FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions)

Answers to these frequently asked questions are intended to provide brief information relevant to your child's health. If you would like to speak with us regarding any of these topics, do not hesitate to call us.

Q: What are your office hours?
Q: Are you accepting new patients?
Q: Do you accept my health insurance plan?
Q: When is my co-pay due?
Q: How do we contact the doctor after hours?
Q: May I request a specific pediatrician for my visit?
Q: How often does my child need to be seen in the office?
Q: What immunizations will my child receive?
Q: My child needs to see a specialist. What do I do?
Q: When will I receive lab or test results?
Q: Does your practice support breastfeeding mothers?
Q: I just gave birth. When should I schedule my baby's first doctor visit?
Q: When should my baby start solid foods?

• Q: What are your office hours?

  A: All office visits are by appointment only, as daily hours may vary. We ask all patients to please call in advance to schedule an appointment. We are open Monday through Saturday, with occasional emergency hours on Sunday mornings. In order to accommodate our patients, we do not close for lunch.

• Q: Are you accepting new patients?

  A: Yes, we welcome new patients.

• Q: Do you accept my health insurance plan?

  A: Please refer to Insurance to review Advocare's list of accepted insurance providers. Because we participate in many insurance plans, it is important that you know the full details of your personal policy in order take advantage of the benefits available to you. Please note that it is your responsibility to inform us of any insurance changes at the time of the visit. If we do not receive your updated information, you may be responsible to pay in full for all services rendered.

• Q: When is my co-pay due?

  A: All co-pays are due at the time of service. Please be aware that you may be charged an additional $10 for co-pays not paid on the same day as your child's visit.

• Q: How do we contact the doctor after hours?

  A: Our medical providers are available 24 hours a day. Call the office at 973.540.9393 and follow the prompts to page a provider on call. Please be aware that after-hours calls are intended for urgent medical issues that cannot wait until the next business day. Referral and appointment requests will not be addressed via pager. Pages are typically returned within 15 minutes. Please call back if you have not received a timely response.

  IN THE EVENT OF A LIFE THREATENING EMERGENCY, CALL 911.

• Q: May I request a specific pediatrician for my visit?

  A: Every effort is made to arrange your child's well care and follow up visits with the physician of your choice. When your child is ill, he or she may see any one of our physicians.

• Q: How often does my child need to be seen in the office?

  A: Our routine health maintenance visit schedule follows the American Academy of Pediatrics vaccine guideline for children.

• Q: What immunizations will my child receive?

  A: To help protect your child from many serious infectious diseases, we follow the immunization schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Please discuss your immunization questions and concerns with any of our pediatricians. You may refer to the American Academy of Pediatrics for more details.

• Q: My child needs to see a specialist. What do I do?

  A: For non-urgent referrals: when one of our doctors refers you to a specialist, please schedule your appointment with the specialist, then call our office within five business days of your appointment. Your referral will be available within 72 hours. Most referrals are completed electronically and submitted directly to the specialist's office. Please check with our office staff to determine if your insurance plan processes referrals electronically.

  For urgent referrals: when one of our doctors determines that you need an urgent referral, your referral will be initiated immediately. Please remain in our office while your referral is processed, then proceed to your specialist.

• Q: When will I receive lab or test results?

  A: You will receive a call quickly with any lab results that require urgent attention. Other abnormal lab results will be addressed promptly by the provider that ordered the labs or tests. Normal values are usually not reported, however, you are welcome to call our office to request a copy of your results.

• Q: Does your practice support breastfeeding mothers?

  A: Yes, we promote breastfeeding. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding babies for the first year of life. We recommend continued breastfeeding for the entire first year. Breastfeeding helps defend children against infections, prevents allergies, and protects against later obesity and a number of chronic conditions. While experts believe that breast milk is the best nutritional choice for infants, breastfeeding may not be possible for all women. Some women have specific medical considerations that impede breastfeeding; others choose to feed by formula because of discomfort, work schedule, or lifestyle choices. In these cases, an iron-fortified infant formula is a good alternative. We will gladly discuss your diet and feeding concerns at your child's well care visit, or please call during office hours to speak with our experienced nursing staff.

• Q: I just gave birth. When should I schedule my baby's first doctor visit?

  A: We recommend that your newborn be seen in our office two days after discharge from the hospital. Our staff understands the importance of this first visit and will make every effort to schedule this visit promptly.

Q: When should my baby start solid foods?

A: As all children are different, we advise following several appropriate steps to advance your child's diet based on age and development. Please discuss these steps with our providers at your well care visit.