Policies

Everyone's Time is Equally Valuable.

We ask that you arrive 5 minutes before your scheduled appointment time. We understand sometimes things happen beyond your control that may cause you to be late. However, we reserve the right to ask you to reschedule if you arrive late for your appointment.

Our practice makes every effort to run on time with appointments, as we believe everyone’s time is equally valuable.

Shelby Pediatric Associates provides multiple courtesy reminders ahead of a scheduled appointment.  Appointment arrivals past the scheduled time may result in the need to be rescheduled.  We do not guarantee a “grace period” and cannot honor all late appointments.  All appointments must be canceled 24 hours prior to the scheduled appointment time or are subjected to a cancellation fee of $25.00 per child.  No show/no call is defined as no notice with 1 hour of the scheduled appointment which is subject to a $25.00 fee.  A detailed notice of our no show policy is available.

For new patients, a fee may be charged if the FIRST appointment is missed.

We support the vaccination of all children and young adults.  Vaccines have saved more lives in the past century than any other medical intervention.  Our vaccine recommendations are based on the schedule published by the Centers for Disease Control and the American Academy of Pediatrics.  The recommended vaccines and their schedule are the result of many years of scientific study and data gathering from the billions of children who have been immunized.  

Immunization is vital to preventing disease among the general population.  Vaccines benefit both the persons who receive them and the vulnerable, unvaccinated people around them, because the infection can no longer spread. 

It is precisely because vaccines are so effective at preventing illness that we are even discussing whether they should be given.  Because of vaccines, many of you have never seen a child with polio, tetanus, whooping cough, bacterial meningitis or even chickenpox.  Unfortunately, the physicians in our office have seen children suffer and/or die from these preventable illnesses.  Such success can make us complacent or even lazy about vaccinating.  But failing to vaccinate, if it becomes widespread, can lead to tragic results. 

It is recommended to receive vaccines at ages 2, 4, 6, 12, 15 and 18 months.  It is the expectation that your child is fully immunized before his or her second birthday.  We can deviate from the schedule of recommended vaccines but deviating from the recommended schedule, your child is receiving fewer vaccines over more visits, and it is not beneficial and leaves your child unnecessarily vulnerable.  At your request to have an alternate schedule, we will require you to start vaccines within 6 months of age and it will be the expectation that your child is fully immunized by the age of 6.  For older children, we require you to begin immunizations within 6 months of the last physical. 

If you should absolutely refuse to vaccinate your child despite all our efforts, we will ask you to find another healthcare provider who shares your views.  Please recognize that by not vaccinating you are putting your child and other children unnecessarily at risk for life-threatening illness, disability and even death.  

As medical professionals, we feel very strongly that vaccinating children with currently available vaccines is absolutely the right thing to do for all children and young adults.  Our conviction is best demonstrated by the fact that our own children are fully vaccinated. 

Thank you for your time in reading this policy.  Feel free to discuss any questions or concerns with any provider at our office. 

Best Regards, 

Shelby Pediatric Associates 

We work hard to not overuse antibiotics.

We educate families on appropriate use of antibiotics, but follow evidence-based guidelines and don’t automatically treat ear pain or a green snotty nose with antibiotics.

Shelby Pediatric Associates will not prescribe any medications without seeing the patient.  Our policy for controlled substances are as follows:

1. After the initiation of treatment, a follow up visit is required within 30 days and then every 3 months thereafter.
2. An appointment is required if you need a change in the medication or medication dose. You will be asked to return for an appointment within 30 days.  There are no exceptions to this rule.
3. While prescribed controlled substances, your provider may order a drug screening at any time. If any substances other than the prescribed substance is present or the prescribed substance is not present, the controlled substance will be discontinued at that time and no further management will be provided.

No refill of controlled substance medication prescribed can be made if these follow up visits are not kept.

Please understand that to obtain a refill, you must call the office three days before the refill expires to request a refill and same day refills are not to be expected.

If you need a form completed for your child’s daycare, school, sports, allergies, or any other reason, please allow 5 business days for the forms to be ready for pick up. If you bring a form to your appointment, we will do our best to complete the form at the visit. If forms are provided for any other children at the visit, there is no guarantee that it can be completed at the time of this visit. 

As permitted by law, Shelby Pediatric Associates reserves the right to amend or modify our practice policies.  The privacy of your protected health information will be maintained by adhering to all HIPAA guidelines.  All patients regardless of race, color, sex, gender identification will be respected and provided appropriate care.  Shelby Pediatric Associates carries a ZERO TOLERANCE policy for any verbal abuse to/from our patients, staff & providers.  Any abuse of relationships will be an automatic dismissal. If you would like a copy of the full policy, please contact our office manager.

The full financial policy of Shelby Pediatric Associates effective January 1, 2023 is available in the office.  All Statements and balances are available on the patient portal link.  To make a payment please visit the portal or call the office.

A Brief summary of the financial policy is provided below:

Shelby Pediatric Associates will bill the insurance company listed for all patient visits on the patient’s behalf.  Ultimately, the patient/parent/guarantor are responsible for any and all balances that the patient’s insurance is not contractually obligated to pay.  All patients should know their own insurance policy and what the policy may or may not cover including routine labs & screening coverage.  It is not the office’s responsibility to supply coverage and benefit information to the patient. 

