Newsletter

Lake Vista Pediatrics
Noteworthy News
                          
Re: Appointment wait time  
Dear Parents,                                                  

This is our first news note to share information about our practice so that we can serve you and your family better.

It has become apparent to us that your wait time has been a great challenge on many occasions and we would like to be given the opportunity to explain, and get help from you so your wait time will remain minimal.  

To accomplish this goal, it is necessary that parents understand insurance reimbursement methods.
Visit reimbursements are based upon time and number of issues presented by parents.  That is, if you have a well visit, which essentially means seeing the doctor with no issues/concerns, the insurance company will reimburse up to 20 minutes of time for such a visit.  If during that visit other concerns are addressed, it is additional time that was not scheduled by our receptionist, henceforth, creating a longer wait time for parents who arrive on time for their appointment.

Another example of a problem that may occur is when a parent schedules a sick visit for one symptom or concern, but expects the doctor to address additional issues/concerns not scheduled.  An example of this may be scheduling an appointment for a rash and requesting additional time to discuss behavior, potty issues or ADD meds. The receptionist has scheduled a short visit for the child’s rash, however, the visit requires much more time by the physician to address the “unscheduled issues.”  Here again, the time delay experienced by a parent to see their doctor at the scheduled appointment time, becomes even more prolonged. 

According to the insurance company, guidelines for sick visits at specific levels can range from a minimum of 10 minutes to a maximum of 20 minutes. Any time over that is considered a prolonged
visit, adding another level of care which constitutes an additional charge.                                                                                                                                                              

Thusly, it becomes clear why your wait time can be unbearable, why you are asked to see another physician who may be more on schedule, and also why an additional charge may be applied to your bill.  This naturally leads to unhappy parents and cranky children. 

It is our goal to keep your wait time to a minimum and do what we can to make your visit a pleasant experience.  To do so, we need your attentiveness to the guidelines of the insurance companies with whom you have contracted.  Only then can we expect a happier staff, parents and children. 

Thank you,
Lake Vista Pediatrics