Important Announcement re: After Hours Advice Line


As you know medical costs continue to climb and we are currently confronted with the need to change, and pay significantly more for, our after hours advice calls.  We are committed to providing thorough and timely medical advice for your family, including after hours. 

After an extensive search and review process, we are pleased to announce that starting on 2/1/24 we, along with all UBCP-affiliated practices, will be offering after hours advice through a new group, Anytime Pediatrics.  

When our office is closed, including on holidays, you may call Anytime Pediatrics for advice at (623) 663-1707. As before, if your child needs an after-hours appointment, appointments can be made at GoHealth in Oakland. One important change to note is that we will bill your insurance for these calls, and that these calls may be subject to a co-pay, co-insurance, or deductible, if not covered by your insurance. 

 

Prior to making an after-hour call, the providers at Berkeley Pediatrics recommend that you look up your child’s symptoms on the AAP website healthychildren.org symptom checker: 

https://www.healthychildren.or...

 


COVID-19 SAFETY CHANGES IN OUR OFFICE

(updated 1/11/2022)

In light of the recent surge of the omicron variant amidst holiday gatherings and travel, we are instituting tighter measures for COVID-19 screening for in person visits at the office.  While we know this can be an inconvenience to our families, we hope that this tighter policy will keep our office safer for all of our patients, but especially our newborns and at risk patients.  

FOR WELL VISITS:

 ILLNESS: If your child has ANY symptoms in the last 7 days: fever, runny nose, sore throat, congestion, cough, shortness of breath, vomiting, diarrhea or loss of taste or smell, we will need to reschedule your visit, or, call ahead and convert to virtual well visit with a later in person exam.  An exception is if there is ONLY a runny nose for 7 or more days and has had negative PCR test (not rapid antigen) within this time.  

 EXPOSURE and ASYMPTOMATIC:-if your child has had a COVID-19 exposure and is vaccinated, you will need to have a negative PCR test 5 days after the last known exposure. 

-If your child is UNvaccinated, quarantine for 10 days from the last exposure and reschedule the well visit.  An exception is that if your child has had a negative PCR at least 5 days after exposure AND can wear a well fitting mask for the entire visit, then a well visit can occur in person.

FOR URGENT/SICK VISITS: 

Any child with COVID-19 exposures or symptoms related to possible COVID-19 infection will be seen in one of our outdoor canopy exam spaces under our newly constructed outdoor pergola.  Please come with appropriate clothing during these cold winter months. 

Berkeley Pediatrics has been working very hard to continue to provide information, support and good clinical care to keep our patients and our staff healthy during these stressful times.    We have made numerous changes throughout the office in light of the current pandemic and likely will make many ymore as the situation evolves.  Please check back here for updates!

We are scheduling in person visits for both full well child visit and sick visits so we can provide the best quality care to our patients.  

  • We are also offering telehealth visits for sick visits that are appropriate for virtual care and for well visits if families would like.  
  • Well visits done virtually will followed by an in person brief physical exam visit so that we can perform an exam and any necessary procedures/immunizations
  • ALL sick visits that have symptoms that could be possibly due to COVID-19 will be done as an outside CAR VISIT or CANOPY VISIT instead of inside the office.  

Patient with appointments in the office will enter via the front ramp to the original front door.  We ask that families line up socially distanced outside until the reception window is available.  The front desk will screen the patient and caregivers with a survey and hand sanitization.  We will also provide a mask for ALL those entering the building > age 2, and ask that this mask is kept on the entire time you are in the office.  Bandanas, neck gators and masks with valves are not acceptable, and you or your child will be given a medical surgical mask.  

Only two fully vaccinated caregivers will be allowed during well visits (updated 10/18/2021)

You will be roomed directly into an exam room that has been cleaned between every patient with surfaces cleaned with viricidal disinfectant.  Providers will maintain 6 feet distance from you within the room when possible during your visit.  We have medical grade air purifiers throughout the office and have removed all books and toys to reduce contamination.  All vaccinations will be given in the exam room.  If procedures need to be done in the lab area, only patient and caregiver from one family group will be allowed in the room.  

After your appointment, please follow the red arrows to exit out the back door.  We hope to create a one way flow in and out of building to minimize congestion and maintain social distancing within the office.  

Outdoor tent visits for patients with symptoms will be done in our Courtyard Canopy (located on the Walnut Street side of the house).  When you arrive, call the front desk to check in and wait in the canopy area.  The provider will come out in full PPE to the tend to conduct the visit with your child.  

Please help us with these new procedures by:

  • Wearing an appropriate and well fitting mask at all times during your visit here at Berkeley Pediatrics. 
  • Maintaining distance when possible within the office in common areas
  • Washing your and your child’s hands at the beginning and end of your visit
  • Asking about telehealth virtual visits if you are uncomfortable with coming into the office
  • Being patient with the staff and providers—we may have longer than normal wait times because of these procedural changes

In these uncertain times, Berkeley Pediatrics is so thankful to have such a wonderful community of providers, staff and patient families.  We could not have weathered the last year without all of your caring, dedication and support.  

Thank you all!!!

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