Are We a Good Fit?

Our Vaccine Policy follows the schedule outlined by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

We work hard to not overuse antibiotics. We educate families on appropriate use of antibiotics, but follow evidence-based guidelines and don’t automatically treat ear pain or a green snotty nose with antibiotics.

We do not routinely prescribe antibiotics over the phone as we do not believe that is good medicine. We will prescribe an antibiotic when we believe it is an appropriate treatment.

We work hard to provide comprehensive medical care and serve as your medical home. To that end, we expect that you contact our office FIRST before seeking specialty care, or heading to another provider for urgent care. We want to be involved in either providing care in our office where appropriate, or referring you to the most appropriate specialist and helping to coordinate your care.

Whenever you do see a specialist, we ask that you request a report be sent directly to our office so we may stay informed and have the most up-to-date information in your medical record.

Our practice prides itself on efficiency through use of technology. You will be encouraged to consult our website, register for and use our patient portal, and effectively use automated reminders for appointments and for routine care/immunizations that are due.

We make every effort to meet the needs of our patients, offering both routine well visits and sick visit appointments. We do offer same day appointments for sick visits and follow ups by appointment only.

To ensure we provided you with the most efficient care we need you to call ahead to schedule an appointment.

Please familiarize yourself with our office hours to see if they work for your family.

We have a provider on call 24/7/365. When our office is closed overnight and you have an urgent issue that cannot wait until morning, you can call our main number.  Night Nurse After hours triage service  will give you advice regarding your child's medical issue.  Parents/patients can always request to speak with the Shaker Pediatric provider on call. 

You may wish to check the "Is Your Child Sick?" section of our website for helpful information before using this service. Read more about After Hours care.

Make sure we participate with your insurance plan.  

Currently we take patients with

• CDPHP
• Empire Plan
• MVP
• Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield
• Highmark
• United Health Care

It is your responsibility to know the limits and coverage of your particular health insurance policy, to show your cards to us at each visit, and be prepared to pay any copays at the time of service.

Our billing staff will do their best to assist you with insurance questions; however, If you have questions about your coverage, it is best check with your specific insurance company. Our office does not want you to be surprised by a bill, but must always bill your health plan based on federal guidelines and the actual services provided.

Please read our Financial Policy for more information regarding insurance.

For acute care, call the office to speak with triage staff, who will listen to your concerns and schedule an appointment for you. Sometimes an appointment may not be needed, and staff will advise you regarding your issue, or check with the physician and call you back.

If our nurse is on with another caller, you will be asked to leave a message and you will receive a return call.

For well visits, please call to schedule.  These appointments can be scheduled  1 year in advance.  We recommend you book your next appointment as you leave the office.

Insurance copays are expected to be paid at the time of service. 

Our practice makes every effort to run on time with appointments, as we believe everyone’s time is equally valuable. As a courtesy, we will remind you of your upcoming appointments via phone/text message/email.

For routine visits we ask you to arrive 10 minutes before your scheduled appointment time.We understand sometimes things happen beyond your control that may cause you to be late. However, we reserve the right to ask you to reschedule if you arrive late for your appointment.

Missed Appointments: No shows for appointments leave gaps in our schedule that could be used to see other patients.  We reserve the right to charge a fee for canceled or missed appointments. We request 24 hours notice for cancellation of appointments.

A fee will be charged for a second missed appointment. The third consecutive missed appointment will result in discharge from the practice.