Policies

We see patients from newborns to young adults up to age 27. To address the issue of older teens struggling to find new providers, the Federal Government now allows young adults to stay on their parents' health plans until age 26.

We are happy to continue caring for our older patients, as our doctors are trained in adolescent and young adult medicine.

We work hard to not overuse antibiotics.

We follow evidence-based guidelines for the appropriate use of antibiotics. Overprescribing antibiotics can lead to drug resistance (making them less effective in the future) as well as unnecessary negative side effects.

Each case must be evaluated individually, and we do not prescribe antibiotics over the phone. We are happy to offer same- or next-day sick appointments to make the best assessment.

Office Visits:

Appointments are required for well visits, sports physicals, sick visits, GYN exams, and consultations. We reserve slots each day for urgent sick visits. If a parent needs to add another child to an existing appointment, please inform our office for approval. As a courtesy, we send appointment reminders to our patients.

Telemedicine Visits:

For your convenience, our office offers telemedicine visits through a HIPAA-compliant platform. Telemedicine visits are billed to insurance, just like in-office visits. Notify us at least 24 hours in advance for cancellations or rescheduling; no-shows may incur a fee.

In some instances, we may conduct a virtual visit by having a patient send photos through our secure online texting platform. However, this is only done at the discretion of our doctors. DO NOT send images/pictures to our office unless instructed to do so.

*PLEASE NOTE: REGARDLESS OF THE PATIENT'S AGE, IT IS INAPPROPRIATE TO TRANSMIT IMAGES OF SENSITIVE AREAS OF THE BODY (LIKE PRIVATE PARTS)*

Missed Appointments:

Missed appointments without prior notice create scheduling challenges, as other patients could have used that time. If you need to cancel or reschedule, please contact us at least 24 hours in advance. Late arrivals may require rescheduling, and missed appointments could incur a fee. Repeated no-shows may result in discharge from our practice.

Consultations:

We provide consultations for various concerns, including depression, anxiety, ADHD, weight issues, bed-wetting, and more. 

Expectant Parent Interviews:

We offer free interviews for expectant parents to meet our team and tour our office.

Fees and copays for office visits are due at the time of service. Our office now offers online payment for copays and balances. We also accept checks, cash, and all major credit/debit cards. We work with most major health plans, including CareFirst/Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, Tricare, and others. Please be aware that your insurance policy is between you and your insurer, so any unpaid balance may be your responsibility.

For patients with significant balances, financial arrangements can be discussed with our office.

Fee Schedule:

• Failure to Keep Appointment: $25
• Last-Minute Referral Form Fee: $10
• Transfer of Records Fee: $20
• Forms Fee: $10 (Expedited service is available for an additional $20 per form)

We offer several basic screening tests, including urinalysis, pregnancy tests, blood sugar, and rapid strep tests.

We can also collect specimens for various tests, including urine cultures, throat cultures, herpes cultures, PAP smears, STD testing (urine or vaginal collection), yeast infections, and skin infections.

Additional services include:

• Hearing Screening
• Vision Screening
• Tympanometry (ear evaluation)
• Developmental Screening
• Mental Health/Depression Screening
• Autism Screening
• ADHD Evaluation and Treatment

Our office takes your privacy very seriously. For a detailed description of our privacy policy, click the link below.

Efficiency through the use of technology

You will be encouraged to consult our website, register for and use our patient portal, and effectively use automated reminders for appointments and for routine care and form completion. This may involve email and/or SMS text messaging. 

No mobile or personal  information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes. All OPT-IN requests include text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with third parties.

We firmly believe that vaccines are safe, effective, and essential for preventing deadly childhood diseases.To maintain the highest standard of care and uphold our commitment to public health, we cannot accept patients who refuse immunizations. 

Our immunization schedule aligns with State and Federal guidelines, but we offer some flexibility for parents who prefer a modified schedule. With that in mind, please note that all infants must begin vaccinations by 4 months of age.

We are dedicated to working with families to ensure the best possible care for your child.

Referral Procedure

1. Consultation Required: Before scheduling an appointment with a specialist, please consult with one of our doctors. If needed, a referral will be provided. We maintain a list of recommended specialists.
2. Scheduling: The parent or patient should schedule the specialist appointment and notify our office.
3. Referral Processing: We will fax the referral to the specialist and send a copy to the patient or parent by mail or email.
4. Notice and Fees: Please allow at least 3 days' notice for processing referrals. A $10.00 fee may apply for urgent referrals processed on short notice.