A Message from Valley Pediatrics about COVID-2019-Related Policy and Procedure Changes:
Dear Parents,
In accordance with CDC and Department of Health guidelines and in consultation with colleagues in the area, Valley Pediatrics is taking a number of steps to maximize the health and safety of our patients, parents, and staff.
Effective immediately:
No walk-in appointments: We will do our best to serve all of your needs, but please call us to schedule an appointment so that we may direct you to the resources best equipped to handle your particular case. As always, we will have same-day appointments available for most matters.
All check-ups will be done in Ho Ho Kus, all other appointments will be seen in Ramsey: When you call to book your appointment, the receptionist will confirm which office will be appropriate for your matter. If you have any existing booking, feel free to call us with any changes; otherwise, we will be in touch if any of these new policies affect you.
Accompanying your children: No more than one parent or guardian will be allowed to enter the office with a patient at a time. We ask that for your own safety, you avoid sending grandparents or other guardians over the age of 60 to accompany your children given their greater risk factors for infection. Critically, if anyone accompanying a patient to the office is feeling unwell (even mild cold symptoms) PLEASE call our office in advance so that we can take appropriate precautions. By not doing so, you risk endangering the health of everyone in the office including people who may be immunosuppressed or have other severe risk factors for disease.
Arriving at the office: Please do not come into the office to register your child or to sign in. Please call us at (201) 652-1888 and let us know that you have arrived. We will take care of all registration formalities over the phone. We will let you know when we have a room available inside and you will be asked to proceed directly to the exam room. This measure to is to avoid unnecessary contact with other patients.
Recent travel or exposure to COVID-2019: If your child has been exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-2019 or has traveled outside of the country in the last 14 days, please do not bring your child into any of our offices. If you call the office, we will arrange for a doctor to speak with you to discuss how best to manage your situation based on your child’s exact circumstances. In many cases, the best treatment is home-based isolation and symptomatic care (Tylenol, etc.). Taking your child for testing or further examination may increase chances of exposure for both you and them and may not change the course of treatment. Please, for the sake of the community and the health of you and your child, reach out to us by telephone to discuss the best steps.
COVID-2019 Testing: At this time, we are unfortunately unable to provide COVID-2019 test in the office. Where appropriate based on current guidelines, we will refer you to the state Board of Health or to a local hospital if testing or further evaluation is required. Please note that these guidelines are fluid and may change in the coming days. We will update our policies as appropriate.
Protective equipment: Please do not be alarmed if you see our doctors and nurses wearing protective equipment including respirators (a type of surgical face mask), goggles, gloves, and surgical gowns. We are implementing such measures out of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of everyone in our offices. You may wish to tell your children to expect such changes in order to avoid their being frightened by the unusual sight.
Telemedicine: For all questions for doctors and for any patients who do not wish to come into the office, we are now offering doctor’s visits via videoconference. When you request an appointment, we will schedule you a time and send you an email with a link for video chat. You will then have a visit with your normal doctor – from the comfort of your own home.
We recognize that these measures may be uncomfortable and certainly represent an inconvenience and we apologize for any difficulty that they may cause you. Please understand that we have implemented these policies after great reflection and consideration and only due to the gravity of the circumstances with which we are currently presented. Rest assured that we will return to our standard practices as soon as it is safely practicable.