Co-Pays & Account Balances:

All copays are due before being seen for any patient appointment.  We accept all forms of payment including cash, check and credit card.  We do expect that if there is an outstanding account balance that the guarantor will voluntarily pay all balances due from the past services as well as current copays before the next service is rendered.

Account Statements & Balances:

If left unpaid, balances will be addressed at every appointment to be collected in full.  Account statements detailing account balances will be generated and mailed home to the address listed on the account.  After three generated statements and no payment has been mad

Most HMO policies require an insurance referral to be seen by a specialist provider.  It is the patient’s responsibility to contact Shelby Pediatric Associates and provide the necessary information to process a referral request.  Please ensure an adequate time frame is given to complete the request.  Same day requests may not be able to be completed.

Efficiency through the use of technology

Shelby Pediatric Associates has implemented a digital check in system making intake and registration faster and easier for patients and providers.  Patients can conveniently and securely start the check in process from their mobile phone and the patient portal.

Please complete your child’s check in prior to the appointment.  Thank you for your cooperation!

Shelby Pediatric Associates cannot and will not become involved in any legal issues such as divorce, separation or custody issues unless requested through appropriate legality.  Shelby Pediatric Associates kindly requests that any medical decision making including but not limited to vaccines, medication, etc. be agreed upon prior to the appointment.

Payments (including copays, deductibles, balances) are due at the time of the service of the appointment regardless of which parent is responsible for coverage.  All payments due to be collected will be asked to be collected. Shelby Pediatric Associates is not responsible for enforcing any legal financial agreements between the parents.

The following policies are the stance of Shelby Pediatric Associates:

1. Neither of the patient’s parents will not be limited to accessing their child’s medical information or appointment scheduling unless court ordered with a proof of order in the medical record.
2. Shelby Pediatric Associates will not call the opposite parent to inform of appointment scheduling, cancellation or requests.  In addition, we will not call the parent who was not present at the appointment to discuss the events of the appointment.  An after care summary report is provided on the patient portal for review.  New and all updated legal documentation pertinent to medical decision making of the patient must be provided to Shelby Pediatric Associates in an appropriate and timely manner to keep in the medical record.
3. Shelby Pediatric Associates will not tolerate abusive appointment cancellation and rescheduling patterns between parents.
4. Verbal abuse to staff members will not be tolerated.

*If any issues arise that become disruptive to our practice or impact the care of the patient, Shelby Pediatric Associates reserve the right to discharge the entire family from treatment from the practice.  No acceptions or accommodations will be made.

Patients 18 years and older will be transitioned to adult/family medicine practice to further provide age appropriate medical care.  In some instances patients 18 and older can remain with Shelby Pediatric Associates under the agreement that an up to date yearly physical be completed on file with our practice.  If that agreement cannot be withheld they will no longer be able to be seen for sick or annual appointments and will be dismissed to adult medicine.

Shelby Pediatric Associates staff will administer allergy shots to patients who have completed all the required documentation.  Allergy injections are by appointment only.   

The patient is responsible for providing the allergy serum.  If a patient is just starting allergy injections or has initiated a new allergist, they must receive the first two injections at their allergist’s office. 

Allergy serum must be accompanied by explicit directions for administration: last instructions, date of last injections, and a list of allergens in each bottle. 

Each vial is to be labeled with the patient's name and expiration date. 

The above criteria must be met prior to administration of allergy serum by our health services medical staff. 

Injections are administered by medical personnel.  Disposable syringes and needles are provided. 

You must report any current illness or prescription or non-prescription medications you are taking to medical personnel before receiving an injection. 

All reactions must be reported to medical personnel before you receive your next injection.  Local reactions consist of swelling and itching at the injection site.  Please measure and record the size of the swelling not the area of redness, and the length of time the swelling lasts. 

After the injection, the patient must wait and least 20-30 minutes.  If your allergist’s instructions call for a longer wait, then you must follow those instructions.  The injection site must be checked.  Inform the medical personnel immediately if you have any itching, hives, coughing, sneezing, tightness in the chest or throat, wheezing or difficulty breathing.  If you have any of these symptoms after your departure, call 911. 

If you are late for your shot and your allergist’s written instructions do not apply to the situation, it is your responsibility to call your allergist’s office and ask them to fax us instructions. 

If you discontinue the treatment or fail to appear for ninety days, your vial will be discarded. 

Shelby Pediatric Associates prohibits storage of expired medications.  Therefore, unclaimed allergy serum will be destroyed on the last day of the month during which they expire. 

Shelby Pediatric Associates may provide storage for your allergy serum.  Reasonable care is taken to ensure their safety.  Refrigeration temperatures are monitored daily and if the temperature is out of range, it is addressed promptly and vaccines are moved to a different storage location, however, power outages or other malfunctions may cause temperatures to reach levels which may cause damage to the vaccine 

Please be advised that Shelby Pediatric Associates will not assume financial responsibility for damage caused by such unforeseeable occurrences.  In the event of probable damage to your serum, you will be notified to obtain serum from your providing physician.