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June 2021 update

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Well-care during COVID, Oct. 2020
 

Dear Callie Pediatrics families, 

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Greetings from all of us at Callie Pediatrics!   We hope that you all are staying safe and healthy as we head into the school year. We continue to be grateful to all those who have been on the front lines, especially essential service workers--thank you!  

 

It has been an unprecedented and stressful time and we want you to know that we continue to be here for you all. Information about our safety procedures and other guidance is available below and on our COVID Resources page. 

 

Now, as fall begins, our top priority continues to be ensuring that all newborns, infants, children, and adolescents are up-to-date on their comprehensive well-child care, including an in-person, complete physical exam, developmental screenings, and vaccines.  The American Academy of Pediatrics and public health experts are very concerned that delays in vaccines could result in secondary outbreaks with vaccine-preventable illnesses.  

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Please call our office today (520-298-3383) to schedule your child’s well-care visit!   We have taken all precautions to prioritize your family’s safety during these visits:  

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  • Separate entrances and exam rooms  “well” visits (6636 door) and “sick/possibly infectious” visits (6640 door) 

  • All doctors and staff wear masks for all visits and rooms are cleaned thoroughly and disinfected between every patient.

  • Patients should be accompanied by only one caregiver.  

  • Parents, caregivers, and patients over the age of 2 should wear a mask or face covering (such as a bandana).  

 

For the health and safety of our community, especially the most vulnerable, please continue to follow CDC social distancing guidelines.  

 

We look forward to seeing you soon!

 

The Providers and Staff at Callie Pediatrics 

Per the CDC, masks are still required in medical settings, for ALL adults and children over two.   

We thank you for following this policy in order to keep our patients, families, and staff safe and healthy.  If someone has an ADA-defined disability and is unable to wear a mask, an alternative arrangement can be discussed.  We will continue to re-assess and update this policy regularly. 

COVID-19 UPDATE, effective 18 March 2020

 At Callie Pediatrics, our main concern is the health and well-being of our patients and their families.  We understand there is a lot of fear and anxiety right now--we are working very hard to protect all patients and families when they come to our office.

 

Fortunately, children who have tested positive for COVID-19 in other parts of the world and the U.S. have mostly had mild infections. However, it is essential to recognize that children and teens who may not themselves have symptoms can still be “carriers” of the virus and expose others who may be at greater risk for more severe infections.  That is why it is essential to follow CDC and state/local guidelines, in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our community (washing hands with soap and water for 20 seconds; avoiding group gatherings and playdates;  “social distancing” (staying six feet away from others in public); and for people over 60 and with chronic diseases to stay in their homes).  

 

In order to reduce the risk to our patients and their families, we have implemented the following safety procedures at our office, which follow CDC guidelines:   

 

  • Phone triage: If your child has more severe sick symptoms (difficulty breathing or shortness-of-breath), please call our office to talk with one of our providers. If you think your child's symptoms are mild, go to this link to help you distinguish.  
     

    • When you call about more severe symptoms, our provider will find out more about the symptoms, your travel history, and if you have been in close contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19.  Our provider will then advise that you stay home with the child, so s/he can recover and not put others at risk; or that you bring them to our office to be examined; or that you bring your child to the ER if it is an emergency situation. 
       

  • Office: All patients with a scheduled appointment are first screened OUTSIDE our main entrance. Sick and well patients are then directed to different entry doors, designated exam rooms, and separate sides of the office.
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    • ​we ask that each child, whether sick or well, only be accompanied by ONE ADULT (see below). Please avoid bringing siblings to minimize exposure risk.
       

    • ​​The CDC advises that all people over 60, and adults with chronic health conditions, to self-isolate. We thus ask that people over 60  avoid the office (like other public places) unless there is absolutely no alternative.  We also ask that any adult who has untreated symptoms (fever, cough, difficulty breathing) and has traveled to high-risk areas avoid our office and seek treatment. 
       

    • sick (possibly infectious) patients.  If a room is not available right away, the patient and parent/caregiver will be asked to wait in their cars until we can bring them directly to an exam room.  If a  patient presents with upper respiratory illness, we can administer a rapid influenza and strep diagnostic tests. As of March, COVID-19 tests are still limited to those with symptoms who have been in an affected area or in contact with someone who tested positive (Pima County Department of Health)
       

    • well patients:  we want patients who are scheduled for well-exams to keep their appointments so they don’t fall behind and are protected from other serious illnesses. As noted above, we have taken all precautions to ensure that patients being seen for well-exams and non-infectious issues (e.g. acne, ADHD med checks, etc) will be seen on a separate side of the office by a dedicated provider and staff who is not seeing sick patients.  

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