Policies

Everyone's Time is Equally Valuable.

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.

Our practice makes every effort to run on time with appointments, as we believe everyone’s time is equally valuable.

Upcoming Appointments Via Phone/Text Message/Email

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 consecutive missed appointment will result in discharge from the practice.

For new patients, a fee may be charged if the FIRST appointment is missed.

We think clear communication is key to a good relationship. So you won’t have any surprises, we’ve prepared a statement of Practice Policies that we’ll ask you to sign during check-in. Most of the information concerns our approach to permissions, financial charges, and appointment procedures. Please read these policies, so we can all be on the same page. We’ve done everything we can to keep them short!

• Your current address, telephone number and insurance information will be requested at each visit. If current insurance cannot be verified, or if a Pediatirc Kare Klinic Provider is not listed as the primary provider for your child, we will require payment in full for services rendered.
• All co-payments are due at the time of service, as per our contract with your insurance carrier. Failure to pay a co-payment will result in a $25 billing fee.
• Well-check appointments require a 24-hour cancellation notice. Sick appointments require a 2-hour cancellation notice. Cancellation notices given within less than the requested time will result in a $25 cancellation fee.
• Written and verbal information will be provided at each visit where vaccines are administered, and verbal consent will be requested prior to administering any vaccine.
• If verbal consent is provided and later withdrawn after vaccine doses have been prepared for your child, the full cost of vaccines will be billed.
• Some laboratory charges may be provided by Quest Diagnostics, LabCorp, HealthTracksRx , which are contracted outside labs.
• All medical-records requests must be in writing and received in our office 7-10 days prior to the date needed. Records can be mailed or faxed, and all medical-records requests will have a fee based on the number of pages. This includes camp forms, immunizations, etc.
• If you have an insurance we contract with, we will gladly file your visit to your carrier. However, you are ultimately responsible for any unpaid balance on your account.
• You understand and agree that in the event of default in paying a patient-due balance, you will be responsible for reasonable collection charges and/or court costs and attorney fees.

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.

Vaccine Policy Statement

We firmly believe in the effectiveness of vaccines to prevent serious illness and to save lives.

We firmly believe in the safety of our vaccines.

We firmly believe that all children and young adults should receive all of the recommended vaccines according to the

schedule published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

We firmly believe, based on all available literature, evidence, and current studies, that vaccines do not cause autism or other developmental disabilities. We firmly believe that thimerosal, a preservative that has been in vaccines for decades and remains in some vaccines, does not cause autism or other developmental disabilities.

We firmly believe that vaccinating children and young adults may be the single most important health-promoting intervention we perform as healthcare providers, and that you can perform as parents/caregivers. The recommended vaccines and their schedule are the results of years and years of scientific study and data gathered on billions of children by thousands of our brightest scientists and physicians.

These things being said, we recognize that there has always been and will likely always be controversy surrounding vaccination.

Indeed, Benjamin Franklin, persuaded by his brother, was opposed to smallpox vaccine until scientific data convinced him otherwise. Tragically, he had delayed inoculating his favorite son Franky, who contracted smallpox and died at the age of four, leaving Ben with a lifetime of guilt and remorse. Quoting Mr. Franklin’s autobiography:

“In 1736, I lost one of my sons, a fine boy of four years old, by the smallpox...I long regretted bitterly, and still regret that I had not given it to him by inoculation. This I mention for the sake of parents who omit that  operation, on the supposition that they should never forgive themselves if a child died under it, my example showing that the regret may be the same either way, and that, therefore, the safer should be chosen.”

The vaccine campaign is truly a victim of its own success.

It is precisely because vaccines are so effective at preventing illness that we are even discussing whether or not they should be given. Because of vaccines, many of you have never seen a child with polio, tetanus, whooping cough, bacterial meningitis, or even chicken pox, or known a friend or family member whose child died of one of these diseases. Such success can make us complacent or even lazy about vaccinating. But such an attitude, if it becomes widespread, can only lead to tragic results.

After publication of an unfounded accusation (later retracted) that MMR vaccine caused autism in 1998, many people in Europe chose not to vaccinate their children. As a result of underimmunization, There were large outbreaks of measles, with several deaths from complications of the disease. In 2010 there were more than 2,000 cases of whooping cough in California, with nine deaths in children less than six months of age. Again, many of those who contracted the illness had made a conscious decision not to vaccinate. Furthermore, by not vaccinating your child you are taking selfish advantage of thousands of others who do vaccinate their children, which decreases the likelihood that your child will contract one of

these diseases. We feel such an attitude to be self-centered and unacceptable.

We are making you aware of these facts not to scare you or coerce you, but to emphasize the importance of vaccinating your child. We recognize that the choice may be a very emotional one for some parents. We will do everything we can to convince you that vaccinating according to the schedule is the right thing to do. However, should you have doubts, please discuss these with your healthcare provider in advance of your visit. In some cases, we may alter the schedule to accommodate parental concerns or reservations.

