Phone Policy – After Hours

If you have an urgent medical question after hours, please call 585-244-9720 to speak with our answering service. You will then be called back by a triage nurse who will provide medical advice and determine whether your child needs to be seen urgently. The triage nurse will return your call as quickly as possible, although the wait time may be up to 1 hour during the busy winter months. If you have not heard back within one hour, please call our office again to let the answering service know.

There is always a physician from our practice on-call and available by phone 24 hours a day if needed. If you have questions about your child’s health, we encourage you to call us during regular office hours whenever possible so that your family’s records are available to the nurse and doctor as they discuss your concerns.

 

Scheduling an Appointment

Each child will have a pediatrician who is identified as your primary care provider. While our goal is to always have you see your primary provider, if that is not possible then you will be seen by another provider in our group. Our physicians and nurse practitioners work in partnership with one another to provide excellent care to all our patients.

Medication Refill Policy

  • For any refills (other than controlled medications) please contact your pharmacy and have them submit an electronic request to us.
  • If a medication refill is requested for a chronic medical issue and your child has not had a visit within the last 6 months (4 months for ADHD, depression and anxiety), you will be given a 1-month prescription and asked to schedule a visit. No further refills will be given until your child has been seen by a provider and is current for follow-up visits and physicals.
  • If your child has been off medication for more than 6 months, he/she must be seen by a provider for a follow-up visit before medication will be prescribed.
  • If your child has been off medication for more than 1 year, he/she must be seen for a new evaluation before medication will be prescribed.
  • Most medications prescribed for ADHD are “controlled or scheduled” drugs.  Current regulations regarding the prescribing of this class of medications states that the prescriber must send the prescription electronically- it cannot be called in. We are also required to check the NYS Bureau of Narcotics electronic database prior to sending a prescription.
  • We ask parents to notify our office at least 1 week before a refill is needed.  Given regulations, it may take 3-4 days for a prescription to be sent.  A parent or their authorized representative may pick up and sign for the prescription and a photo ID is required for pick up of all controlled medications.

 

Immunization Policy

Vaccines save lives by preventing disease.  All of the medical providers at EPG fully support protecting the health of our patients by administering vaccines to prevent infectious diseases.   Although we are willing to work with families who have concerns about vaccine efficacy and safety, we feel that parents who are opposed to vaccine administration to their children need to seek pediatric care from providers who have similar philosophies.   We follow the recommended schedule from the Centers for Disease Control and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

 

Policy for Divorced or Separated Parents

Please review the attached handout for office policies regarding divorced or separated parents:

Divorced or Separated Parents
 
 

Our office is dedicated to the health and well-being of our patients and families.  Please do not hesitate to contact our office if you have questions on any of our policies or procedures.  Thank you for choosing Elmwood Pediatric Group!

 
 
Privacy Policy:  Notice of Privacy Practices

Well Visit Scheduling