POLICIES
General Policies
Appointments
Due to frequent changes in health insurance coverage, please be prepared to show us your insurance care upon arrival for each visit.
We ask that all new patients arrive at least ten minutes in advance to fill out all new patient paperwork. Please bring all relevant paperwork from your child’s previous pediatrician, including immunization records and laboratory test results.
Because well visits take more time in our schedule than sick visits, they must be scheduled separately. We also ask that no more than two siblings be scheduled consecutively for well check-ups, as our appointment schedule will not allow for more.
We encourage a parent or legal guardian to be present at the time of each child’s visit. Patients who arrive alone or with a caretaker will be required to have prior written parental permission to be seen by one of our provider’s with the exception of emergency visits.
Vaccines
At all preventative health visits that require vaccinations, our providers will gladly offer and explain all the vaccines that should be received during your child’s visit. Should you decline to have your child vaccinated we will require a “Refusal to Vaccinate Form” to be signed at the time of visit. However, three refusals in one family, our office will issue a discharge for the entire household from our office.
Current immunization records are required before we can administer vaccines.
Cancellations
If you are unable to keep your appointment, please notify our office at least 24 hours in advance so that another patient may be given this time. A missed appointment without 24-hours notification is considered a “No Show.” A $50 administrative fee is assessed for each “No Show.” Three No-Shows per family, per year will result in dismissal from the practice.
When scheduling siblings together and 24 hour notice is not given for cancellations the $50 cancellation fee will be applied to each child's account, and the privilege to schedule siblings together will be taken away.
Late Policy
Because we are trying to ensure your waiting time is kept to a minimum, it may be difficult to see late patients. When a patient arrives late for an appointment it makes subsequent patients wait longer. If you are more than 10 minutes late for your child’s appointment you will be asked to reschedule, and it will be considered a No-Show. That would then count towards the family No-Show count as well as a $50 fee will be applied to the account.
Emergencies and After Hours Care
For life-threatening emergencies, call 911.
If you need advice for the care of your child or if you believe your child needs urgent care after office hours, please call our office at 946-7332. Our telephone answering service will prompt you on available options. An on-call doctor is always available by phone to answer urgent questions.
Telephone Calls
We are committed to helping you resolve simple problems over the phone. During the day we can help you determine if your child should be seen in the office or just needs some TLC at home.
During normal business hours, a receptionist is available to take your call. After hours, our phone is covered by an answering service. An on-call doctor is always available by phone to answer urgent questions.
Prescriptions
New Medication
New medications can only be prescribed during an office visit.
Refills
Prescription refills must be made during office hours so that you child’s chart may be reviewed. To facilitate refills, patients are encouraged to have their pharmacy fax a request to our office. Our staff will process all request within 2 days. Medications cannot be refilled on weekends.
Referrals
For all non-emergency referrals, please contact our office at least one week in advance. For all emergency referrals, please contact our office the following business day. In the event your child may need to see a specialist or may require emergency care, your HMO or POS insurance company requires that you be referred by your primary care physician. Please allow our office 7-14 days for referral completion, unless it’s a same day emergency. If you do not receive authorization from us prior to your visit with a specialist or within the next business day of your emergency care, your insurance company may not pay for the treatment. Our office will not provide authorization for visits retroactively.
When it is necessary for you to obtain an emergency referral from our physician, your insurance company will require that our office provide them with certain information. Our staff will need to ask you questions such as the time, place, and date of the emergency visit as well as the reason for the visit, etc.
Financial Policy
We are committed to providing you with the best possible care, and we are happy to discuss our professional fees with you at any time. Your clear understanding of our financial policy is important.
Full payment for services is due at the time the service is rendered unless other arrangements have been made with our office. We accept cash, personal check, debit, and credit cards.
You will receive a billings statement for each child and payment is required within 30 days. Delinquent accounts may be referred to a collection agency.
You are responsible for understanding the insurance policy you have chosen and for providing our office with all necessary billing information. Please read the benefits of your individual/group policy. There are some services that may not be covered by your insurance. Payment is expected at the time service for non-covered charges. Per our insurance contracts, co-payments are required at the time of service.
We participate with many insurance carriers and will gladly submit claims directly to them. We are unable to submit claims to those carriers with which we do not participate. In this situation, payment is due in full at the time of service. We will provide you with necessary forms for your insurance reimbursement.
