FAQ

I am having/adopting a baby. Can I meet the doctors in the practice?

Congratulations!! We would be happy to meet you and show you the office. This visit is usually about 30 minutes and offered at various times. Please call to schedule.

How do I make an appointment for my newborn son or daughter?

We like to see newborns 1-3 days after you leave the hospital. The hospitalist or neonatologist who cares for you at the delivery hospital will tell you how urgent this appointment must be. We will always make room in our schedule to welcome a new baby. Tell the delivery hospital that you plan to see us and they will forward us all your records. Then call and make an appointment.

What if my child is ill during office hours? What if my child has a chronic problem?

We will see any sick child the same day you call. If you call in the morning, you will be offered a morning appointment before 1pm. We try not to give the late afternoon appointments out too early in case children come home from school ill. If you call in the afternoon, we will see you before the end of the day. However, if your child is just a little sick or just starting an illness and you are not sure if he or she needs to be seen, feel free to call and ask to speak with one of our experienced nurses. If your child has a more chronic or complex problem, you may want to discuss that briefly with a nurse so that we can be sure to give your child enough time for the appointment.

What if my child is ill after hours? Should I go to an urgent care clinic, the emergency room or the Little Clinic when you are not open?

We want to take care of all our patients. Before you go to a provider that does not specialize in children, please call us at our regular office number. You will be connected to our answering service who will then text us your information and we will call you back ASAP. Sometimes we can help over the phone, make arrangements for an appointment the next day or help you choose the best alternative place to seek care.

What happens if my child has to be hospitalized?

All of our doctors are on staff at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. We will be in contact with the hospital medicine physician and the medical team who cares for your child.

How do I schedule a well check or sports physical?

Sometimes we have room for same day well child checks, but you will have more options for dates and times with your preferred provider if you schedule them in advance. We will complete most forms at the time of the visit. A sports physical is the same as a well child visit.

When does my child need a physical and what can I expect at my visit?

We follow the American Academy of Pediatrics well child and vaccine schedule. At each well visit the most important issue to address is what concerns you. We see children yearly after the age of three. Some families find it is easiest to schedule a check up in the summer. We can see two siblings at the same time. Well care of newborns to adults. Click here to see schedule.

What services do you offer? What health conditions can you manage?

Please click here to see a complete list of conditions and services.

Do you charge for the completion of health forms?

We believe that as a medical home this is part of our service to you. Some area practices do charge for this service because it does require office staff time. We can complete forms for camp, college, employment, medication administration, sports participation, daycare and school forms. Please bring these with you at the time of your visit. FMLA forms and guardianship paperwork for special needs children require additional time.

Can I email you a NON-URGENT question or a form?

Probably. You will need to sign up for our patient portal or call and talk with the nurse.

Will you call in an order for an x-ray or lab test if I ask?

How about calling in a new prescription medication or referring me to a specialist? We want to provide the best care to your child, and 99.9% of the time that means we need to see them in the office before ordering any tests or referrals. When a direct referral makes sense, we are happy to help you choose the best local provider.

Can you see my child via facetime?

We wish. There are some problems that could be handled with this technology. Unfortunately, insurance does not reimburse us for these visits so for now we still need to see you in the office (or we wouldn’t have an office). If your insurer has a telemedicine service, their provider will not know your child’s history and many times the provider will not be a pediatrician.

Will you see me if I do not vaccinate my child?

No. We recognize your choice to make this decision. However, if you are choosing to deny the science of vaccines, you will likely not accept the other evidence based treatments and advice we offer. We will not have a relationship built on mutual trust.

Can you refill my medication?

You can leave a message for the nurse to request a refill, have your pharmacy send a request or send a request via the patient portal. Sometimes your child may need an office visit before we can refill the medication particularly if they have a chronic health condition and have not been seen in a few months or if they recently started a new medication.