4000 Old Court Rd, Ste 205, Pikesville, MD 21208
P (410) 484-9950 | F (410) 484-9953
New Patient Checklist: Are We a Good Fit?
Vaccines
Our vaccine policy follows the schedule outlined by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). We will not see patients whose families decline to vaccinate.
Antibiotics
We work hard to not overuse antibiotics. We educate families on appropriate use of antibiotics, but follow evidence-based guidelines and don’t automatically treat ear pain or a green snotty nose with antibiotics.
We do not routinely prescribe antibiotics over the phone, as we do not believe that is good medicine. We will prescribe an antibiotic when we believe it is an appropriate treatment.
Medical Home
We work hard to provide comprehensive medical care and serve as your medical home.
To that end, we expect that you contact our office FIRST before seeking specialty care, or heading to another provider for urgent care. We want to be involved in either providing care in our office where appropriate, or referring you to the most appropriate specialist and helping to coordinate your care.
Whenever you do see a specialist, we ask that you request a report be sent directly to our office, so we may stay informed and have the most up-to-date information in your medical record.
Technology
Our practice prides itself on efficiency through use of technology. You will be encouraged to consult our website, register for and use our patient portal, and effectively use automated reminders for appointments and for routine care/immunizations that are due.
Office Hours
We make every effort to meet the needs of our patients, offering both routine well visits and sick visit appointments.
We do not offer walk-in appointments for patients, but we do offer same-day sick visit appointments.
To ensure we provide you with the most efficient care, we highly recommend you call ahead to schedule an appointment.
Please familiarize yourself with our office hours to see if they work for your family.
After Hours
We have a physician on call 24/7. When our office is closed overnight and you have an urgent issue that cannot wait until morning, you can call our main number and the provider on-call will give you advice regarding your child's problem.
You may wish to check the Resources section of our website for helpful information before using this service. Read more about After Hours care.
Insurance
Make sure we participate with your insurance plan. Call your insurance to verify that we are participating with them.
It is your responsibility to know the limits and coverage of your particular health insurance policy, to show your cards to us at each visit, and be prepared to pay any copays or outstanding bills at the time of service.
Our billing staff will do their best to assist you with insurance questions; however, if you have questions about your coverage, it is best to check with your specific insurance company.
Our office does not want you to be surprised by a bill, but must always bill your health plan based on federal guidelines and the actual services provided.
Please read our Office Financial Policy for more information regarding insurance.
Billing & Fees
Insurance copays and outstanding bills from previous visits are expected to be paid at the time of service. If you are unable to comply, you must speak with the billing department prior to the visit to set up a payment plan. We cannot get involved with custody issues; we will hold the person bringing the child to the visit financially responsible.
Scheduling Appointments
For acute care, call the office to speak with our front staff, who may direct you to the nurse triage staff. You may also call the nurse triage staff directly and leave a message for them to return your call. They will listen to your concerns and schedule an appointment for you as necessary. Sometimes an appointment may not be needed, and the staff will advise you regarding your issue, or check with the physician and call you back.
For well visits, call our routine appointment line. Well visits may be scheduled 3 months or more in advance. You might receive an automated reminder when your child is due for their next well visit.
Your insurance expects you to schedule appointments based on published Standards of Care. We follow the American Academy of Pediatrics and Maryland Healthy Children Standards of Care.
Timeliness & Missed Appointments
Our practice makes every effort to run on time with appointments, as we believe everyone’s time is equally valuable.
As a courtesy, we will remind you of your upcoming appointments via phone/text message/email.
We ask that you arrive 5 minutes before your scheduled appointment time.We understand sometimes things happen beyond your control that may cause you to be late. However, we reserve the right to ask you to reschedule if you arrive late for your appointment.
Missed Appointments: Broken appointments represent a cost to us, to you, and to other patients who could have been seen in the time set aside for you. We reserve the right to charge a fee for canceled or missed appointments.
We request 24 hours notice for cancellation of appointments.
A fee may be charged for a second missed appointment. The third missed appointment within a one year period by a patient or family will result in discharge from the practice.
For new patients, we will not reschedule an appointment if the first one is missed.