Akshar Pediatrics would like to welcome you to our pediatric office. The office protocol information below outlines how our practice operates. If you have any questions about these policies, please do not hesitate to ask.
Sick and Well Waiting
We have provided sick and well waiting areas for your convenience. If you come to the office with more than one child and one of your children is sick then you must report to the sick waiting room. Children who are here for a well exam, recheck or follow-up exam from a previous illness may present to the well waiting room. Thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter.
Immunization Policy
Our physicians believe that all children should be fully immunized unless there are medical contraindications. Therefore, you will need to bring a copy of your child’s immunization records to the first visit in order to be seen. We are unable to accept new patients/families unless they are willing to fully comply with the recommended timetable for vaccine administration per the American Academy of Pediatrics. We believe this policy advocates for children and their best interest.
Automated Phone System
Our office uses an automated phone system to help direct telephone traffic. Please note the prompts as you listen to the system. Phones system prompts and policies are different for after hours as compared to normal business hours.
- Phone messages are prioritized according to urgency.
- Appointments requiring an exam that day will be answered within a 1 hour time frame.
- Non-urgent calls will be answered within 2-3 hours.
- Lengthy calls, such as: Feeding, sleeping, or behavioral questions will be answered by the end of the day.
- The prescription request or refill line will be answered within 2-4 hours.
- The referral line will be checked daily – you are responsible to know if you need a referral to see a specialist. Please call the referral line 72 hours in advance of the needed referral.
- Medical record requests left on the phone system will be answered daily. Please allow 72 hours to have records available and these records has to be picked up. We will not provide a copy of records without a signed records release form. For complete medical record requests, please see the “Medical Record” section.
- If your regular doctor is busy or out of the office and your child is sick and needs an urgent appointment, he or she may need to see a different doctor. All well exams will be scheduled with your regular physician.
Email Policy
E-mail questions submitted via the Patient Portal will be answered by the following business day. We ask that only the Patient Portal be used for electronic communication with our office in regards to medical information about your child. Communication through the Patient Portal is encrypted, and therefore protected against hacking. E-mail communication directly through the website is not encrypted and should only be used for communication that does not contain any personal or medical information. We will ask you to fill out an e-mail policy form that states what will be addressed via e-mail response in order to comply with HIPPA regulations.
Routine Phone Calls
Routine phone calls are returned by the nurses, doctors, and nurse practitioner in between seeing patients. On busy days we may only return calls at the end of the day. If your call is urgent please let the receptionist know and they will give us the message right away.
After Hour Calls
When our office is closed, you can always speak to our 24/7 on call physician by calling (703) 721-7218 and following the prompts to consult with a physician on call. If you have an emergency at any time, always call 911 before calling our office. If our office is closed when you call and you have a situation that cannot wait until regular business hours, please briefly explain the scenario on the voicemail with the call back number. The doctor on-call should call you back within 30 minutes. If you do not receive a call within this time, call us back.
Late Policy
If you are more than 15 minutes late for your appointment, you may be asked to reschedule for a later date. If your child is sick, you may wait in the office and be worked in between patients. Please note there will be an extended wait time if you are late for your appointment.
Same Day Appointments
We will attempt to accommodate all same day sick visits requested before 3 pm, however, there may be a wait time as we will be working you in between regular scheduled appointments.
Forms
Various forms and letters (including camp and school forms) are often lengthy and may take extra time to be filled out. We will complete a standard department of health form for your child at your child’s annual checkup. This form may be copied and given to your child’s school and summer camp. If you require an additional form or a specific form to be completed, please provide us with the copy of the form (hand over hard copy, email or fax at (703) 721 7219). Please allow up to 3 business days for us to complete the form. There is a $10 fee for each form needing more than a signature. Payment is due when the form is brought to our office.
Medical Records
There will be a $10 charge for copying of your child’s chart or transferring your child’s chart to another physician.
Appointment No Show Policy
Failure to cancel your appointment within 24 hours’ notice will result in a $25.00 charge. This charge must be paid prior to scheduling your next appointment.
Thank You,
Akshar Pediatrics
The office protocol will be updated periodically as the practice grows, and changes will be made accordingly.