ARE WE A GOOD FIT?

At Bloom Pediatrics, we believe that immunizations are one of the most important public health achievements of our time. As pediatric healthcare providers, we strongly recommend vaccinating all children according to the immunization schedule established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Our Policy on Vaccines:

We are a pro-vaccine practice.

We firmly believe in the safety, effectiveness, and necessity of vaccines in preventing serious illness, disability, and death in children and adults.

We follow the CDC/AAP recommended vaccine schedule.

This schedule has been carefully developed to protect children when they are most vulnerable to disease.

We will educate and support you.

We welcome open conversations and are happy to answer any questions about vaccine safety, efficacy, and the science behind them.

Delayed schedules are discouraged.

While we understand some parents have concerns, we do not recommend or encourage alternate vaccine schedules as they may leave children unnecessarily vulnerable to disease. Should you choose an altered vaccine schedule, you will be asked to devise your own schedule and we will verify timing of vaccines is acceptable.

Why This Policy Matters:

Vaccines protect not only the individual child but also the broader community, especially those who are too young or medically unable to be vaccinated. This is called herd immunity, and it is critical in safeguarding our most vulnerable patients.

We strive to avoid overusing antibiotics by educating families on their proper use and following evidence-based guidelines to ensure responsible prescribing. Many cases are viral and do not require antibiotic treatment. Instead, our providers take the time to explain alternative approaches and the importance of allowing the body to heal naturally when appropriate. This strengthens the immune system!

Additionally, we do not routinely prescribe antibiotics over the phone, as we strongly believe it is not sound medical practice to do so without a proper assessment. Antibiotics are only prescribed when deemed necessary and appropriate after a thorough evaluation, prioritizing the well-being of our patients while avoiding the risks of antibiotic resistance and unnecessary side effects.

We work hard to provide comprehensive medical care and serve as your medical home. To that end, we urge you to 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 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 child’s medical record.

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

We make every effort to meet the needs of our patients, offering both routine well child visits and sick child visits. To ensure we provide you with the most efficient care we ask that you call to schedule an appointment when your child needs to be seen in our office.

If you need assistance after hours, our dedicated team is available 24/7/365 to provide after-hours pediatric advice. Call our main office number for urgent concerns only. 

Please save non-urgent concerns like mild illness, appointment requests, and prescription refills for regular office hours.

We encourage you to visit our child health resources for helpful information before calling our after-hours clinician.

Please ensure we participate with your insurance plan. It is your responsibility to understand the limits and coverage of your health insurance policy. Please present your insurance cards at each visit and be prepared to pay any copays at the time of service.

While our billing staff can assist with insurance inquiries, it's best to contact your insurance company directly for specific coverage questions. We strive to avoid any billing surprises, but we must bill your health plan according to federal guidelines and the actual services rendered.

For more details, please review our Financial Policy.

Insurance copays and any balances on your account should be paid at the time of service. If that's not possible, please contact the billing department before your visit to arrange a payment plan.

For sick visits, please contact our office directly. Our staff is available to assist you in making an appointment for your child to be evaluated.  

For well-child visits, please  schedule in advance as much as possible. This allows  you to select a date and time that best accommodates your schedule. We strongly encourge at each well-child visit you go ahead and schedule your next one. We will send reminders for upcoming appointments, too!

We value everyone's time equally. Please arrive 5-15 minutes before your appointment. 

While we understand that delays can happen, we may ask late arrivals to reschedule. 

Our practice strives to run on time, and missed appointments affect our clinicians, staff, and other patients. A fee may be charged for canceled or missed appointments if 24 hours' notice is not given.

We also respect your time. Every effort will be made to see to it your child is seen in a timely manner. However, sometimes some visits can run longer than expected. This especially can be true when we need to give children extra medical attention or arrange for hospital transport.