Central Pediatrics - Frequently Asked Questions

Questions Are Healthy.
Answers Are Better.

Over the years, we've come to anticipate many of the questions our patients and their families have concerning health care and our services and policies. Below you'll find answers to some of the more frequently asked questions.

Physicians Services
Patient Care
Scheduling
The Visit
Insurances/Billing
Referrals
Requesting Medical Records
Feedback
Forms

PHYSICIANS SERVICES

What is a pediatrician?
A Pediatrician is a physician who has a special interest and acquired knowledge of the health needs of infants, children and adolescents by virtue of extensive training in these areas after completion of formal medical education. They are specialists in diagnosing and treating diseases and disorders of childhood. All of our physicians are board-certified by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

How do I choose a physician?
Not all doctors are alike. A child's health care needs differ from those of an adult, both medically and emotionally. Below are some helpful hints in selecting a doctor:

Don't wait until your child is sick or needs a check up — you don't want your decision to be rushed unnecessarily. Remember, you are choosing the doctor who helps prevent and manage your child's health problems from infancy to young adulthood.
Talk to other people about who they know and would recommend. Those you might consider asking could be friends, neighbors, co-workers and if you're moving, your current physician.
Ask these people questions such as:
Does the doctor seem to like your child and talk with them?
Do their children like the doctor/clinic?
Do you feel as though your questions are answered?
Do you find it easy to get an appointment when you need one?
Check the provider directory for your health plan to determine whether the clinic/doctor you want to go to is a participating provider. You can also call the clinic to check this as well.
Consider visiting the clinic you would like to establish a relationship with.

Are you accepting new patients?
Yes, the physicians at Central Pediatrics are accepting new patients. We welcome children of all ages — from newborns to those in young adulthood.

PATIENT CARE

Is there a doctor available 24 hours a day?
Yes, our telephones are answered 24 hours a day. After regular business hours, our phones are answered by the Children's Triage Service. A clinic physician is always on-call and available for consultation if needed.

Do you take walk-ins?
Yes, we offer urgent care walk-in clinic hours for acute sick visits (ex: sore throats, earaches, etc.) Monday through Friday at both Central Pediatrics sites from 7:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. In the evening and on weekends our urgent care clinic, Priority Pediatrics, is open to treat sudden illnesses and injuries not requiring an emergency room.

What are your office hours?
Click here for our clinic hours.

How do I get my lab results?
Depending on the type of lab test ordered, the results may not be available for 5-7 days. Our physicians will always call with lab results that are considered abnormal or require further follow-up. Other lab results will be conveyed via mail or phone within one week.

How do I get my prescription refilled?
You should begin by calling your pharmacy. The pharmacy will contact our office for the necessary authorization. You should allow 72 hours for prescription refill requests.

Can I get an antibiotic prescribed over the phone without being seen first?
No. We do not believe it is in the best interest of either the patient or the clinic to prescribe medications over the telephone without first being examined by a clinic physician for the issue at hand.

Will I be billed for phone care?
Your routine calls to the office, advice given by our support staff and routine calls handled by our physicians will NOT be billed. However, phone calls which replace an office visit may be billed. This generally means phone advice that involves prolonged discussions or complicated patient management such as medication changes for chronic illness, ADHD, or behavioral issues. All billing will go through your insurance. Coverage for these services varies per insurance company. Some insurances are charging a co-pay for these calls. Again, only discussions or advice that are in place
of an office visit will be billed and ONLY calls involving a physician. At Central Peds, we feel our availability is one of our strengths. It is very important to us to continue to be accessible by phone.

SCHEDULING

How far in advance should I call to make an appointment for a physical exam?
We recommend that parents call at least 4-6 weeks in advance for arranging a complete physical exam to get their preferred date and time. For well-child visits that are often only months apart, we suggest that parents schedule their child's future exams before leaving the office.

Can I schedule a visit with a doctor before my baby is born?
Certainly. In fact, we encourage expectant parents to consult with us prior to the birth of their child. By doing so, you can begin establishing a relationship with your child's pediatrician before their birth and get some initial questions answered. There is no fee to the parents for a consultation prior to delivery. Just give us a call!

