Frequently Asked Questions

The preferred method for scheduling an appointment is through the MyChart Portal.  This allows you to conveniently find something that works best with your schedule. 

You may also call the office to schedule.  However, we are not always available to answer the phone.  If you leave a brief message, we will call you back.

Please message me through MyChart, letting me know your concerns, and I will contact you to get your child seen.  You may call the office, but most often you will receive a quicker response using MyChart.  

A common frustration going to the doctor's is arriving on time, only to wait for an extended amount of time to be seen.   I strive to respect your time.  In order to accomplish this, I need my patients to arrive on time for their appointments.  I ask that you arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled appointment time.  This allows my assistant a chance to prepare your child for the visit, including obtaining growth measurements, vital signs, and any other pre-visit procedures.

Although I understand that certain unforeseen circumstances may result in a late arrival, in the best interest of high quality care, and out of respect for my other patients, I may need to ask you to reschedule if you arrive more than 15 minutes late.

Please send me a message through MyChart.  I check MyChart messages throughout the day during office hours, and this will get you the fastest response.  You may call the office and leave a message for me.  You can expect a response from me within 1 working day using this method of contact.

Unfortunately, at this time, my practice is not set up to accept payments through MyChart.  I am looking into this-- stay tuned!

I use a third party medical billing group, HealthCare Billing Group.  Their number is on your statement, and you may phone in a credit card payment.  You may also mail the statement to the office, with either a check or a credit card number written on the statement.  Lastly, you may make a payment in the office, but please be advised that we cannot accept cash.

Payment for services is expected within 30 days of the statement date.  I do not charge interest or late fees on past due accounts.  However, the economics of a small practice such as mine are becoming increasingly challenging.  As such, any account that is 90 days past due will result in a letter requesting immediate payment,  If payment is not received by the due date, we will not be able to schedule any additional appointments for your child(ren) until the account is paid.  Accounts more than 6 months past due will result in dismissal from the practice.  Because such an action is harmful to the provider-patient relationship, once this step is taken, I am unable to reverse it.

Unlike many of the large medical systems around the country, I do not charge for medical advice through MyChart.  Based on the nature of your message, I may decide that it warrants an office visit in order for me to deliver the highest quality, safest medical care to your child.  

MyChart is best used for general questions about how to manage sick symptoms or questions about when to seek in office evaluation.  You may also use MyChart to request medical information such as vaccination records, or for completion of a medical form.  Please note that, depending on the nature of the medical form, an office visit may be needed.

I am available to consult about illnesses or other urgent concerns that arise outside of regular business hours, free of charge.  If you need the number to call, it is on the office voicemail.  You may either test or call me on this number.  If you text me, please make yourself available to respond in a timely way to any additional questions I have regarding your concerns.  Many questions can be answered by utilizing the Symptom Checker module under the Resources Tab.  Additionally, many insurance companies offer a free Nurse Consult Line.  Please note that my after hours number should not be used as a convenience-- I request that a good faith attempt is made to reach out to me during office hours, whenever possible.  If you have a non urgent question after hours, which can safely wait for a response once I am back in the office, please use MyChart.  

I chose Primary Care as my field of practice because I am interested in promoting wellness and disease prevention.  A cornerstone of preventative healthcare is vaccination.  We are fortunate to be able to prevent a number of serious infectious diseases through vaccination.  Many of these infections can result in disability or death, and they used to take a heavy toll on the health and well-being of children.  I wholeheartedly support and endorse the current vaccine schedule as safe and effective.  At this time, I do not require that patients in my practice be vaccinated, though this decision could change if the threat level to all of my patients changes.  I do have a strong sense of responsibility to discuss the benefits of vaccination and risks of non vaccination with my families, and am available to answer any questions and address any concerns that you have.  Because I will raise these issues, if you do not wish to engage in any conversation about vaccines, I am not the right provider for your child.

No, I do not charge a No Show fee.  I understand that life is busy and complicated, and we all sometimes forget things.  However, we take steps to remind you of scheduled appointments, such as a MyChart reminder message as well as a reminder call, generally 1 day prior to the appointment.  Please read our No Show Policy under the Policies tab.

Refill requests can be made through MyChart, either under the Medication tab or sent as a message to me.  Additionally, if you contact your pharmacy for a refill and there are none available, they should contact me.  Chronic conditions do require periodic follow up, so depending on when your child was last seen for this medical condition, I may request that you schedule a follow up appointment at the time of the refill request.  It is  my obligation to make sure that any treatment I provide is both beneficial and not causing harm, and I cannot accomplish this without appropriate follow up.  I will only deny a refill request if a follow up visit has not been scheduled as requested.  Because this may be harmful to your child, I will make every effort to get a follow up scheduled (MyChart message, phone call, letter, message on the prescription bottle) before making the decision that I am unable to provide any additional refills.  

I understand that healthcare can be expensive, and that situations arise in life that may result in financial uncertainties.  Because I am a small, independent practice, I do not receive grants and subsidies to provide free or reduced-cost care, which is available through all of the institutional healthcare organizations in the region.  However, I am happy to work with you to come up with an affordable payment plan.  I do not charge any interest on these payment plans. 

Yes.  I offer a cash price which is discounted from my billed prices.  In order to qualify for the cash price, services must be paid for at the time of care.  We can provide you a quote upon request.

Yes, I offer virtual care, depending on the reason for the visit.  Some problems cannot be appropriately evaluated without an office visit.  In such a case, I will advise we schedule a regular office visit.   For virtual visits, I use a platform called Doxy, and will send you a visit link on the day of the visit.  Please note that regulations require that you be physically present in Washington State at the time of the visit, as a provider has to be licensed to practice in the State where the patient is physically located.