Child Health Associates, P.C., was established in 1987 as a pediatric group practice. We are proud to provide preventative well care, acute care and supportive services for children and their families. Our board-certified pediatricians are dedicated to enhancing the growth, development and well-being of all children, from birth through adolescence. We stress the importance of regular health maintenance exams to monitor children's overall health and development. At Child Health Associates, P.C., we strive to provide quality healthcare for your child in partnership with you and your family.
**PLEASE READ CAREFULLY AS OUR OFFICE POLICIES ARE CHANGING IN LIGHT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC**
Our walk in clinic has been suspended until further notice. Please do NOT walk in to the office for any reason unless you have an appointment.
Starting Tuesday, 3/17:
SEPARATION OF SICK AND WELL VISITS:
- We will be doing well child visits only in the mornings. Whenever possible, only 1 well adult may accompany a child to their visit. Please do NOT bring other children to the office if they do not have an appointment.
- We will be seeing sick visits only in the afternoon starting at 2 pm. Only 1 well adult may accompany a child to their appointment. Please do NOT bring other children to the office if they do not have an appointment. Again, please do NOT walk into the office unless you have an appointment.
- We understand that occasionally children here for well visits are also sick. Whenever possible, we will limit contact between sick and well children by getting children into exam rooms as quickly as possible.
VIRTUAL WAITING ROOM:
- We will be employing a "virtual waiting room." When you call the office, if triage determines your child needs to be seen, we will give you an appointment time. Please arrive t the office a few minutes before this appointment time and wait in your car. At the time of your appointment, one of our receptionists will call you and register your child. You will then be asked to come into the office and will be put directly into the exam room.
MED CHECKS, CONSULTS, and NURSE VISITS:
- If your child is due for an ADHD follow up and needs a refill on medication, please call the office and we will send your child's prescription to the pharmacy.
- Any med checks, consults, and concussion follow-ups will be cancelled at this time. We are actively working to set up telemedicine capabilities so that we may conduct these visits over the phone. We will contact you when we have this capability.
- We will be rescheduling all "nurse visits" (non-urgent follow up vaccinations, blood pressure checks, and vision testing for school forms) to a later date.
PAPERWORK:
- Any paperwork that needs to be dropped off or picked up will need to be picked up by a single healthy adult before 2 pm.
PHONE TRIAGE AND SCREENING:
- In an effort to minimize the spread of COVID-19 and to implement the "social distancing" recommended by the Department of Public Health, we will continue to thoroughly screen patients for exposure to COVID-19 over the phone. We will be trying to keep children with stable mild illnesses at home, so they are less likely to be exposed to COVID-19.
- We are NOT routinely testing in our office for COVID-19. Please do not come to the office expecting your child to be tested. If your child is suspected to have COVID-19 based on symptoms and is ill or in respiratory distress, our triage nurses will recommend over the phone that the child be seen at the emergency room.
HELPFUL WEBSITE LINKS:
For general information: www.CDC.gov/coronavirus
Information for Parents: www.healthychildren.org
Talking to Children about COVID-19: www.nasponline.org - COVID-19 Resources
Is your child vaping or smoking nicotine or marijuana? There is increasing evidence that use of these substances increases the risk of COVID-19. At the same time, it may be very challenging to quit during this period of social isolation and high anxiety. There are things we can do to help. Medications can help manage withdrawal symptoms and cravings and counseling can reduce stress, help teens develop healthier coping strategies and remain substance-free.
Child Health Associates is open and our staff are here to help. To schedule a virtual behavioral health appointment to discuss substance use, please call 508-832-9691.
To best serve our families during the COVID-19 outbreak, Child Health Associates is now temporarily offering Virtual Visits. We are still offering well and sick visits in our office, as outlined in our previous communication, and taking steps to contain and limit the spread of COVID-19. Though Virtual Visits cannot fully replicate a live visit, they are another way to enable us to evaluate patients and support families during this challenging time.
1. Call the office and a provider will determine if a Virtual Visit is appropriate for your child.
2. We will set up a time for the Virtual Visit and register your child over the phone.
3. At the time of the Virtual Visit, you will receive an invitation via text.
- Virtual Visits will be conducted through DOXY.ME meeting application. You do not need to download an application; the visit will take place
over a secure website.
- Camera and microphone will be required.
- If your provider is not online at your scheduled time, please wait and they will join you shortly.
4. Before your visit:
- Try to be ready 5 minutes before your appointment.
- Set up your device or computer in a quiet, well-lit room if possible.
- If appropriate, dress your child in easy-to-remove clothing (to check breathing or a rash).
- If they have a fever, take your child's temperature.
- If possible, weigh your child (for infants, a parent can stand on a scale with and without your child and subtract the difference).
5. Your Provider may determine that your child needs to be seen in the office or at another facility.
6. Please note: because these are considered medical visits with a medical provider, your Insurance will be billed for the service.
- If a Virtual Visit turns into an office visit, then you will only be billed once for both services.
- If multiple children are evaluated during the Virtual Visit, then each child's visit will be billed separately.
7. Additional Virtual Visit tips:
- Have a good internet connection.
- If your internet is running slow, please restart your device or computer prior to the appointment to ensure peak performance.
- Call our office for any issues at 508-832-9691.
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