Appointments
Due to frequent changes in health insurance coverage, please be prepared to show us your insurance care upon arrival for each visit.
We ask that all new patients arrive at least ten minutes in advance to fill out all new patient paperwork. Please bring all relevant paperwork from your child’s previous pediatrician, including immunization records and laboratory test results.
Because well visits take more time in our schedule than sick visits, they must be scheduled separately. We also ask that no more than two siblings be scheduled consecutively for well check-ups, as our appointment schedule will not allow for more.
We encourage a parent or legal guardian to be present at the time of each child’s visit. Patients who arrive alone or with a caretaker will be required to have prior written parental permission to be seen by one of our provider’s with the exception of emergency visits.
Vaccines
At all preventative health visits that require vaccinations, our providers will gladly offer and explain all the vaccines that should be received during your child’s visit. Should you decline to have your child vaccinated we will require a “Refusal to Vaccinate Form” to be signed at the time of visit. However, three refusals in one family, our office will issue a discharge for the entire household from our office.
Current immunization records are required before we can administer vaccines.
Cancellations
If you are unable to keep your appointment, please notify our office at least 24 hours in advance so that another patient may be given this time. A missed appointment without 24-hours notification is considered a “No Show.” A $50 administrative fee is assessed for each “No Show.” Three No-Shows per family, per year will result in dismissal from the practice.
When scheduling siblings together and 24 hour notice is not given for cancellations the $50 cancellation fee will be applied to each child's account, and the privilege to schedule siblings together will be taken away.
Late Policy
Because we are trying to ensure your waiting time is kept to a minimum, it may be difficult to see late patients. When a patient arrives late for an appointment it makes subsequent patients wait longer. If you are more than 10 minutes late for your child’s appointment you will be asked to reschedule, and it will be considered a No-Show. That would then count towards the family No-Show count as well as a $50 fee will be applied to the account.
Emergencies and After Hours Care
For life-threatening emergencies, call 911.
If you need advice for the care of your child or if you believe your child needs urgent care after office hours, please call our office at 946-7332. Our telephone answering service will prompt you on available options. An on-call doctor is always available by phone to answer urgent questions.
Telephone Calls
We are committed to helping you resolve simple problems over the phone. During the day we can help you determine if your child should be seen in the office or just needs some TLC at home.
During normal business hours, a receptionist is available to take your call. After hours, our phone is covered by an answering service. An on-call doctor is always available by phone to answer urgent questions.
Prescriptions
New Medication
New medications can only be prescribed during an office visit.
Refills
Prescription refills must be made during office hours so that you child’s chart may be reviewed. To facilitate refills, patients are encouraged to have their pharmacy fax a request to our office. Our staff will process all request within 2 days. Medications cannot be refilled on weekends.
Referrals
For all non-emergency referrals, please contact our office at least one week in advance. For all emergency referrals, please contact our office the following business day. In the event your child may need to see a specialist or may require emergency care, your HMO or POS insurance company requires that you be referred by your primary care physician. Please allow our office 7-14 days for referral completion, unless it’s a same day emergency. If you do not receive authorization from us prior to your visit with a specialist or within the next business day of your emergency care, your insurance company may not pay for the treatment. Our office will not provide authorization for visits retroactively.
When it is necessary for you to obtain an emergency referral from our physician, your insurance company will require that our office provide them with certain information. Our staff will need to ask you questions such as the time, place, and date of the emergency visit as well as the reason for the visit, etc.
Financial Policy
We are committed to providing you with the best possible care, and we are happy to discuss our professional fees with you at any time. Your clear understanding of our financial policy is important.
Full payment for services is due at the time the service is rendered unless other arrangements have been made with our office. We accept cash, personal check, debit, and credit cards.
You will receive a billings statement for each child and payment is required within 30 days. Delinquent accounts may be referred to a collection agency.
You are responsible for understanding the insurance policy you have chosen and for providing our office with all necessary billing information. Please read the benefits of your individual/group policy. There are some services that may not be covered by your insurance. Payment is expected at the time service for non-covered charges. Per our insurance contracts, co-payments are required at the time of service.
We participate with many insurance carriers and will gladly submit claims directly to them. We are unable to submit claims to those carriers with which we do not participate. In this situation, payment is due in full at the time of service. We will provide you with necessary forms for your insurance reimbursement.