How do I make an appointment?

Our front desk staff is available to make appointments from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday. The office is closed daily from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

What are your office hours?

Our office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday, and we are closed daily from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. The office is closed on weekends.

Can my child be seen on the same day that I call?

We pride ourselves on being accessible to our patients, and thus make every effort to accommodate all of our sick children. We do not expect you to make appointments that far in advance for sick visits.

If your child is ill and you need to make an appointment to be seen or if you are not sure if your child needs to be seen, please call our office as early in the day as possible. This will help us work in all emergencies in a timely fashion.

When does my child need a check-up?

Children require frequent health maintenance visits through childhood. We perform routine physical exams and health maintenance at 2 weeks, 1 month, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 15 months, 18 months, 24 months, and then annually. Please schedule these appointments with at least one month's notice.

What is a consultation appointment?

Consultation appointments are available to discuss medical and behavioral issues that are too complex to fully address at routine visits. Please call in advance to schedule these visits.

Which health insurances do you accept?

Health insurance has become quite complicated. As a service to you, we will submit your claim for you as long as we have a current copy of your card on file and we have proof that you have named us as your provider. Without this information, it is impossible for us to help you file your claim. Instead, you will be billed for our services and you will need to submit the claim yourself. Co-pays and deductibles should be paid at the time of visit.

We will make every effort to assist you in understanding your insurance plan, but please realize that this is not our area of expertise. It is in your best interest to understand the services that are covered by your plan and how your plan works. This is particularly true for newborns and patients new to the area and new to our practice. 

We are Participating Providers for Aetna, BlueCross/BlueShield, Cigna, NCPPO, and many other smaller insurance companies.  We do not participate with United, MAMSI or PHCS.  Please check with our billing manager if you are unsure if we are in your network.

Please direct any questions to our billing manager.

How do I get a referrals or a refill?

In an effort to meet your needs in a timely manner, please call for referrals and refills at least three days in advance.

What is HIPAA?

HIPAA is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. It was created to ensure that a patient's medical information does not fall into the hands of someone who could make an adverse determination about employment, insurability, or otherwise discriminate on the basis of that information.

What does that mean to you?

When visiting any healthcare professional, including the doctors in our practice, you will be asked to sign a form stating that you are aware that the office has a privacy policy in effect and that you have had an opportunity to review that policy. A copy of our office's policy sits on the sign-in counter in a binder and if you would like a copy, one can be prepared at your request.

At Potomac Pediatrics, we are supporters of protecting patient privacy and welcome the new guidelines.