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 days are you open?
Q: How do I schedule appointments?
Q: Are you accepting new patients?
Q: Do you accept my health insurance plan?
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: My child needs to see a specialist. What do I do?
Q: What immunizations will my child receive?
Q: When will I receive lab or test results?
Q: How do I obtain a prescription refill?
Q: Does your practice support breastfeeding mothers?
Q: I just gave birth. When should I schedule my baby's first doctor visit?
Q: What should I know about caring for my newborn?
Q: How do I care for my baby's umbilical cord and (if applicable) circumcision?
Q: Do you have any safety tips for infant care?
Q: Do you have any safety tips for parents of older children?
Q: How can we best stimulate development in infants and children?
Q: Does your practice provide care for adolescents?

• Q: What days are you open?

  A: All patients are seen by appointment. Our office is open Monday through Friday for well and sick child visits. In cases of emergency, we will also see patients by appointment on weekends and holidays. As our daily schedule is subject to change, please call to confirm office hours.

• Q: How do I schedule appointments?

  A: Because late afternoon and evening appointments usually fill up first, we suggest scheduling appointments for ongoing or chronic problems, preventive care (well visits), and school or sports physicals as far in advance as possible. Please inform our appointment secretary of any special concerns or chronic problems that need to be addressed during your visit so that we may allow adequate time. If you have a special scheduling problem, discuss it with one of our staff members or providers, who will try to accommodate your needs. Note that we require 24 hours notice to cancel an appointment, and that you may incur a charge if you miss an appointment without notifying us. You can minimize your waiting time in our office by arriving on time for your appointments. Remember to inform our staff of any changes in your home address or telephone numbers. We make every effort to confirm appointments ahead of time, but it is your responsibility to keep scheduled appointments.

  For your convenience, we offer a "call hour" on weekday mornings from 8:00 to 9:00 am. During this time, our physicians and nurse practitioners may answer your questions and schedule sick visits. We encourage you to call us at this time with any medical, behavioral, developmental, or nutritional questions or problems.

• 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.

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

  A: Our medical providers are available 24 hours a day. When you call our office after hours, follow the instructions on our answering machine to contact the health care professional taking calls at that time. On weekday evenings and weekends your call will be answered by our nurse triage service, staffed by nurses who are professionally trained and additionally trained by us specifically for telephone triage. They should respond to your questions and problems knowledgeably, courteously and promptly. If they have questions, or if they are unable to provide a satisfactory answer or solution, they can page the covering physician. When the triage service is not available, the message on the answering machine will provide instructions to reach the on-call physician directly. 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 by the triage service or via pager. Pages to the on-call physician 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 or nurse practitioner of your choice. When your child is ill, he or she may see any one of our physicians or nurse practitioners that is available.

• 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: 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 in 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: 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.

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

  A: You will receive a call right away 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. We may call you to report normal values, but if you do not receive a call, we encourage you to call our office to request a verbal report or a copy of your results.

• Q: How do I obtain a prescription refill?

  A: You may call our main office number or your pharmacy to request a prescription refill. When your child has been seen as directed for well visits and sick visits regarding the specific medical condition for which the medication is needed, and one of our medical providers has determined that your child needs to continue medication, we will gladly honor your request for a prescription refill. Allow one business day for all routine prescription refills. If your prescriptions require prior authorization from your insurance company, please allow three to five days to obtain approvals and plan your refills accordingly. Prescription refills for controlled substances such as pain medications are refilled Monday through Friday only. Prescriptions for controlled substances can only be picked up in person and must be filled promptly at the pharmacy.

• Q: Does your practice support breastfeeding mothers?

  A: Yes, we promote breastfeeding. Medical professionals agree that breast milk is the optimal source of nutrition for your infant. We encourage you to choose this option for your baby whenever family and personal circumstances allow. Breastfeeding helps defend children against infections, prevents allergies, and protects against a number of chronic conditions. Our practice will make every effort to assist you in making this choice easier by providing guidance and offering you the assistance of a specially trained lactation consultant, Mrs. Erica King BSN, RN. You may reach Mrs. King for phone consultation on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at (856) 616 1621.

  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, infant formula is a good alternative. Babies must always be fed iron fortified formulas, as iron is needed for normal growth and development. Low iron fortified formulas do not provide sufficient iron to meet the nutritional needs of an infant. Cow's milk (skim milk, 2%, whole milk, etc.) should never be given to an infant under one year of age since it is nutritionally inadequate for this age group. We will gladly discuss your diet and feeding concerns at your well care visit, or ask our medical providers for guidance during our "call hour."

• 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 the first week 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: What should I know about caring for my newborn?

