the emergency number (453-2410), and the provider will return your call in the order received. If your child is unable to wait 10 minutes, hang up and dial 911. No referral is needed for an Emergency Department visit.

Well Child Exams

Please arrive about 10-15 minutes early to complete the necessary paperwork. Have your insurance card available and bring documentation if there has been a change in the family structure. We recommend yearly exams through the teenage years to keep your child healthy - both physically and mentally.

If your child is ill on the day of the well child exam, you may need to reschedule the well child visit. If there is a chronic problem, you may need to schedule an additional visit so that adequate time can be given to both the healthy maintenance issues and the ongoing condition.

Acute Visits

We strive to provide an appointment with your PCP the day you call. If there is also an ongoing health problem, please let us know at the time the appointment is made so that adequate time can be scheduled.

After Hours

Call us before going to an after-hours or urgent care center. Not all sites are as comprehensive as a pediatric office, and we can direct you to the site that will best serve your child.

Chronic Issues

We strongly recommend scheduling an appointment with your PCP to discuss chronic medical concerns. It is a thorough history and physical exam, by a doctor familiar with your child, that best guides further medical management.

Routine Questions

Our medical staff schedules appointments, and routine questions are answered by our physicians at mid-day and at the end of the day. If an issue is too urgent to wait until the end of the day, please let our staff know. Very often these issues warrant an appointment. Please contact our office during regular business hours with any scheduling questions.

Flu Vaccines

Protection against influenza is recommended for all children ages 6 months to 5 years of age, and those patients with asthma, diabetes, frequent ear infections or other chronic diseases. We are continually updating our flu vaccine list. Please let us know if you would like to be added to our list. If you received your vaccine at a specialist's office or if you no longer receive the flu vaccine, please alert us so that we can remove you from our list and make those vaccines available to other patients. Call our office in late October to schedule an appointment for your child to receive the flu vaccine.

New Medications

We require an office visit when new medications are prescribed. It is important to have an accurate weight, recent vital signs and a current physical exam. Medication dosage changes also require office visits.

Medication Refills

Please allow 48 hours for us to refill your child's chronic medications.

Walk-in Visits

Walk-in patients are accepted, although an appointment is recommended. Without an appointment you may have a longer waiting period or an insurance surcharge may be applicable.