Wait, Wait…Please Tell Us
Last summer, we saw an uptick in post-visit survey responses largely focused on the same concern. Wait times in the office were far too long. In response, we shared some insight into the challenges we face, how we seek to improve our service, and how you could partner with us to improve your office experience. Many of these circumstances still ring true today.
Among our goals, we committed to tracking wait times more closely, and using this data to identify ways to shorten your visit. In keeping with our pledge to remain transparent, we are happy to share wait time results for each of our locations for the 1st quarter of this year. Keep in mind that these totals include all appointment types (sick, well, follow-up, etc.) and reflect an average time from check-in to check-out:
· South Street (Center City): 43 minutes and 58 seconds
· Bala Cynwyd: 47 minutes and 17 seconds
· Fishtown: 51 minutes and 48 seconds
We recognize that not every visit is “average” and that we sometimes take longer to care for your child. Many times, these delays are unavoidable. Late arrivals, emergencies and complex patient care can all impact patient flow, and keep you waiting in the office longer than expected. Sometimes, however, we can identify these delays early enough in the day to alter our schedules.
With this in mind, we are proud to announce a new text chat feature that will allow us to alert you if your provider is running behind and give you an opportunity to arrive later to our office. The text will include a new time for your child’s appointment (on the same day, and with the same provider). If you arrive by your new time, you will not be considered late and you will have less of a wait in our office. If you arrive after your new time, our late policy will take effect. Of course, if you prefer to arrive as you were originally scheduled, you may, however, you should be prepared for a longer than average wait.
Obviously we cannot eliminate all delays, but we do believe this will provide some relief on those days that waits are abnormally long. Want to take advantage of this new feature? Make sure we have your current cell number on file when you complete your pre-visit check-in.
And, as always, we appreciate your suggestions and your comments. Keep them coming!
Yay, Spring! Boo, Allergies
This month, our triage calls have been all about allergies. Want to know what to look for? How to treat symptoms safely at home? When signs point to something other than allergies?
Check out the latest from Nurse Julie.
Want to be the first to see Nurse Julie’s videos? Like and follow us on Facebook and never miss an update!
Want reliable and trusted information about your child’s symptoms or dosing guidelines for common medications? Our extensive medical library is easy to use and available 24/7 on our website!
Important Insurance Updates!
Got insurance questions? Our Revenue Operations Manager, Amanda, breaks down everything you need to know, including recent changes to Medicaid/CHIP and the return of pre-pandemic payment policies in this short video. If you have Medicaid, you could lose your coverage with the upcoming national changes!
Need more information? Check out our website for a list of frequently asked questions, accepted insurance plans and links to connect with our Billing Department!
Sick Visit Availability is Changing
Our office remains committed to offering same and next day sick visit appointments, where appropriate, to families consulting with our triage staff. Effective immediately, however, next day sick appointment availability will be limited to the following day’s morning hours (8-10am). Late morning, afternoon and evening sick visit appointments can only be scheduled on the same day as your call to our office.
If you contact us looking for a a sick visit on the following day and require something later than the 8-10am window, you will be instructed to call us back in the morning. In that case, simply let the morning reception team know that you had been in contact with triage the prior day. They will be able to reference that conversation from your chart and get you scheduled quickly.
Fishtown Office Scheduling Alert
Our Fishtown office will be closed on Tuesdays between April 25th and June 6th. We apologize for this inconvenience.
We are happy to report that we have been successful in recruiting more providers to prevent these types of closures at both our Fishtown and Bala Cynwyd locations in the future. With these additions to our team, we also anticipate being able to see many more sick visits at these offices. Stay tuned for additional information!
Both our South Street and Bala Cynwyd locations will have availability for visits on the days Fishtown is closed, and the triage team will be available for calls during business hours. As usual, the on-call provider can be reached after hours by dialing 215-735-5600 and following the prompts.
We appreciate your patience as we manage these staffing challenges.
Lactation Support Returns To South Street
Veronica will facilitate our Lactation Support Group between 10 – 11am each Thursday morning at our South Street office, and will provide individual appointments (both initial and follow-up visits) on-site both before and after that group session.
Advanced scheduling is required for the group as well as for the one-on-one sessions. Walk-ins cannot be accommodated. Reserve your space today:
· Register for a Lactation Support Group
Virtual Q&A: Sleep & Potty Training
Sleep and Potty Training Specialist, Erica Desper, facilitates a virtual forum on Sunday, 4/23, between 1-3pm. All questions are welcome!
There is no agenda and no set presentation. This is real-time support, with answers to your specific questions…all without even having to leave home! Login for as much or as little of the conversation as you’d like.
Advanced registration is required to obtain the login details. Reserve your spot and get your questions ready!
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 5/6 OR 6/3 9:30-11am
*Sundays 5/7 OR 6/4 9:30-11am
Thursday 5/4 OR 6/1 6:30-8pm
Alternating Tuesdays 1:15 pm-2:15 pm
Thursdays 10-11am
Virtual Q&A with our Sleep & Potty Specialist
Sunday 4/23 1-3pm
33 Rock Hill Rd
1740 South Street
2365 East York Street