  A: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants should sleep on their backs in order to minimize the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). Keep the room temperature comfortable; it is not healthy to overheat the room during winter as too much heat will dry out the baby's nasal mucosa and cause irritation. Do not over bundle your baby with clothing and blankets. Use cotton blankets washed with a mild detergent. Bowel movements may vary considerably in color, consistency, and frequency; the frequency may decrease after a month or two, especially for breast fed infants, for whom one stool every few days could be normal. Please discuss your questions or concerns with us.

• Q: How do I care for my baby's umbilical cord and (if applicable) circumcision?

  A: Your baby's umbilical cord will be painted with a purple antibiotic dye before discharge. Fold the diaper below the cord stump, and do not immerse the baby in a bathtub until the cord falls off. While your baby's umbilical cord is still attached, sponge-bathe your baby with warm water and a mild soap like Dove™. As the cord begins to separate (at two to four weeks of age), it may begin to smell and look wet. Use a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol twice a day to wipe the base of the umbilical stump. After the cord separates and the umbilicus dries up, you may begin giving your baby a full bath.

  The newly circumcised penis looks quite red and irritated. As it begins to heal, it normally develops a yellow film over the head of the penis. It takes approximately five to seven days for the penis to heal. During that time, with each diaper change, apply a nickel size amount of Vaseline™ to the head of the penis to prevent it from adhering to the diaper.

• Q: Do you have any safety tips for infant care?

  A: Never leave your infant unattended on a high surface such as a changing table, bed or sofa. Even a very young infant can unexpectedly roll over. Do not drink hot items or cook hot items while holding your baby Be careful about giving your infant teething biscuits, whole grapes, nuts, or other items that may cause choking. Walkers are not to be used; they are accidents waiting to happen and may hamper the child's gross motor development. Peanut products should be avoided until at least two years of age because of the high incidence of peanut allergies. Use back burners when you are cooking and turn all pot handles to the side. Learn CPR if you can. Make certain that your house has working smoke detectors and a fire extinguisher. Turn your hot water heater down to 120°F. Use appropriate car restraints and make sure they are installed correctly. Should your infant ever ingest a toxic substance, you should first contact the Poison Control Center. The Poison Control number for New Jersey is 1 800 222-1222. Post this number in an obvious spot.

• Q: Do you have any safety tips for parents of older children?

  A: Please be certain that you ensure the safety of your home for your toddler and younger child. Make sure that outlets are covered and that you have latches for your doors. Remember that children are likely to put anything in their mouth, including coins and chemicals. They also put objects in ears, noses, etc. While the younger child requires supervision, try to resist the urge to "over protect" by allowing the child space to explore, which fosters confidence and independence. Keep matches away and hide sharp objects out of reach. If you have firearms, keep them locked away in a secure area. Use gates for steps going up as well as going down. Supervise your toddler and child closely around water: bathtubs, pools, lakes, and even toilet bowls are very dangerous for toddlers who may fall in. Bicycle helmets are recommended when riding a bicycle at any age and are required by law for children under age 17. In New Jersey, children under eight years of age or weighing less than 80 pounds and traveling by car must be secured in a car seat or a booster seat. The back seat is always safer, especially since front air bags pose additional dangers to children.

• Q: How can we best stimulate development in infants and children?

  A: As your child gets older, television will be a major source of entertainment. Be certain to limit the time spent in front of the TV and to monitor the types of shows children watch. Do not use the TV, videos, or video games as a "babysitter" or as rewards. Studies have shown a decrease in short-term memory and attention span in children who spend considerable time with electronic games and television. The Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents avoid installing TV sets in children's bedrooms and has discouraged any TV viewing for toddlers under two years of age. Instead, provide stimulating toys and games, building blocks, strategy games, and puzzles (with large pieces that cannot fit in the mouth, nose, or ears) for the child's entertainment. Playing with friends and inventing imaginative games is of utmost importance in allowing the child to develop thought processes and social skills that are necessary in life. Outdoor activities and sports are essential in providing the physical activity that will keep the body healthy at all ages. The most important thing you can do to prepare young children for school and to help them develop a good vocabulary is to read to them every day. Be sure to take an interest in your child's schoolwork. Preschool and elementary school teachers should let you know how your child is progressing academically and socially. Do not do children's homework for them, but show your interest in what they are doing and provide advice when needed. Be certain to communicate with the school if you have any concerns about your child's progress.

• Q: Does your practice provide care for adolescents?

  A: Yes! Because our practice cares for teenagers through the college years, we are well versed in many of the social issues that confront today's teens. Adolescents may often want to discuss certain issues without a parent present. Please do not feel excluded. Rest assured that we encourage healthy behaviors on the part of your child, our patient; we will likely be giving them the same advice that you are delivering at home. Confidentiality is very important to a teenager and we must respect their wishes; nonetheless, our first and foremost consideration is the safety, health, and well being of your son or daughter. We do encourage parents to stay closely involved in their teen's life. We also encourage teens to allow their parents into their confidence as much as possible.