Answering Service

• We have a 24 hour answering service to take all after hour calls. This includes nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Emergency calls (as requested by parent) will be answered promptly.
• Calls that can wait will be answered within one hour.

Telephone Calls

• We appreciate that parent's concerns or questions do not always arise during office hours.
• Please call when possible during office hours for routine questions.
• We ask that all prescription refills wait until regular office hours.
• If you would like to speak with Dr. Winner about a concern that is not an emergency (sleep problems, discipline issues, etc.), she will call you back at a mutually convenient time.

We welcome your questions and are here to help you in your important task of raising a happy healthy child.

We welcome telephone calls during regular office hours concerning health related matters. If you feel the situation is urgent, please make that clear to the receptionist. Please provide specific, detailed information to facilitate the best assessment of the situation. Remember, without the benefit of examining your child, it is not possible to make a diagnosis over the telephone. PLEASE LET THE RECEPTIONIST KNOW RIGHT AWAY IF YOUR CALL IS AN EMERGENCY.

Scheduling Well Appointments

• All visits are by appointment. Routine well exams can be made by calling during office hours.
• Newborns are first seen 1-2 days after discharge from the hospital.
• The next check-up is at 4 weeks of age.
• Check-ups are then at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, and 18 months of age.
• After two years of age, well exams are recommended yearly.
• We see patients up to the age of 18 years.

Scheduling Sick Appointments

• Time is set aside each day for sick or injured children.
• Please call as early in the day as possible so we can schedule a convenient time.

Well Child Visits
Well visits designed to assist your child's health, growth and development, prevent disease and accidents, and give anticipatory guidance, are scheduled in advance with our physicians. Bringing your child in for regular well child checkups is an important part of his health care. These visits allow your doctor to evaluate your child’s health, growth, and development. This also gives you the opportunity to address various issues that may be of concern to you. Many parents will bring a list with them to the checkup.

Our practice follows the guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics for routine well child immunizations and screening tests. Below is a list of the well child visit schedule. All of our physicians feel very strongly about the importance of vaccinating your child against preventable diseases. If you have any concerns about vaccinations, please speak with your doctor.

• One to two days after hospital discharge for newborns, 1 month, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 15 months, 18 months. Subsequently, every 6 months until age two, then annually thereafter.
• If newborns are discharged early or have special problems, appointments are scheduled as needed.

Sick Calls
Appointments for sick calls can be made early each morning. Our reception staff starts answering the phone at 8:30 a.m. To schedule an appointment, call: 502-339-0444.

If you have a question that requires medical advice or if you need some help to make a decision about bringing a sick child to the office, the receptionist will have you speak with a nurse. The nurse may advise you, help you set up an appointment or consult with a pediatrician. Be sure to give the receptionist or nurse enough information to enable her to recognize a serious problem and give it priority attention when necessary.

We schedule visits for sick children early in the day, at midday, in the late afternoon and as needed in emergencies. We will schedule you with your primary physician whenever possible. Illnesses in children often occur suddenly and need prompt attention. If your primary physician is busy with scheduled patients, an available physician will see your child.

After Hours
On weekdays after 4:30 p.m. until 8:30 a.m. the next morning and from 11:30 a.m. on Saturday until 8:30 a.m. the following Monday are considered "After Hours". During this time, patient calls are answered by our Answering Service. The operators at the Answering Service will relay messages to the physician who is on call. If you know early in the day that your child is sick and may need to be seen by a pediatrician, please call before 4:30 p.m. (or before 11:30 a.m. Saturday).

If you have an urgent problem that requires the attention of a pediatrician after hours, please call 339-0444. The pediatrician on call will respond as soon as possible. For medical emergencies please call 911. Please call after hours for urgent problems only, so our physicians can also enjoy time with their families.

Immunizations and Screenings

After 5 years of age, check-ups are recommended at least every other year. If playing competitive sports or for any chronic conditions such as asthma or ADHD, yearly exams are recommended.

Please let us know if you would like a copy of this information. Recommended vaccinations may change over the course of time. Our staff reviews your child's immunization history at each check up to assure that he/she is up-to-date.