Cornerstone Pediatrics
Frequently Asked Questions
All You Need to Know
Why does my child need to receive vaccinations?
Immunizations are a series of shots given to children at different ages to help ward off serious, and potentially fatal, childhood diseases. Making sure your child receives immunizations when scheduled is the best way to help protect your child from potentially fatal diseases. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, vaccinations have reduced the number of infections from vaccine-preventable diseases by more than 90%. If you're apprehensive about vaccinations, please do not hesitate to contact our office.
What days are you open?
Our current office hours are as follows:
Monday-Thursday: 8am-8pm
Friday: 8am-5pm
Saturday: 8am-12pm
Hours are subject to change at any timeAre you accepting new patients?
Yes, we welcome new patients.May we schedule a “get acquainted” visit before we deliver our baby?
Yes, we call these prenatal visits and suggest that you schedule a visit two to three months in advance of your due date. You will have the opportunity to see our office, meet our staff, and meet with one of our doctors, who will be happy to answer your questions. There is no charge for a prenatal visit.Do you accept my health insurance plan?
Advocare participates with most major insurance plans. As participation varies by region, specialty, and physician, we recommend that you contact either our office or your insurance company representative to verify that your insurance plan is accepted.How do we contact the doctor after hours?
Our medical providers are available 24 hours a day. Please be aware that after-hours calls are intended for urgent medical issues that cannot wait until the next business day. If you need immediate attention, call our office at (856) 428-3746. Our professional triage service will receive your call and will contact one of our on-call physicians or specially trained triage nurses regarding your urgent need. Please call back if you have not received a timely response within one hour.When should my baby start solid foods?
There are several appropriate steps in advancing your child's diet based on age and development. In general, we do not recommend starting spoon feeding until 4 to 6 months. We will begin to discuss these issues with you at the 4 month checkup.
IN THE EVENT OF A LIFE THREATENING EMERGENCY, CALL 911.
May I request a specific pediatrician for my visit?
Every effort is made to arrange your child's well care and follow up visits with the doctor of your choice. When your child is ill, any of our doctors may see your child, depending on that day's schedule. Please understand that this policy helps ease office flow and reduce waiting time.How often does my child need to be seen in the office?
Our routine health maintenance visit schedule closely follows the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics. A checkup, or well care visit, is an opportunity for you to ask questions and for the physician to perform a physical exam. In the first three years, these frequent visits are arranged around the immunization schedule. We usually will schedule your infant at one and four weeks old; two, four, and six months old; nine, twelve, fifteen, eighteen, twentyfour, thirty months old; three years old and then every year thereafter.What immunizations will my child receive?
To help protect your child from many serious infectious diseases, we closely follow the immunization schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Please discuss your immunization questions and concerns with any of our pediatricians.My child needs to see a specialist. What do I do?
For non-urgent referrals: when one of our doctors refers you to a specialist, please schedule your appointment with the specialist, then call our office within five business days of your appointment. Your referral will be available within 72 hours. Most referrals are completed electronically and submitted directly to the specialist's office. Please check with our office staff to determine if your insurance plan processes referrals electronically.
For urgent referrals: when one of our doctors determines that you need an urgent referral, your referral will be initiated immediately. Please remain in our office while your referral is processed, then proceed to your specialist.
When will I receive lab or test results?
You will receive a call quickly with any lab results that require urgent attention. Other lab results will be addressed promptly by the provider that ordered the labs or tests. Normal values also will be reported to you. If you have not been contacted regarding lab results within seven days, please call our office.How do I obtain a prescription refill?
Please call our office to speak with a member of our staff regarding your refill. We would request you have your pharmacy information available.Does your practice support breastfeeding mothers?
Yes, we promote breastfeeding. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends solely breastfeeding babies for the first six months. We recommend continued breastfeeding for the entire first year. Breastfeeding helps defend children against infections, prevents allergies, and protects against later obesity and a number of chronic conditions. While experts believe that breast milk is the best nutritional choice for infants, breastfeeding may not be possible for all women. Some women have specific medical considerations that impede breastfeeding; others choose to feed by formula because of discomfort, work schedule, or lifestyle choices. In these cases, an iron-fortified infant formula is a good alternative. We will gladly discuss your diet and feeding concerns at your child's well care visit, or please call during office hours to speak with our experienced nursing staff.I just gave birth. When should I schedule my baby's first doctor visit?
We recommend that your newborn be seen in our office within the first week after discharge from the hospital. The physician or hospital staff will inform you as to when you should schedule your baby's first office visit. Our staff understands the importance of this first visit and will make every effort to schedule this visit promptly.
