Do you recommend the Hep B vaccine at the hospital?

Unless mom or a primary caregiver is positive for Hepatitis B you can safely refuse the vaccine and we can discuss it at your newborn visit.

Do you recommend the erythromycin eye ointment at the hospital?

The purpose of the erythromycin eye ointment is to prevent the infant from developing blindness when born to a mom with gonorrhea or chlamydia. As long as a mother has received prenatal care and was tested for these infections the risk of ophthalmia neonatorum is very low. The AAP has recently requested reexamination of the need for legal mandates for ocular prophylaxis.

Do you recommend the Vitamin K injection at the hospital?

We do recommend Vitamin K. In the United States only the injectable form has been studied and approved. Because of that it is difficult to advise on the effectiveness or proper dosing for the oral vitamin K drops.

I want to circumcise my baby. What do I need to know?

If you plan to circumcise at the hospital they will require that your child receive the vitamin K injection prior to. If you plan to have the circumcision done outside of the hospital, there are a few things to consider.

We do not do circumcisions at the clinic(most pediatric offices do not).

If your child has received the vitamin K injection, at your request, we can place a referral to a urologist and they can do the circumcision outpatient in their office within the first couple weeks of life. If you opt for the oral vitamin K drops the urology clinic will require that you wait until at least six months of life before performing the circumcision. The procedure at that time will require sedation.

If you want the circumcision done sooner and plan to opt out of vitamin K supplementation there is one doctor through Connectus health named Dr. Rosenbloom who will perform the procedure. He is generally booked out pretty far.

I do not plan on circumcising my child. What do I need to know?

Click here for details on how to care for an uncircumcised penis.

What do I need to know about infant jaundice?

If your baby has elevated bilirubin levels in the hospital the pediatrician may order phototherapy for your baby. We will see you within a day or two of discharge and will continue to monitor your baby’s bilirubin levels. Depending on the circumstances, we test with a light touching the skin or do a heel stick to check blood levels. If your baby is eating and pooping well that is a good sign that their liver is working to process the excess bilirubin.

When do we need to be seen for our first visit?

If you are going to have a hospital birth, the on-staff hospital pediatrician or doctor will give you a discharge date and time after the baby is born. Once your discharge is scheduled, or you have been discharged, you will reach out to schedule the baby's initial appointment. We typically want to see newborns for the first time 2-3 days after discharge unless the hospital staff says otherwise.

If you are going to have a home birth, when we see the kiddo for the initial appointment can vary depending on what services the birthing staff or company offers. With a home birth you will lean on the birthing staff to communicate to you when the appropriate time to transfer care is. If they do not offer continuation of care services after the baby is born, we typically want to see the child the day after they are born.

What can I expect at my first visit?

During your first visit we will review the events of your delivery, go over any issues or concerns raised by the birthing staff, answer your questions, and give recommendations. We will record your baby's measurements and perform a physical exam. At the end of the visit we discuss developmental changes and milestones you can expect leading into the next visit.

What are you business hours?

Our business hours are 8:00-5:00 Monday through Friday.

What happens if I need something after hours?

We work with a company that hires experienced nurses to cover our after hours care. They are reachable all hours of the day that we are not in office, including holidays, and use the same triage protocols as we do in the clinic. If needed or necessary a provider is on-call to address significant issues or concerns.

Is there a nurse I can speak with during business hours?

Yes. We have a two person team dedicated to answering patient calls and addressing concerns during business hours. We also offer a text service that is monitored real time during business hours and allows parents to send in questions, provide photos, and schedule appointments. 

Do we see the same provider for all our visits?

Unless the parents make it clear they have no preference, we will keep all well visits with the same provider. For same day appointments we can keep you with a preferred provider upon request. If a provider is not requested for a same day or sick appointment, we typically offer the time slots that are available with all providers that are in on that day.

Are all your providers nurse practitioners?

Yes. In accordance with state law we do have a collaborating physician. Dr. Ana Lisa Carr however does not see patients at the clinic.

Are there any noticeable differences or limitations seeing a NP as opposed to MD for my child's primary care?

None. There are no differences or changes in the services performed, the tests that are run, the medications that can be prescribed, what insurance does and does not cover. The patient care and experience is identical for a NP as it would be a MD.

How can I access my children's medical records?

Per request we can provide access to our patient portal. The portal provides access to clinic notes, measurements, medications, immunization records, essentially all things clinical. 

Are you able to run labs in the office?

