Will your staff tell me when my child is due for a well visit?
Your child’s practitioner (doctor or nurse practitioner) should be informing you, at the end of your child’s well-child visit, when the next scheduled one should be. In addition, during a child’s sick office visit, our desk staff will try to remind you if your child is due or overdue for a well-child office visit.
How do I get a referral?
Referrals for specialists, whether medical specialists or for other allied health care professionals, should be discussed with your child’s office practitioner. Some insurance carriers (not all) will require an office visit with us (your child’s primary care provider) before the specialist can see your child. Other insurance plans do not require a visit with the PCP. In that case, however, we encourage you to discuss the reason for your request for a specialist with us so that we may best advise you on the appropriate specialist or course of action.
I need a refill on a prescription, what should I do?
You should call and speak first with the desk staff, and they will relay your request to your child’s practitioner. The refill will be handled by your child’s practitioner and sent to your selected pharmacy electronically. However, some refills may have to be discussed with your child’s practitioner first, and in some cases (such as with chronic asthma meds) an office visit to review your child’s condition may be necessary.
Will my child’s doctor know which prescriptions my insurance will cover?
Our practice utilizes an EMR (Electronic Medical Record) system that can provide our physicians with information about covered medications on your pharmacy plan. In some situations, our physicians may advise you to use a medication that is not covered by your formulary. Please feel free to discuss this with your child’s practitioner.
What is your policy on school or camp forms?
We will try to have your forms filled out as soon as possible; generally we can have your form completed and returned to you within 48 hours.
What is your policy on filling out WIC forms?
WIC forms are completed at the time of well visits with the practitioner, or through designated appointments with our healthcare personnel. No isolated WIC appointments will be made for patients who are behind on their well child examination schedule.
What insurances do you accept?
We accept many insurances and plans, small and large, private and Medicaid-backed. It is always best to inquire directly with your insurance plan to see if Partners in Pediatrics is a participating and “in-network” group. You should call the “member services” number or check on your plan’s website. You can inquire about our practice’s participation using Dr. Martin Gewirtz or Dr. Yaffa Klar’s name.
I have no insurance coverage, do you accept self pay patients?
Partners in Pediatrics will see self pay patients. Payment is required at the time of the visit.
What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept personal checks, cash, MasterCard, Visa, Discover and American Express. Personal checks that are returned due to closed accounts or insufficient funds are subject to an additional $25.00 fee.
My insurance is requesting a provider ID number. What’s that?
Every medical provider has a unique number identifier, called an NPI number. This number is used in many different applications in a medical office. Our NPIs are as follows:
Dr. Gewirtz: 1336240647
Dr. Rana: 1821383423
Dr. Klar: 153843030
Lori Lambert: 1710999651
Eileen Riman: 1508878430
Does Partners in Pediatrics perform laboratory tests?
Yes. Our in office labs are certified to conduct basic tests such as throat cultures, rapid strep tests, flu test, urinalysis, and hemoglobin tests. We also perform specialized procedure including tympanogram, spirometry, otoacoustic testing and others.
What is your policy on prescribing antibiotics for strep?
All patients who have tested positive for strep, a bacterial infection, will have antibiotics prescribed for them.
My child gets his/her checkups at school. Is that enough?
No. We recommend you schedule physicals for your children with your regular Pediatrician or Nurse Practitioner.
What is the difference between a physical and a “sports physical?”
Sports physicals are a specialized physical examination with an emphasis on orthopedic issues and the cardiovascular system.
My child has been checked for scoliosis in school. Do I have to follow up with a pediatrician?
Yes. Follow up is necessary for confirmation and further management by specialists if necessary.
I’m not sure if I should send my child to school. Is there a general guideline I should follow?
In general, do not send a child to school if they have had fever in the past 24 hours, risk dehydration or have significant fatigue or pain.