Medical Conditions

At the Doctor’s Office : General Information

The Clinics at Mercy Children’s Hospital want you and your child to feel as if you are entering into a partnership with us to help your child feel his or her best. With that goal in mind we encourage both you and your child to ask questions, initiate and discuss new thoughts and ideas, and advocate for the best plan of care that fits your lifestyle. We hope to get to know you and your family well, and develop an ongoing relationship.

Reception

When you and your child enter the office, you will see our receptionist who will take your name and initiate any forms that must be filled out. It will be important to inform him or her of any insurance changes or primary care physician changes that have occurred since this appointment was made. Next, you and your child will be seated in the waiting area while the receptionist readies the chart for the visit or until the next room becomes available. We strive to keep this wait short, but it can be affected by delays in chart processing or emergencies in the office as we care for our other patients. The staff will keep you and your child informed if the wait is longer than normal. If you feel the wait is longer than is reasonable, please let us know.

Screening Area

Once you and your child are brought back to the screening area, your child will be weighed, a height will be taken and vital signs including a temperature, blood pressure, pulse rate, respiratory rate, and a history will be taken as well. None of these procedures are painful, but they can be a little intimidating for children. Temperature is taken with an ear thermometer, which is very quick but often reminds little ones of having their ears checked.

As a parent, you know your child’s limits best, so we request that you ask us to stop if the procedure is too much for the child. Explaining before hand that these tests will not hurt and play-acting with a younger child before the visit can help alleviate any anxiety he or she may feel.

Treatment Room

Your next stop is the treatment room. Our rooms are sizeable, and can accommodate large strollers, wheelchairs and any other equipment that is needed for some of our special needs children. The nurse will ask you and your child a history, how he or she is doing in general, what medications he or she has been taking, how the problem has affected your every day life and what your child’s overall health has been like. He or she will ask you and your child why you are here, what you want to see happen with this visit, and what you and your child’s goals are for coming to the specialist. After this section of the visit is finished, he or she will report her information to the physician who will then review any tests or other information he or she has about you and your child. The normal wait at this point is usually less than 15 minutes, but again can be influenced by an emergency or the needs of another parent and child. Again, the nurse will keep you and your child informed if the wait will be a longer one, and please let us know if it has been unusually long.

When the physician comes in, he or she will do a physical exam. This will include listening to your child’s heart and lungs with a stethoscope and looking in his or her ears, nose and mouth with a light. This exam is not a lot different from an exam at your regular pediatrician’s office. The physician will also ask questions; some of them may be the same or similar to what the nurse has asked. This is done on purpose, because the doctor wants to make sure that he or she understands the answer. This information is essential in making you and your child a partner in your health care. It will be used to help the physician as he or she discusses treatment options with you and your child and the team. Sometimes, additional x-rays or tests may be ordered and you will be directed to that department, and then return to the clinic, or additional tests may be done right in that clinic.

You and your child may meet with other members of the health care team such as case managers, educators, therapists, psychologists, and others, depending on who is on that individual team. Each member of the team has his or her own special contribution to make to your child’s care. The purpose is to help you and your child understand the treatment plan, learn how to use the medications, and learn more about the specific problem.

After the physician has gathered all of the pertinent information, he or she will discuss with you and your child the best treatment plan options and you will decide together on the final plan.

Someone on the team will be responsible for helping you and your family identify resources for any equipment you may need. You may want to remember the person responsible for this in case you need to call him or her back. This person is the case manager.

Registration Desk

The final stop is back at the registration desk to set the next appointment and to set up any testing that may be required for the next visit. The visit is ended at this point but we continue our partnership, through phone calls and written communication, serving as a resource for you and your child as you strive to fit your new knowledge and skills into your lifestyle.

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