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.
**Thank you for your patience and understanding during these difficult times. We are experiencing higher call volumes and are working hard to take care of everyone’s needs. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Rest assured, your health and safety are our number one priority. Please do not use MyChart for medical emergencies, urgent concerns or sick appointments. These messages are not monitored daily. If you are experiencing a medical emergency and need immediate attention, please call 911. If you have an urgent medical concern or need your sick child seen, please call our office at 508-832-9691.**
Massachusetts DPH’s announced that the flu vaccine will be required for all children 6 months of age and older attending childcare/preschool, students in grades k-12 and students of post-secondary institutions and that it is required by December 31, 2020.
We are offering flu clinics at our Auburn office (8:30 AM - 12 PM) on the following dates:
No appointment necessary! CHA has you covered!
Our walk-in clinic has been suspended until further notice. Please DO NOT walk into the office for any reason unless you have an appointment.
Updated Tuesday, 7/21:
SEPARATION OF SICK AND WELL VISITS:
- We will be doing well child visits in the mornings and afternoons until 3:30 PM. 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 3:30 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 at 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 contacted by the Nurse/Medical Assistant and asked to come into the office. Vital signs will be taken and then you will be put directly into an exam room.
- The same process is in place for well visits as well. Please arrive to 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 contacted by the nurse/ma and asked to come into the office. Vital signs will be taken and then you will be put directly into an exam room.
MED CHECKS, CONSULTS, and NURSE VISITS:
- Med check and Consult appointments are being done both in the office or if appropriate, a Virtual Visit (telehealth).
- Nurse Visits are being done in both offices until 3:30 PM based on nurse availability.
PAPERWORK:
- Any paperwork that needs to be dropped off or picked up will need to be picked up by a single healthy adult before 3:30 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 can test for COVID-19 at Child Health. The test is sent to Quest for processing. At this time, results from Quest are taking 7-10 day on average.
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 an in-person visit, they are another way to enable us to evaluate patients and support families during this challenging time.
Procedure for a Virtual Visit:
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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