We started 2022 with high hopes – recognizing the bar was set so low by the challenges of 2021 and most of 2020. We began the year knowing that we had not fully freed ourselves of the grips of the pandemic, but we had a “playbook” and a team. Our fears of COVID were allayed by the widespread distribution of vaccines, and the knowledge that children were mostly only mildly affected; and we faced the challenge with a reliable, trusted, and fully staffed crew of managers, receptionists, medical assistants, nurses, and doctors. As is so often the case in pediatrics, however, “hope springs eternal” but winter dashes hope. As society began to reopen, we were deluged with calls and visits proving to us that our pre-pandemic systems were already outdated. We needed more nurses, receptionists, medical assistants, and providers to handle the tremendous number of calls, “catch-up” visits and sick visits created by the “great unmasking”. Access to care was now hindered by an overwhelming volume of need, rather than just office safety precautions – though these still played a role in limiting the availability of rooms. As we move into 2023, we are again optimistic, perhaps even more so than we were at the onset of 2022. We are hopeful that we can be the high quality, accessible, community based, Medical Home that you have always wanted for your family. With the exception of young children and those who cannot reliably mask, we no longer feel that science supports the need to bring patients into our office on an isolation protocol, which had previously limited visit availability. We have streamlined our “nurse visits” to make obtaining COVID and Flu Vaccines easier. And finally, we have made great progress in the difficult process of recruiting new providers. This will help us improve general access to care and prevent us from having to close the Bala or Fishtown offices whenever providers and staff are affected by the “occupational hazard” of viral illnesses. Stay tuned as we hope to make announcements soon! Obviously, we would be naïve to claim 2023 will be easy. Already we are facing an unprecedented new challenge—shortages of fever medications, common antibiotics, and ADHD medications, just as the formula shortages abate. Hopefully, with a little long needed luck and your patience and guidance, we can return fully to doing what we all love – taking care of our children.
In health,
Center City Pediatrics Team
Protect Your Children!
Expanded eligibility of the bivalent COVID vaccines means you can now protect children aged 6 months and older. All locations have the bivalent vaccine available.
Contact your preferred location by phone to schedule a vaccine appointment, or let the receptionist know at check-in if you’d like to have the shot administered during your child’s scheduled well visit.
School is Back in Session!
In-person parent education workshops have returned to both our South Street and *Bala Cynwyd locations. Advanced registration is required for all classes. Visit our website for details, facilitator bios and registration links.
Saturdays 2/4 OR 3/4 9:30-11am
*Sundays 2/5 OR 3/5 9:30-11am
Thursdays 2/2 OR 3/2 6:30-8 pm
Alternating Tuesdays 1:15 pm-2:15 pm
Saturday 3/11 10 – 11:30 am
Saturday 3/11 12noon – 1 pm
Wednesdays 9:30 – 10:30 am
33 Rock Hill Rd
1740 South Street
2365 East York Street