Well Child Visits
It’s that time of year again where people start thinking less about sick visits and more about well child checkups and annual sports physicals! Both Children’s Medical Center and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend annual well visits for all children 3 through 21 years of age, more frequently for under 3. There are several reasons for this recommendation:
• First, as the providers who know your child, we are best able to screen for any abnormalities or concerns that may arise. Plus, it’s always a joy to see them well and thriving!
• For sports-aged children, this visit is their sports physical. It is valid for one year and is best done with a provider who knows them and their family history.
• At well visits, we are able to review growth and development, nutrition, exercise, social development, school issues, safety concerns, and parenting guidance appropriate for each age. Vaccines are also reviewed and administered if necessary, and an updated vaccine record is given to you via MyChart.
• We are also able to review and monitor any chronic health conditions (such as asthma, ADHD, obesity, etc.) to ensure appropriate care. Sometimes this does require additional time, appointments or referrals, and may be documented and billed separately from the preventative components of a well visit.
Finally, adolescent visits are particularly important because this is a time that kids are most vulnerable, yet are least likely to seek medical care. We try to establish a trusting relationship with your teenager so that it sets the stage for them to be responsible adults who will take their own health seriously. A normal developmental step in this process is allowing your teen to share their views of health in their own voice.
If you think your child(ren) may be past due or almost due for a well visit, please log on to your MyChart account and schedule through your scheduling ticket or call us soon to ensure availability that fits your family’s needs. Our well check-ups do fill up fast, especially in the summertime, so please schedule this very important visit as soon as possible. We look forward to seeing you! All of your immunization and health forms are accessible through MyChart all year long as long as your account is active before your visit. Please remember some plans do require 365 days between visits; if you want to come sooner, please call your insurance to ensure your plan allows for that. CMC believes in the medical home model, and therefore, we do require an annual well visit at CMC to continue providing medications, referrals, healthcare action plans, and letters from your provider.
We graciously ask all of our families to embrace E-check in on your MyChart accounts. By E-checking in, you have the opportunity to update your address, phone, and email information with our office, sign annual form updates, pay any past due balances that may exist with our office, and complete important questionnaires for your provider prior to arriving in the office. In turn, we ensure that your immunization records, physical/sports forms, healthcare action plans, and other important letters and forms are updated in MyChart for you to access and print at home.
Please be aware that problems, illnesses, or abnormalities addressed during the course of a well child visit will be documented and may be charged separately from the preventative component(s) of that days’ visit. Those issues require additional evaluation, management, and decision-making from your provider, and must be separately documented in accordance with American Medical Association guidelines. Such charges may be adjudicated by your insurance as falling outside of the preventative benefit, meaning that your insurance may add an additional charge such as copay, or may be applied to your deductible and/or co-insurance amount depending on your plan. As always, if you have questions or concerns, please contact our Business Office.
We hope you have a wonderful summer!