COVID-19 Office Protocol Changes

Updated 9/4/2023

Center City Pediatrics is devoted to our mission to protect the health and well-being of children. Subsequently, we are taking measures to safeguard the health of our patients and our staff, which we depend on for our mission, during this COVID-19 pandemic.

Please note that we have changed our normal operations to reflect the following:

Hours

• All locations are following normal weekday business hours.
• Weekend hours – Saturdays in Center City (South Street) and Sundays in Bala Cynwyd – are reserved for appointments such as newborn visits and follow up weight checks, as well as non-infectious sick visits.
• No walk-ins will be accommodated at any time at any location.

Office Visits

• Masks are encouraged, but optional for all well child visits. If you or your child are experiencing sick symptoms on the day of your well visit, we will exercise caution and require a mask.
• Masks are required for all sick visits where certain symptoms are present, as directed by our staff at the time the appointment is scheduled. These include, but are not limited to, all visits with fever, respiratory symptoms, or sore throat.
• Our isolation protocol will be followed for all “sick visits” for children who cannot mask reliably as well for those who require extra protection due to medical concerns (or who have caregivers who require extra protection). In this scenario, you must contact the office by phone upon arrival, before you enter the waiting room. You will be met and escorted directly to an exam room.
• When masking is optional, our staff will mask at your request. Please do not hesitate to ask, as we want you to be comfortable in our offices.
• Your pre-visit email/text (sent 48 hours before your appointment) will include a COVID questionnaire. Symptoms should be noted not just for the child, but also for any caregiver accompanying the child to the appointment.
• At check-in, all caregivers/children will be re-screened about the presence of certain symptoms. Symptoms should be noted not just for the child, but also for any caregiver accompanying the child to the appointment.
• If you, your child or anyone currently residing in your household is showing any signs of illness on the day of your scheduled routine well visit, please call our office to reschedule.

Sick Visits

• All offices are accommodating non-infectious “sick visits” where the COVID-19 screener has been completed without concern. This includes, but is not limited to, weight checks, most rashes, behavioral concerns and injuries.
• Due to increased call volume, please expect a longer response time than normal. As always, calls will be returned based on determined acuity.
• If you are being seen for a potentially infectious sick visit and your child can not reliably mask due to age or disability, please contact us by phone when you arrive – before entering our office. You will be met outside and brought into the appropriate waiting area by a staff member.
• We will use dedicated exam rooms for sick visits, and will schedule to allow for appropriate cleaning after each appointment.
• At this time, no more than 1 caregiver can accompany a child to their sick visit appointment.

Well Visits

• We are scheduling routine visits for patients of all ages at all locations.
• We can welcome up to 2 caregivers to accompany any child to their well appointment. No additional persons, including siblings, will be permitted unless the sibling also has an appointment. In the event of extenuating circumstances, please contact our office in advance of your appointment to make arrangements.
• Children who are under the age of 2 who have been exposed to COVID must complete a full 10 days of quarantine before they can be seen in our office for a routine wellness visit.
• Children who are over the age of 2 who have been exposed to COVID may come into the office for a routine wellness visit, provided they remain masked at all times and are not experiencing any symptoms (including runny nose, cough, congestion, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, body aches, malaise, fever, or loss of taste or smell).
• Children who have tested COVID positive, regardless of age, must complete a full 10 days of quarantine before they can be seen in our office for a routine wellness check.

COVID Vaccines/Testing

• COVID vaccines are available for all eligible, established patients at all locations. Information can be found on our website. Vaccines/boosters will be administered at the time of you child’s scheduled well visit, if requested at the time of check-in.
• Appointments for COVID vaccines can now be self-scheduled on our website.
• Asymptomatic testing is available at our South Street location. Contact the office at 215-735-5600 to make an appointment.

Telehealth

• Telehealth is here for all evaluations, with the exception of well visits and appointments that require an office treatment or procedure.
• Telehealth availability is limited.
• Telehealth is conducted by a provider.  Per the discretion of the medical staff, sick patients specifically with respiratory illness may also be evaluated via telehealth to avoid referrals to the Emergency Room or unnecessary office consultation that could expose other children or our staff to illness.
• Please read the Telemedicine Consent on our website prior to your appointment.
• Telehealth appointments will be billed to your insurance. Please refer to your plan for details, as many insurers are now shifting costs to the patients instead of paying in full for these visits.
• Please understand that telehealth visits are scheduled for a 2-hour time range, as directed by triage. Have your phone with you during your time block. When you are sent the link for your visit, please click on it right away to be placed in the virtual “waiting room”.  We appreciate your patience.
• Not sure if a telehealth appointment is right for you? Read our blog to learn what to expect.

Additional Changes

• We continue to submit provider phone call encounters to insurance companies for payment. Please review with your specific carriers how these encounters will be handled.
• Coloring pages and crayons are available at your request. Just ask the Medical Assistant when you are roomed.
• On-site parent education classes, workshops, and support groups have resumed in our Center City (South Street) and Bala Cynwyd locations. Class sizes will be limited, and advanced registration will be required. No walk-ins will be allowed. See our class calendar for details and registration information. Masks are still required for all in-person workshops.

Communication

• Our email blasts regarding COVID-19 have been archived on our website and can be easily accessed using the “read updates” link at the top of our homepage.
• We are sharing articles, updates and announcements regularly on our Facebook pages (@CenterCityPediatrics, @CenterCityPediatricsBalaCynwyd and @CenterCityPediatricsFishtown). Please like and follow us for current information.

We recognize that these are extraordinary times. We appreciate your patience as we work to keep your children healthy.