We are able to perform all rapid testing which includes Flu, RSV, Strep & Covid. We draw labs, collect specimens, and offer feedback and recommendations based on the results. We also offer Genesight, food sensitivity, and allergy testing. If a lab is not available at our office, we can put orders in through the companies we work with to be collected or run at their local walk-in centers.

Do you have an X-ray machine on site?

No. We do not offer radiology on site. This is something that we would refer out to a local specialty clinic.

Up to what age do you see children?

We see children from birth to 18 years old.

What is the recommended check-up schedule?

The American Association of Pediatrics recommendations are as follows:
 

• Newborn
• 1 month
• 2 months
• 4 months
• 6 months
• 9 months
• 12 months
• 15 months
• 18 months
• 24 months
• 30 months
• Yearly starting at age 3

Do I need to stick to the recommended schedule?

It is not required but strongly advised. Having your child seen in accordance with the recommended schedule is important. It allows us to make sure your child is growing and developing properly. In the event they are not, it provides the opportunity to get in front of issues before they develop further and for the parents to ask any questions they may have.

What if we don't stick to the recommended schedule?

It presents a window to miss warning signs of potential developmental issues. Not having updated information for the child can also negatively affect the clinical staff's ability to provide feedback over the phone or via text.

If I have more than one child, can I schedule them at the same time?

Yes. We can schedule siblings at the same time.

Do you offer same day appointments if my child is sick?

Yes. We save space in the schedule for same day sick visits.

Do you accept walk-ins?

No. All visits are by appointment only. We pride ourselves on keeping our wait times down. Allowing walk-ins would significantly impact our ability to do so.

Does Avery Mae Pediatrics force me to follow a vaccine schedule?

Our office is a parent choice clinic when it comes to vaccinations. We offer vaccinations but do not require them. You can do all of them, none of them, some of them, a delayed schedule. Ultimately that is up to you.

Do you have resources to help us make decisions about vaccines?

Yes. After the initial decisions you make at the hospital regarding the Hepatitis B shot the next opportunity for your child to receive vaccines is not until two months of age. We generally will see you shortly after birth, at two weeks of life, one month, and then two months. We will have ample time to discuss vaccines and answer any questions you have before you must make any decisions. Click here for the recommended vaccine schedule. 

What are the developmental milestones for my child? 

Click here for information developmental milestones.

How much should my newborn eat?

Click here for information regarding feeding.

What do I need to know about my baby's sleep schedule?

Babies do not have regular sleep cycles until about six months of age. While newborns sleep about 16 to 17 hours per day, they may only sleep one or two hours at a time. As babies get older, they need less sleep. However, different babies have different sleep needs. Newborns often have their days and nights reversed, click here to learn how to help them sleep better at night.

When do I start tummy time and how much should I do?

Click here for information regarding tummy time. 

Do you accept my insurance?

We accept:

Aetna

Allied
All Savers
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield

ChampVA
Cigna

Golden Rule

Lucent Health
Medi-share (we accept all healthshare insurances)

Meritain

PHCS

Surest
Tricare Select
UMR

United Healthcare
US Health

While we are in-network with all other Cigna and Aetna plans, we are not in-network with Cigna or Aetna EPO plans. We do not accept Network L insurance for Blue Cross Blue Shield. 

We are not in-network with Tricare Premium. We are not currently accepting new patients that have Medicaid. This includes Amerigroup, BlueCare & UHC Community.

If your insurance is not listed that does not mean we do not accept it, please inquire for confirmation of coverage.

You are in-network with my insurance, what does that mean? 

It means that anything covered under your insurance plan, will be covered at our clinic. 

You are not in-network with my insurance, what does that mean?

It means that all visits carry out of pocket costs at the time of service. Please note that if your child has Tenncare you are not allowed to pay for primary care services out of pocket and we are not allowed to accept out of pocket payment.

How do I know what is covered under my plan?

Unfortunately, the answer to this question varies considerably. Most commercial insurances will cover well visits based on the recommended well check schedule, but not all do. If coverage and/or cost is a concern, we recommend calling the phone number on the back of your insurance card and having a representative of the insurance company address those concerns. A majority of a child's services at our clinic will be one of three things; well visits, sick visits, and lab submissions. If you do reach out to your insurance carrier, the answer to these questions will give you an idea of what you can expect as far as coverage and cost.

Are my child's well visits covered?

Are my child's sick visits covered?

Is lab work covered?

If sick visits and/or lab work are not covered, most of that time that means your plan has a deductible to meet. Once met, coverage expands.