Practice Policy

Hand In Hand Pediatrics
Patient Policy Summary

Practice Goal:  To provide a friendly, warm environment in which we can help you nurture your child and provide expertise in pediatric medical care.

A Pledge to Our Patients:  We are dedicated to meeting your health care needs, and to treating you with the respect, dignity, and consideration each person deserves.  In your care and treatment you have the right to expect:

• To be treated with courtesy, respect and consideration
• To have your personal privacy maintained
• To have all information and records about your care kept confidential
• To receive quality care, regardless of age, race, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or diagnosis
• To receive the information necessary to enable you to make treatment decisions that reflect your needs
• To have the right, in collaboration with your physician, to make decisions regarding your plan of treatment.  This includes the right to accept or refuse medical care as permitted by law and to be informed of the medical consequences of such refusal
• To receive a timely response to your request for service
• To have your health care managed as individually and effectively as possible
• To have all persons who have contact with you clearly identified by name and function
• To participate in the consideration of ethical issues that may arise in your care
• To have access to the information contained in your medical records
• To receive, upon request, a copy of your itemized bill in a timely manner, an explanation of the bill, assistance in filing insurance forms and arranging financial payment options

Patient Rights & Responsibilities:  Good health care means that you and/or your family will need to participate in your treatment.  As a patient of Hand In Hand Pediatrics, Inc., parents / patients are responsible to:

• Provide information about past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications, and other health matters
• Request additional information or clarification if needed
• Provide a copy of your written Advance Directives, Living Will or Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care if you have one
• Inform your physician(s) and other caregivers if you anticipate problems in following prescribed treatment
• Understand that we do our best to accommodate your needs and the needs of our other patients
• Provide us with current address, phone numbers, work and insurance information
• Provide necessary information for insurance claims
• Pay co-pay, deductibles, and non-covered service charges at time of service, and any charges billed to you within 30 days
• Contact the office 24 hours in advance if you are unable to keep your appointment, or 2 hours in advance for appointments scheduled the same day.
• Recognize the impact your lifestyle may have on your personal health as well as your child's health.

1) Patient Access to the Practice

During Office Hours: 
Staff will be trained to recognize symptoms of patients and determine the speed with which a patient needs to be seen.

At no time will schedulers or clinical staff attempt to diagnose or treat over the telephone without the explicit directions of the physician.

Schedulers will utilize an emergent/urgent scheduling protocol to determine the time frame to work in a potential emergent or urgent patient.

After Hours:  We will maintain a physician on call seven days per week, 24 hours a day for urgent calls that cannot wait until the office opens. 

After normal business hours, patients may access the on-call physician only by calling the normal business phone number (614-799-6044).  The patient will be instructed as to how the physician on call can be reached in case of an emergency.

Physicians will respond by phone to on-call issues within 30 minutes.  If you do not hear from a physician within 30 minutes call back and make sure speak clearly, leave your child’s name, the urgent problem your child is having, and a telephone number where you can be reached.  Treatment may be rendered over the phone or at the discretion of the physician the patient may be instructed to go to the nearest urgent care or emergency room.

After hour calls should be made after considering whether the call can wait until the office opens.  If you believe it cannot wait, please do not hesitate to call the physician.  Do not call the physician for appointments, prescription refills, or other issues that can wait until the office is open.

2) Missed Patient Appointments

If you are unable to keep your scheduled appointment time, please call the office 24 hours in advance.

Missed patient appointments will be monitored and an attempt to reschedule the appointment will be made. 

We charge for appointments that are not cancelled in advance.

Documentation of all discussions will be made in the chart.

Insurance Accepted:
We accept most insurance plans and can verify your eligibility if you change insurance plans or when you first join our practice.  You will be asked to verify your insurance at each and every appointment by showing the receptionist your insurance card.  You may be responsible for any charges not covered by your health insurance.  We handle all billing in-house, so we can answer questions you have about your charges.

Please remember that your insurance coverage is a contract between you and your insurance company, not between you and our practice.  We make every effort to work with you and your insurance company, however, if there is a dispute over what your insurance company paid and what they said is your responsibility, please contact your insurance company before calling our billing department. 

A complete patient policy list is available upon request.