We also offer an Expecting Parent Class

THE VISIT

What do I need to bring for my first visit?
There are several items that we suggest people bring to their first visit. These include the following:

old medical records (especially immunization records)
list of medications
insurance card
any co-pay amounts due

Do I have to pay my co-pay at the time of service?
Yes, co-pays are due at the time of service. In fact, we are obligated by our contractual relationship with the insurers to collect co-pays.

INSURANCES/BILLING

What insurances do you accept?
Central Pediatrics, P.A. participates in most of the local health plans and major insurance companies. We accept and submit/file claims for the following insurance plans:
Aetna Managed Choice
Aetna PPO
America's PPO
Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Aware
BCBS Blue Plus
BCBS Federal Employee Plan
BCBS/PMAP
Comprehensive Care Systems
Champus/TriCare
Choice Care/Humana
First Health
Health Partners
Health Partners/Distinctions
Medica/Advantage Plan
Medica Choice
Medica Elect
Medica/Minnesota Care
Medical Assistance/Minnesota
One Health Plan/Greatwest
Patient Choice/Wausau Benefits
Peak/Preferred One
Preferred One
Preferred One Community Health Plan
Private Health Care
Pro-Net/Pro-America
Select Care
United Health Care
UCare
WEA

If I have a question about a bill, whom should I call?
Any questions you may have about your bill should be directed to our business office. Our business office hours are Monday — Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Please call (651) 738-9001.

To view our complete financial policy click here.

REFERRALS

You are my "primary clinic," do I need to get a referral to go see a specialist?
As your primary care clinic we are responsible for delivering and coordinating all of your health care needs. Each insurance policy can be unique on their referral requirements. After a physician at Central Pediatrics has referred you to a specialist, please check with our referral coordinator before going to see a specialist. We will refer you to a specialist in the network affiliated with your health plan.

What should I do if my child gets sick when we're out of town?
Call Central Pediatrics. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day either by our clinic staff or by the Children's Hospital Physician Triage service. If you are seen by an urgent care clinic or in an emergency room, please contact our referral coordinator the next business day.

What do I do when my child reaches college age?
We continue to care for a number of college age adults when home from school, but as your child reaches adulthood we suggest that they begin seeking a physician that can meet their "adult" medical needs. The area of medicine that specializes in adult health care is called Internal Medicine. It is important to contact your insurance company to make sure that the physician you choose is a provider with your insurance company.

REQUESTING MEDICAL RECORDS
How can I get copies of my child’s medical records?
Copies of medical records are available from Central Pediatrics’ Medical Records Department. We take every precaution to protect the rights and privacy of our patients. To ensure the privacy of patients and their families and to comply with federal regulations, parents or guardians must sign an Authorization to Release Medical Records form or/and an Authorization to Obtain Medical Records form. If the patient is 18 years or older, they must sign the form themselves. Processing of the request can take up to five working days.

The department releases copies of medical records only. Central Pediatrics will not make copies of records from other medical centers. These records must be requested from the originating facility. You may contact our office with any questions or concerns by phone (651) 738-0470 or 1-888-KIDDOC1 or by fax at (651)738-8915.

Contacts at Central Pediatrics for other records:
Financial (billing) records – Business Office (651) 738-9001
Immunization (shot) records – Shot Line (651) 731-5038
Radiology Films – (651) 738-0470

How much do copies cost?
We do not charge for your first request for records to be transferred to another facility. If you request a copy for your individual interest, there will be a charge for those records. Our copying fees are $1.20 per page plus any applicable sales tax. There also could be an additional $18.00 service fee if we must request your records from archives.

There is no fee for copies of records for a referring physician for continuing medical care.

FEEDBACK

Who should I call if I have a concern or positive experience to share?
We are dedicated to providing the best possible health care for your children — medically, emotionally, and intellectually. We hope that your interactions with the clinic are always positive ones. We are continually looking for ways to improve the level of service we provide. If you have a concern that you would like to share with us or would like to just make a suggestion, please e-mail info@centralpeds.com