About Us

At East Bay Pediatrics, we believe the best pediatric care is based on a friendly and mutual understanding between the physician and the parent, and between the physician and the child.

Our practice has roots going back to Dr. Hubert Long, the first pediatrician to open a pediatric office in Berkeley. From the 1940’s to the 1970’s, he was active in leadership roles at both Children’s Hospital Oakland and Alta Bates Hospital, and was revered by colleagues and patients. We now have ten pediatricians, all of whom are Board Certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and active both at the local hospitals and with the American Academy of Pediatrics. Our medical staff are trained to provide quality care both on the phone and while you are in the office. Our business staff coordinate billing and payments to insurance companies as well as keeping our office running smoothly.

 

History of the Practice | The Doctors | Medical Staff | Business staff

Routine Visits  | Sick Visits  | Late Policy  | Office Procedures  | Referrals  | Medications and Refills  | Vaccines

Hours and Holidays  | After Hours  | Emergencies  | Hospitalizations

Forms | Privacy Policy | Billing Policies

 

Routine Visits

Well visits should be scheduled with your chosen primary care pediatrician so that one physician knows your child well. We follow children from birth through college. It is your responsibility to know when your child needs routine check-ups. See East Bay Pediatrics Routine Well and Vaccine Schedule. More frequent routine visits are recommended for ADHD, Asthma, and other chronic illnesses. Please call the Future Appointments line to schedule your appointment at (925)438-1100, option 7.

Sick Visits

Sick visits are scheduled by our phone advice nurses. In some cases, the nurses can answer your questions over the phone and you may not need to come to the office. If you or they are still worried, the nurses will schedule your child for a same day sick appointment or in the near future for less urgent issues.

Call our phone nurses at (925)254-9203, option 6.

Many urgent issues can be handled at East Bay Pediatrics, including asthma exacerbations, laceration repair (stitches), fracture treatment (casts), and other problems. Give our phone nurses a call (925)254-9203, option 6 to bring your child to the office.

Late Policy

Late Arrivals

If you are late for your appointment, the office will attempt to reach you by phone to make sure that there is no confusion regarding the appointment time and to make sure that you and your child are safe. If you arrive late, the staff will consult with the doctor to see if we can accomodate you at a later time or if we need to reschedule your appointment.

Office Procedures

The following is a list of some of the procedures which can be performed at East Bay Pediatrics

  • Eye exam for corneal abrasion (flourescein exam)
  • Foreign body removal
  • Fracture care (cast placement and removal)
  • Laceration repair (stitches) and suture removal
  • Wart treatment
  • Circumcision
  • Pap smears
  • Ear Piercing (not covered by insurances, requires payment at the time of service)

Office procedures usually incur additional charges, most of which are covered by insurances. Please consult your plan to determine coverage for procedures.

Referrals

Your physician will help you determine whether your child needs a referral to a medical specialist or therapist.

Each insurance has different referral requirements and coverage policies. If you have questions about a referral, please contact the business office at (925)438-1100, option 8.

Medications and Refills

Please learn your child’s medications, including names and dosages. If you can’t remember (or can’t pronounce) medication names, write them down or bring all medications to your appointments. Both prescription and over the counter medications have many different formulations; informing your doctor of which medications your child is on can help with both diagnosis and further treatment.

Prescriptions are given on paper in the office to take to your local pharmacy unless you are otherwise notified.

Refill requests for chronic medications can be made online through a secure email server or by phone through the phone advice line at (925)254-9203, option 6. Please be ready to give your child’s name, date of birth, medication name, dose, and your pharmacy name.

Chronic medications including asthma medications, birth control pills and acne medications will not be refilled if your child has not had a physical exam in over one year. In general, antibiotics and controlled medications will not be refilled without your child being seen by a pediatrician.

ADHD Medications usually can only be prescribed one month at a time. If your child is up to date on both annual physical exams and medication review visits (scheduled appointments at least every 6 months), your child’s ADHD medication prescriptions can be mailed to your home or picked up in the office. Please provide self-addressed, stamped envelopes for mailing future prescriptions. Urgent requests for ADHD mediations must be made at least 24 hours in advance.

Vaccines

Vaccines are a key part of child health care. They prevent death and disabilities from many serious and life-threatening illnesses for which there is either no treatment or inadequate treatment. East Bay Pediatrics offers all vaccines which are recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). In addition, most vaccines are required for school entry by California state law.

More information about vaccines (including the diseases they prevent, who should receive them, and side effects) can be found on the Vaccine Information Statements provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). You will also receive these information sheets in the office prior to your child receiving the vaccines. The Hot Topics page reviews the latest information on vaccines and safety. If you have questions regarding vaccines, please speak to your primary care pediatrician.

The East Bay Pediatrics recommended visit and vaccine schedule varies slightly from the AAP and CDC recommended schedule. Some families desire to spread out immunizations even further; however the practice has set a minimum vaccine requirement In order to protect all of our patients. If your child is behind the practice's routine vaccine schedule, please notify any health care provider, even within our practice, when discussing your child's health or an illness. Medical decisions may depend on whether your child has been fully vaccinated.

Minimum Vaccine Requirement

After Hours

Any time the phone nurses are not available, a physician is on call for urgent issues. Call (925)254-9203, option 4. Please remember to give your phone number so that the physician can return your call. State your child’s name, age, symptoms (including temperature), and primary physician.

On Saturday mornings the Berkeley Office is open from 9:30am-12:00noon for urgent visits. No appointment needed. There is a $50 surcharge for urgent care visits which may or may not be covered by your insurance.

Both offices open early on Monday mornings (except national holidays - see calendar for details) for urgent visits. Bring your child between 8:00am-8:45am and your child will be seen in the order you arrive. No appointment needed. Note: your child may not be seen before 9:00am.

Emergencies

In a life-threatening emergency call 911.

Many urgent issues can be handled at East Bay Pediatrics, including asthma exacerbations, laceration repair (stitches), fracture treatment (casts), and other problems. Give our phone nurses a call (925)254-9203, option 6 to make your child an appointment in the office.

If your child does need to go to the hospital, East Bay Pediatrics recommends Children’s Hospital Oakland. The Children’s Hospital Emergency Room is staffed by Pediatric Emergency Room Physicians. They notify our office of any visits. If your child is admitted to the hospital, the physicians at East Bay Pediatrics can take care of your child at Children’s Hospital.

Hospitalizations

The physicians at East Bay Pediatrics have admitting privileges at both Alta Bates Hospital (for newborns only) and at Children’s Hospital Oakland (including the Summit Hospital unit).

If your child is admitted to either of these hospitals, a physician from our practice should see your child each day he or she is hospitalized. Our pediatricians coordinate care with the resident doctors at Children’s Hospital Oakland.

If your baby is born at Alta Bates Medical Center, the hospital will notify our pediatricians. You should see a pediatrician each day while you and your child are in the hospital. Your pediatrician will coordinate discharge and follow up appointments.

Privacy Policy

The Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (better known as HIPAA) protects information about your child's health and medical record. At East Bay Pediatrics your privacy is our priority. You and your child will be able to discuss your child's health with a physician behind closed doors. We try to keep hallways clear in order to facilitate the privacy of conversations. Completed forms with health information must be mailed to you (not faxed) or transmitted over the secure email system. If you have any questions or concerns about privacy, please contact our business office at (925)438-1100, option 8.