Policies

• We firmly believe in the effectiveness of vaccines to prevent serious illness and to save lives.

• We firmly believe in the safety of our vaccines.

• We believe that all children and young adults should receive all of the recommended vaccines according to the schedule published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics(AAP).

• We firmly believe, based on all available literature, evidence, and current studies, that vaccines do not cause autism or other developmental disabilities.

• We firmly believe that thimerosal, a preservative that has been in vaccines for decades and remains in some vaccines, does not cause autism or other developmental disabilities.

• We firmly believe that vaccinating children and young adults may be the single most important health promoting intervention we perform as health care providers, and that you can support as parents/caregivers.

The recommended vaccines and the schedule of administration are the results of years and years of scientific study and data-gathering on millions of children by thousands of our brightest scientists and physicians.

The vaccine campaign is truly a victim of its own success. It is precisely because vaccines are so effective at preventing illness that we are even discussing whether or not they should be given. Because of vaccines, many of you have never seen a child with polio, tetanus, whooping cough, bacterial meningitis, or even chickenpox, or known a friend or family member whose child died of one of these diseases. Such success can make us complacent or even lazy about vaccinating. But such an attitude, if it becomes widespread, can only lead to tragic results.

As medical professionals, we feel very strongly that vaccinating children on schedule with currently available vaccines is absolutely the right thing to do for all children and young adults. 

• On-Call Physician.  There is a qualified physician on call for our patients at all times.  This is a courtesy service to assist you with emergency situations.  Routine questions and concerns should be addressed during office hours.  Prescriptions will not be called in without an office visit.

• Office Services.  We want to provide your child with excellent medical care.  This cannot be done over the phone.  Our staff can answer simple, routine questions for you and guide you in seeking further care.  If you have a life-threatening emergency, call 911.  “Same-day” office visits can be scheduled to address acute illness and injuries.  Non-urgent concerns should be addressed at a routine office visit.  Well Child visits are scheduled in advance.  Parents may schedule appointments without the child present to discuss concerns, such as behavior, with the physician. 

• Vaccine Registry.  Our patient vaccine histories are registered on a county wide secure web-based registry.  This information is accessible by schools, medical institutions, and the Public Health Department.

• Elective Vaccine Visit Policy.  Our practice follows the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) immunization schedule. If you choose to follow an alternate immunization schedule for nonmedical reasons, there will be a $20.00 administrative fee for each of these elective vaccination visits. This is not a fee covered by your insurance and will be collected at the time of each “Nurse-Only” vaccination visit.

• Privacy.  We make every effort to protect your privacy and maintain your medical information in a confidential manner.  We have a Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) office policy in place which describes how your protected health information may be used and disclosed and how you can obtain access to this information.  Upon request, our office staff will supply you with your own copy of our Notice of Privacy Practices.  With a few exceptions defined by federal law, we cannot release any of your child’s information to anyone except their parents or legal guardian, including extended family members, without your specific written consent.  For patients 14 years of age and over, certain medical information cannot be discussed with or released to anyone except the patient without their consent.

• Healthy Choices.  We want to work with you to help you make healthy choices for your child.  You have the right to decline any medical therapies or evaluation which we might recommend.  Occasionally we may require testing such as toxicology studies or pregnancy tests to provide complete medical evaluation of your child or adolescent.

• Videos and Pictures.  We respectfully request that you refrain from taking videos or pictures of any medical procedures, including vaccine administration.

• Payment.  Payment is expected at the time of service.  We accept cash, check or credit cards.  We will bill your insurance as a courtesy to you; however, you are responsible for providing us with the complete and accurate billing information.  The contract you have with your insurance carrier determines what services they will cover for you.  Therefore, it is your responsibility to determine covered services through your own health plan.  We collect the co-pay identified by your insurance plan each time office services are provided.  Any service not covered by your health insurance must be paid for on the date of service.

• Eligible Facilities.  Many insurance carriers require that you use specific providers, including laboratory and radiology services.  It is your responsibility to determine which providers are contracted with your insurance carrier.

• Out of Pocket Expenses.  There are services are not covered by insurance, including returned checks, late fees, missed appointments, procedures, etc.  You will be responsible for these fees.  Please contact our office with questions.

• Cancellations.  If you are unable to keep your appointment, we ask that you notify our office at least 24 hours in advance or as soon thereafter as possible.  We often have sick children who can be scheduled in your appointment slot if you notify us that you will not be keeping your appointment.  If your cancellation is within 24 hours of your appointment, you may be charged a missed appointment fee.  If you continue to miss appointments, you may be dismissed from this practice. 

• Scheduling.  We respect your time and make every attempt to keep you from prolonged wait times.  We try to keep our schedule realistic.  We ask that when you schedule an appointment, you identify specifically what you need from the appointment.  If you have more than one child that needs to be treated, please let the staff know at the time of scheduling.  If you arrive late for your appointment, you may be asked to reschedule.  We will do our best to keep you apprised if situations arise that will significantly prolong your wait time and offer you the option of rescheduling. 

• Respect.  We do our best to offer you excellence in medical care in an atmosphere of comfort and respect.  In turn, we ask that you respect our staff and other patients by cooperation with our policies.  If you have questions and/or concerns about our policies, please ask to speak with our administrator.  We value your input and appreciate your suggestions.