Routine Checkup Schedule and Vaccinations
Your child will need to be seen regularly for office visits. These visits will allow our providers to monitor your child’s growth and development and to speak witrh you about your child’s health. First visit arrangements will vary according to each individual baby. The timing of this will be discussed prior to your baby's hospital discharge. After the first few weeks of age, the usual schedule is as follows: 1 month, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 15 months, 18 months, then yearly from age 2. It is very important for you to schedule your child’s next physical at the time of each checkup to ensure your child stays up to date with recommended healthcare.
Vaccines can now prevent many serious childhood diseases. Immunizations will be administered according to the most current recommendations. Delaware Pediatrics provides immunizations following nationally published guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). For more information on the most up to date childhood vaccination schedule, please go to www.cdc.gov/vaccines. See the Health Glossary Tab for many other links on vaccine information, as well as our practice philosphy toward vaccines (Vaccine Statement).
On-call and Hospital Coverage
The providers of Delaware Pediatrics have 24-hour on-call coverage by our physicians. We share call responsibilities with two other pediatricians in private practice, Dr. Nimmi Kothari and Dr. Darren Franczyk. These physicians may take your after-hours or weekend phone calls.
If you choose to seek our advice for urgent medical issues after hours, please call either (302) 449-2570 or (302) 762-6222 and follow the voice prompts to enter your callback number and voicemail message. It is imperative that you enter both in order for the system to alert the physician-on-call. We cannot schedule appointments after hours, nor handle routine prescription refills.
Please limit after-hours calls to urgent problems that cannot wait until the next day. Should an emergency arise, and you cannot wait for the physician to call you back, call 911. Poison Control (for accidental ingestions) can be reached at 1-800-222-1222. Signs of illness in an infant include:
A rectal temperature of 100.5° or higher in a baby under 2 months old
Excessive or unusual crying
Repeated refusal of feedings
Persistent rapid breathing
Delaware Pediatrics sees patients for sick visits, in the mornings, on weekends at the North Wilmington Office on most, but not all, weekends. Sick and urgent appointments can be made that day by contacting us via our usual office phone number(s). Delaware Pediatrics does not have walk-in availability during normal business hours or for on-call office hours.
Office Laboratory Tests, Procedures, and Newborn Screening
Certain tests are a part of routine well-child care. These screenings may include tests for the following: anemia, blood lead level, tuberculosis, vision problems, hearing problems, kidney problems, high cholesterol levels, blood pressure.
All newborn babies are required by law to be tested for certain rare inherited diseases. These diseases, if untreated, can seriously interfere with a baby's development. For screening, a few drops of blood usually are taken from the baby's heel. All babies are screened in the hospital and a second test is done after discharge.
On-Call and Hospital Coverage
The providers of Delaware Pediatrics have 24-hour on-call coverage by our physicians. We share call responsibilities with two other pediatricians in private practice, Dr. Nimmi Kothari and Dr. Darren Franczyk. These physicians may take your after-hours or weekend phone calls.
If you choose to seek our advice for urgent medical issues after hours, please call either (302) 449-2570 or (302) 762-6222 and follow the voice prompts to enter your callback number and voicemail message. It is imperative that you enter both in order for the system to alert the physician-on-call. We cannot schedule appointments after hours, nor handle routine prescription refills.
Please limit after-hours calls to urgent problems that cannot wait until the next day. Should an emergency arise, and you cannot wait for the physician to call you back, call 911. Poison Control (for accidental ingestions) can be reached at 1-800-222-1222. Signs of illness in an infant include:
• A rectal temperature of 100.5° or higher in a baby under 2 months old
• Excessive or unusual crying
• Repeated refusal of feedings
• Persistent rapid breathing
Delaware Pediatrics sees patients for sick visits, in the mornings, on weekends at the North Wilmington Office on most, but not all, weekends. Sick and urgent appointments can be made that day by contacting us via our usual office phone number(s). Delaware Pediatrics does not have walk-in availability during normal business hours or for on-call office hours.
Sick Calls/Visits & Questions
Please phone during office hours when you have a concern. Our staff or one of us will be happy to offer guidance, or to answer questions you may have. Please do not bypass our office staff; they are trained to help you, and us. If your call is medical in nature, you will be transferred to the triage desk. If your call is about scheduling, referrals, or billing, you will be transferred to the appropriate person.
If your child is sick, we encourage you to call early in the day, if possible, as we maintain a same-day sick appointment policy. If your child is sick after hours, we encourage you to contact the on-call physician for advice before seeking urgent care or emergent care, when appropriate and possible. When you need to call our office, please prepare as follows:
• Have a paper and pen/pencil handy
• Take your child’s temperature (if pertinent to your concern)
• Have names and amounts of any medicines you are giving your child
• Have the phone number of your pharmacy available
Phones are answered between 8 AM and 12:30 PM and 2 PM and 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday. Delaware Pediatrics is closed on New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4 holiday, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
Office Policies
Appointments/Cancellations/Missed Appointments
Delaware Pediatrics operates by “appointment only” for sick and well visits. The offices do not have walk-in appointments. It is our policy that sick appointments be made “same day.” Well visits, consults, and follow-up appointments are made in advance. To-Meet-You appointments are available at no charge to families wishing to meet a physician.
Due to a substantial increase in missed appointments, Delaware Pediatrics has begun a missed-appointment fee of $25 that went into effect February 1, 2011.
Any missed appointment (e.g. physical, well child, sick visit, immunization/allergy shot visit) without 24 hours prior notice will be subject to this fee. Patient families may leave a voicemail notice of cancellation at least 24 hours prior to the appointment on the office voicemail or may speak to a staff member during business hours at least 24 hours in advance. Leaving notice of cancellation with the on-call physician is NOT acceptable.
Repeated no-shows without notice may result in administrative action including fees or dismissal from the practice.
Late Policy
Delaware Pediatrics' providers and staff strive to keep the patient flow and appointments on time. In an effort to promote this, we request that families arrive 10 minutes early for new patient visits or well visits, and 5 minutes early for sick visits, follow-up appointments, and consults. If a patient is significantly late for a well visit, the family may be asked to reschedule. Sick children will not be turned away, but will be fit into the schedule at the first available opening.
Forms/FMLA
Our providers and staff will complete school physicals, sports physicals, camp physicals, asthma plans, FMLA paperwork, and other medical forms as appropriate for families as a courtesy. We will not be able to complete these forms until the family/patient has completed their sections. Please allow at least 5 business days for completion of any forms.
Referrals
Delaware Pediatrics will handle the appropriate insurance referrals once an appointment for a specialist has been made by caregiver(s). Contact our referral line with the pertinent information of date, time, specialist name(s), reason for visit, child’s name, date of birth, insurance information, and return telephone number.
Telephone Calls
Delaware Pediatrics utilizes a standardized, pediatric triage system for fielding patient calls about medical issues. Please bear with our staff as they collect important demographic information prior to assessing your child’s issue or needs. The staff strives to return all phone calls same-day. Sometimes, a call needing the input of a provider cannot be returned that day, but will be returned in a prompt and timely fashion. Please leave all pertinent information on the voice mail system about your concern. Please also see the section on Sick Calls/Visits & Questions.
Prescriptions
Delaware Pediatrics utilizes an electronic prescription writing software that cuts down on paper waste and medical errors, improves pharmacy wait time, and maintains records of prescriptions. We use this system for routine prescriptions and refills. Some prescriptions, such as controlled substances, cannot be called in or sent electronically.
