Bethesda Pediatrics utilizes telemedicine appointments for both sick and well visits when felt to be appropriate.  Telemedicine appointments are virtual visits conducted over remote, secure, HIPAA compliant video conferencing.  This appointment type is best suited for a concern or issue that does not require a thorough physical exam. 

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A virtual visit essentially works the same as a face to face visit.  You will be given an appointment and will then receive an email from our office with a link to be connected to the physician.  Instead of checking in at the front desk, you would call the office 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment time to verify insurance and make your copay, if not already done at the time of scheduling.  At the appointed time, click on the link provided in the email to enter our virtual waiting room.  If for some reason that link does not work, there is also a check in button on the top of our home page, or you can click here.  Please enter the PATIENT'S NAME instead of your own name when prompted.  When your physician is available and sees that you are ready, they will initiate the connection.

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If possible, we ask that you have a current weight and temperature.  Many medications in pediatrics are dosed based on weight.

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It is important to note that since we are licensed to practice in Maryland, you and your child should also be located within the greater Maryland area (MD, DC, VA, DE) at the time of the virtual visit.

 

While we generally always prefer to see our patients in person, many acute illnesses and conditions (such as pinkeye, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, rashes, simple injuries and wounds), developmental and behavioral health concerns, and long term medication management (such as ADD/ADHD) can all potentially be evaluated via telemedicine.  We can help you decide if a virtual visit is right for you.  

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Under certain circumstances we can also schedule some annual well visits ("check-ups") via telemedicine. Ages that generally don't require vaccines or a comprehensive exam at their check-up can be scheduled for telemedicine with authorization from your child's primary care physician. These are typically at 2.5 years, 3 years, and 5-10 years of age.  For these visits, parents will be asked to provide a height and weight to the best of their abilities, and patients will be asked to have a brief follow up visit in a few weeks or months to get vital signs, do vision and hearing screens, and have a physical exam, since this will likely be needed for school and camp forms. 

 

We are continuing to schedule in-office visits at ages where vaccinations are standard, including those 2 years of age and under, 4 years, 11-12 years, and 16-18 years old. We do also recommend 13-15 year old patients come to the office for physical exams to assess growth, puberty development, mental health screening, and other important adolescent health topics. 

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Please note that Telemedicine appointments are treated identically to in-office visits and are billed to your insurance accordingly. Copays and deductibles apply as per usual. Not all insurances are reimbursing equitably at this point, so you may want to check with our billing department when scheduling.

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