FAQs

Yes, we always welcome new patients to our practice! Please see the list of insurances that we accept here. 

If your child is new to the practice and needs a well visit, we request that all prior records are sent to our office before your appointment. If the entire chart is unavailable in time, we ask that you please have your prior doctors office fax the vaccine records and last well summary to our office in the meantime.

Pediatric Care North accepts most major insurance plans. For a complete list of accepted plans, click here.

We are not accepting Medicaid at this time.

If you’re ever in doubt about whether your child needs to be seen, please call our office or send a secure portal message. Our friendly staff will ask a few questions to determine the severity of your child’s symptoms, and then help you decide if you need to come into the office.

You can schedule same-day sick visits any time the office is open, which includes every weekday, Saturday morning, and evening hours by appointment. 

Please note we do not take “walk-in” patients. Because our appointments are filled on a first come-first served basis, walk-in patients may be triaged and not seen until later in the day. Therefore, making a call to the office will potentially get your child seen sooner.

Sick visits treat many types of injuries and illnesses that need same-day or next-day medical care. Children’s symptoms can change quickly, so don’t hesitate to call if your child’s symptoms get worse.

The following are some of the most common conditions treated during sick visits:

• Flu/Upper respiratory infections
• Earaches/Headaches
• Sore throat or strep throat
• Congestion
• Coughs
• Abdominal pain
• Asthma
• Rashes or hives
• Allergic reactions
• Eye discharge or infection
• Vomiting and/or diarrhea

We also treat minor injuries like cuts.

If your child is in a potential life threatening medical emergency, CALL 911

While all the conditions often treated during a sick visit have the potential to need immediate care, some symptoms are red flags that your child needs quick medical attention.

Call us immediately for the following symptoms:

• Fever of 100.4ºF or higher in children younger than 1 year of age
• Fever that lasts longer than three days
• Unusual symptoms lasting more than three days
• Persistent pain
• Widespread rash, fever of 102ºF or higher plus other symptoms in children over 1 year of age

Other symptoms that may appear with a fever that signal a potentially serious problem include a rash, stiff neck, vomiting, and headache.

When your child is sick, call the office as early in the day as possible so they can schedule a same-day visit if necessary. If you have questions about your child’s symptoms or you need to schedule a sick visit, call our office or send a secure portal message.

If your child is in a potential life threatening medical emergency, CALL 911

Our phone triage nurses are accessible from 8:00am to 4:45pm Monday through Friday, and 8:30am to 11:30am on Saturdays. Our nurses view every call as a teaching opportunity to advise about normal childhood development and common illnesses. We use protocols written from the Barton-Schmidt Pediatric Triage Protocols and from the professional judgment of our staff. 

If you have questions after hours, we have the Children’s Mercy Nurse Advice Line that can reach a doctor 24 hours a day for any questions or concerns.

We recommend Tylenol® for your child aged 6 weeks and older and Motrin® for your child 6 months and older, based on weight calculations. Click here for dosages.

*The AAP does not recommend over-the-counter medications for children 6 years and under. The benefits of over-the-counter medications, such as cold and cough medications, do not outweigh the risks of giving these medicines. Please contact our office and speak to one of our triage nurses regarding the symptoms your child is experiencing and what our recommendations would be based on their symptoms.

Depending on the type of form, we ask for a one week notice to have forms completed. This allows us time to review the chart and fill out the form completely with the most current health information. If you have a check-up scheduled within the time needed for the form, please bring it to the appointment for your provider to sign.

We have common forms linked here for your convenience.

Our providers recommend that all children - birth to 18 years of age - be seen annually. Immunizations are a small part of an annual exam. Our providers check age-appropriate nutrition and diet, development and social skills, and safety and anticipatory guidance annually.