Visits
Routine Visits
Well visits should be scheduled with your chosen primary care pediatrician as often as possible so that one physician knows your child well. We will care for patients until they have completed college or reached the age of 22 years. Some patients may be asked to seek the care of an adult physician sooner if the patient’s medical issues would be better treated by an adult physician. 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 or send a portal message request to schedule your appointment.
Non-Routine (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 an appointment either on the same day or in the near future for less urgent issues. Some visits may be scheduled as Telemedicine Visits (see below). Non-urgent visits may be requested by a phone call to our nurses or by sending a patient portal message request. Portal messages are not appropriate for urgent questions or health concerns.
Urgent Care
Many urgent issues can be handled at East Bay Pediatrics, including asthma exacerbations, laceration repair (stitches), fracture treatment (casts), and other problems. Urgent issues warrant a call, not a portal message. During office hours, call our phone nurses schedule an appointment. After Hours, your call will be directed to the Pediatric After Hours Clinic (PAHC) Urgent Care and advice nurses who are affiliated with UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals.
We also offer Urgent Drop-in hours (no appointment needed) Monday through Friday 8:00am - 8:45am in both offices and Saturdays 9:30am - 12:00pm in the Berkeley office. ***on hold during COVID-19 pandemic
Emergencies
In a life-threatening emergency call 911 immediately.
If your child does need to go to the hospital, East Bay Pediatrics recommends UCSF Benioff 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 UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland. ***on hold during COVID-19 pandemic
Well visits should be scheduled with your chosen primary care pediatrician as often as possible so that one physician knows your child well. We will care for patients until they have completed college or reached the age of 22 years. Some patients may be asked to seek the care of an adult physician sooner if the patient’s medical issues would be better treated by an adult physician. 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 or send a portal message request to schedule your appointment.
Non-Routine (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 an appointment either on the same day or in the near future for less urgent issues. Some visits may be scheduled as Telemedicine Visits (see below). Non-urgent visits may be requested by a phone call to our nurses or by sending a patient portal message request. Portal messages are not appropriate for urgent questions or health concerns.
Urgent Care
Many urgent issues can be handled at East Bay Pediatrics, including asthma exacerbations, laceration repair (stitches), fracture treatment (casts), and other problems. Urgent issues warrant a call, not a portal message. During office hours, call our phone nurses schedule an appointment. After Hours, your call will be directed to the Pediatric After Hours Clinic (PAHC) Urgent Care and advice nurses who are affiliated with UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals.
We also offer Urgent Drop-in hours (no appointment needed) Monday through Friday 8:00am - 8:45am in both offices and Saturdays 9:30am - 12:00pm in the Berkeley office. ***on hold during COVID-19 pandemic
Emergencies
In a life-threatening emergency call 911 immediately.
If your child does need to go to the hospital, East Bay Pediatrics recommends UCSF Benioff 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 UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland. ***on hold during COVID-19 pandemic
Telemedicine Visits
Telemedicine visits may occur in the form of patient portal messages, telephone conversations, or online video visits. All visits must comply with HIPAA regulations (see our Privacy section) and require the verbal consent of a parent or guardian or a patient over 18 years of age. The consenting party may withhold or withdraw consent at any time.
Of note, a patient- or parent/guardian-initiated portal message implies consent to communicate by telemedicine. Insurance will be billed and financial responsibility is no different than for in-person visits.
Either the treating physician or the consenting party may convert the visit to another form of telemedicine visit. The treating physician may recommend an in-person visit if the telemedicine visit is not adequate for proper medical care.
Telemedicine visits are not recorded except in the usual way that healthcare providers document in patient charts.
Late Arrivals and Missed Appointments
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 accommodate you at a later time or if we need to reschedule your appointment.
Please call our Receptionist to reschedule or cancel appointments. Missed appointments may incur a fee. Multiple missed appointments may be grounds for dismissal from the practice.
Patients Visiting Without a Parent or Guardian
East Bay Pediatrics strongly recommends a parent or guardian to be present at all routine well visits. These visits are an opportunity for patient, family, and physician to review the patient’s health and well-being as well as discuss anticipatory guidance.
In the event that a parent or guardian cannot be present at a visit, the consent to treat form signed annually allows another person, such as a grandparent, nanny, or other adult to bring the patient in with the understanding that the adult can relay the proper information to the parent or guardian.
Patients 16 years of age or older may be seen without an adult present. The physician will contact a parent for verbal consent before any significant procedures, including vaccinations, are given to patients 16 and 17 years of age. 16 and 17 year old siblings are not considered consenting adults for younger patients. See our Privacy Policy for patients 18 years and older.
Hospitalizations
The physicians at East Bay Pediatrics have admitting privileges at both Alta Bates Hospital (for newborns only) and at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland (including the Summit Hospital unit).
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.
If your child is admitted to Children’s Hospital, 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 UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland. ***on hold during COVID-19 pandemic
Telemedicine visits may occur in the form of patient portal messages, telephone conversations, or online video visits. All visits must comply with HIPAA regulations (see our Privacy section) and require the verbal consent of a parent or guardian or a patient over 18 years of age. The consenting party may withhold or withdraw consent at any time.
Of note, a patient- or parent/guardian-initiated portal message implies consent to communicate by telemedicine. Insurance will be billed and financial responsibility is no different than for in-person visits.
Either the treating physician or the consenting party may convert the visit to another form of telemedicine visit. The treating physician may recommend an in-person visit if the telemedicine visit is not adequate for proper medical care.
Telemedicine visits are not recorded except in the usual way that healthcare providers document in patient charts.
Late Arrivals and Missed Appointments
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 accommodate you at a later time or if we need to reschedule your appointment.
Please call our Receptionist to reschedule or cancel appointments. Missed appointments may incur a fee. Multiple missed appointments may be grounds for dismissal from the practice.
Patients Visiting Without a Parent or Guardian
East Bay Pediatrics strongly recommends a parent or guardian to be present at all routine well visits. These visits are an opportunity for patient, family, and physician to review the patient’s health and well-being as well as discuss anticipatory guidance.
In the event that a parent or guardian cannot be present at a visit, the consent to treat form signed annually allows another person, such as a grandparent, nanny, or other adult to bring the patient in with the understanding that the adult can relay the proper information to the parent or guardian.
Patients 16 years of age or older may be seen without an adult present. The physician will contact a parent for verbal consent before any significant procedures, including vaccinations, are given to patients 16 and 17 years of age. 16 and 17 year old siblings are not considered consenting adults for younger patients. See our Privacy Policy for patients 18 years and older.
Hospitalizations
The physicians at East Bay Pediatrics have admitting privileges at both Alta Bates Hospital (for newborns only) and at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland (including the Summit Hospital unit).
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.
If your child is admitted to Children’s Hospital, 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 UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland. ***on hold during COVID-19 pandemic