Please be advised, however, that delaying or “breaking up the vaccines” to give one or two at a time over two or more visits goes against expert recommendations, and can put your child at risk for serious illness (or even death) and goes against our medical advice as providers at Pediatric Kare Klinic, PLLC

Such additional visits will require additional payments on your part.  Please realize that you will also be required to sign a “Refusal to Vaccinate” acknowledgement in the event of lengthy delays.

All patients in the practice are strongly encouraged to receive hepatitis B vaccine at birth, 

DTaP, Hib, polio, pneumococcal, and rotavirus vaccines by three months of age; 

measles, mumps and rubella, varicella (chickenpox), and hepatitis A vaccines at age 12–15 months; 

HPV and meningococcal vaccine at 11–12 years (HPV can also be given as early as 9

years); and annual influenza and COVID-19 vaccine. 

Also, if RSV vaccine was not given during pregnancy, your newborn should receive an RSV preventive antibody before or during the RSV season.

You can view a parent-friendly version of this schedule at www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4050.pdf.

Finally, if you should absolutely refuse to vaccinate your child despite all our efforts, we will ask you to find another healthcare provider who shares your views. We do not keep a list of such providers, nor would we recommend any such provider. Please recognize that by not vaccinating, you are putting your child at unnecessary risk for life-threatening illness and disability, and even death.

As medical professionals, we feel very strongly that vaccinating your child on schedule with currently available vaccines is absolutely the right thing to do to protect all children and young adults. Thank you for taking the time to read this policy.

Please feel free to discuss any questions or concerns you may have about vaccines with any one of us.

EFFICIENCY THROUGH THE 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.

Consent for Patient Reminders and Notifications - Completed during check in at patient visits. No messages received prior first appointment

You are consenting to receive messages from us, Pediatric Kare Klinic, Pllc, that utilizes an automatic telephone dialing system to deliver a text, voice, or pre-recorded message that may contain health related information or healthcare management advice at the telephone number(s) that you have provided. You understand that you are not required to provide consent in order to receive such information or advice from your healthcare provider.

Terms & Conditions

Your request to receive automated voice and text messages from us, your healthcare provider, constitutes your agreement to these terms and conditions. You agree that we may send you automated voice and text messages through your wireless provider to the valid mobile or landline number that you have provided us. You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold us, our technology service vendor - healow LLC, our electronic medical record vendor - eClinicalWorks LLC, and its affiliated companies harmless from any third-party claims, liability, damages or costs arising from your request to receive automated voice or text messages or from providing us, your healthcare provider, with a phone number that is not your own. You agree that we and our technology solution vendors will not be liable for failed, delayed, or misdirected delivery of, any information sent to you or from you, including opt-out requests. You must be 18 years or older in order to participate or have the express permission of a parent/guardian (but in any case, you must be at least 13 years old). 
This is a standard-rate messaging program where message and data rates may apply. Frequency of messages may vary depending on the number of messages that you are due to be sent by your healthcare provider. 
Supported carriers include AT&T, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile®, Metro PCS®, Sprint, Boost, Virgin Mobile, U.S. Cellular®, and others. Additional carriers may be added at any time. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. T-Mobile® is not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.

Frequently asked questions:

What sort of messages can we send you?

As your healthcare provider, our goal is to stay in touch with you even when you're not in their office. To keep the lines of communication open and based on need, we can send you messages via voice SMS/text, email and secure messages on the Patient Portal and using healow. Example of communication from our practice can include: appointment reminders, prescription refill messages and health/wellness notifications for tests or other procedures. We respect your need for privacy and will not send you telemarketing related messages or share your contact details with anyone.

What does it mean when you opt-in or activate?

By choosing to opt-in for voice and or text messages from us, your healthcare provider office, you are consenting to receive phone, text and/or other electronic messages to the number we have on file for you. We have chosen to use this automated service reminders offered by healow and eClinicalWorks. Please direct all your communication directly with us, your healthcare provider office and not our technology vendor companies.

Please note: Phone, emails and text messages are considered unsecure methods of contact and may result in disclosure of sensitive information to unauthorized individuals. You are assuming the risk involved by activating these services and will not hold the practice responsible.

Can you turn off these services later?

Yes, simply contact us, your healthcare provider office and ask to adjust your communication preferences. You can also text STOP on reply to a text message that you receive from us. On texting STOP, your phone number will be unsubscribed from this service and you will not receive any further health and wellness messaging notifications via text.

What if you need further help?

Please note that these services are either simply to remind you of important or necessary steps that you need to take for living a better healthier lifestyle or for offering you convenient ways to connect with us, your healthcare provider outside the walls of their clinic. If there is ever an emergency or if you need help, please call 911 or call our offices during regular working hours right away. Should you need additional help text HELP on reply to a text message and access the same message.

Did you know simple steps you take can protect your health information online?

Password protect any device from which you view or download your health information, both on your mobile phone or home computer. Make sure your password meets the criteria for a strong secure password which means it consists of a at least six characters and uses a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. Also, if you are using a public computer to access your health information, be sure to log out.

Talk or text you soon!