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Practice Overview
Revised July 2007

WELCOME

We are honored that you have chosen us for the care of your children. Our practice was founded in 1948 by Philip Briscoe, MD. Nearly 60 years later, it has grown to seventeen physicians and nurse practitioners in three locations in Annapolis, Waugh Chapel and Arnold. In addition, our fourth office on Kent Island scheduled to open in early 2008.

MISSION AND PHILOSOPHY
For nearly 60 years, Annapolis Pediatrics has provided superior healthcare to the infants, children, adolescents, and young adults in Annapolis and surrounding communities. In some cases we have cared for three generations of families.

We have an exceptional medical staff. This includes our pediatricians, all of whom are certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. In addition, our pediatric nurse practitioners are all certified by their own specialty board.
Also, we have highly qualified and experienced employees in nursing, front desk/reception, and patient billing.

We strive to provide high quality medical care, which we define as excellent clinical care combined with a positive customer service experience for our patients and their parents. We will do our best to make your medical visits with us as pleasant and as efficient as possible.

OFFICE HOURS
At Annapolis Pediatrics, we believe that convenience and choice are essential to our philosophy. We currently operate three offices for your convenience, with a fourth scheduled to open on Kent Island in early 2008. Most of our providers rotate through the offices, so you may choose the office that is the most convenient for your family.

Our Annapolis Office is our main site where we offer the most extensive hours for appointments. It is also where our pharmacy and centralized billing staff are located. The Annapolis Office has a large sick child waiting area with many activities for children of all ages, as well as a separate well-child waiting area. In addition, our Waugh Chapel and Arnold offices offer a small-practice feel for those who prefer this environment.

ANNAPOLIS OFFICE
200 Forbes Street, #200, Annapolis, MD 21401 (410) 263-6363
Walk-in Hours (No appointment necessary): Monday – Friday 7:30 am – 8:30 am
Summer Hours (Mid-May – Mid-Oct.) Winter Hours (Mid-Oct.– Mid-May)
Mon. – Thurs.: 8 am – 7 pm Mon. – Thurs.: 8 am – 8:30 pm
Friday: 8 am – 5 pm Friday: 8 am – 5 pm
Saturday: 8 am – 1 pm Saturday: 8 am – 1 pm
Sunday: 9 am – 12 noon Sunday: 9 am – 12 noon

WAUGH CHAPEL OFFICE
2401 Brander Mill Blvd., #240 Gambrills, MD 21054 (410) 721-0037
Summer Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 am – 5 pm
Winter Hours: Monday 9 am – 7 pm, Tuesday – Friday 9 am – 5 pm

ARNOLD OFFICE
1517 Ritchie Highway, #205 Arnold, MD 21012 (410) 757-2200
Year Round: Monday – Friday, 9 am – 5 pm

TELEPHONE AND COMMUNICATIONS
Our staff answers the phones in our offices during regular hours (In Annapolis Mon-Sat from 8 am and 9 am on Sunday, and Mon-Fri from 8:30 am in Arnold and Waugh Chapel). In Annapolis we have dedicated triage nurses who answer medical questions and offer advice over the phone. In some cases, the nurse confers with the doctor and nurse practitioner as required before returning
the call.

After hours, our on-call doctor or nurse practitioner will help you in a medical emergency. When you call the office number, you will get our on-call pager and your call will be promptly returned.

APPOINTMENTS
Walk-in patients (no appointment needed) are seen Monday through Friday, 7:30 am to 8:30 am in the Annapolis office only. We have reserved this time for our ill children with simple conditions who require a very brief visit.

All other patients are seen by appointment. Sick children are usually seen the same day. We advise you to call as early in the day as possible if your child is ill.
Physical exams are scheduled in advance. Most of our doctors and nurse practitioners rotate through all three offices, so you can see your preferred provider at the location nearest you. It is the parent’s responsibility to keep office appointments for his or her child. We understand that there are occasional circumstances that might keep you from the appointment. When this
happens, we request 24 hours advance notice for physical exams and two hours for sick visits. It is our policy to charge $25 for an office visit that is missed without advance notice. We also reserve the right to dismiss a patient from the practice who misses more than two appointments without notice.
If a patient arrives twenty minutes or later past the scheduled appointment time, we reserve the right to reschedule the appointment, based on the overall volume of patients for that day.

NEW PATIENTS
Annapolis Pediatrics believes that finding the right fit with your selected pediatrician is critical to a long-term, successful relationship. Parents of newborns who are considering joining Annapolis Pediatrics are welcome to schedule a prenatal visit with the provider of their choice at no charge.

You can also receive information at our web site, www.annapolispediatrics.com.
New patients should arrive 15 minutes prior to your appointment to complete registration forms or bring completed copies of the forms that can be printed from our website. Be sure to bring your insurance card and office co-pay, if applicable. For co-pays and deductibles, we accept cash, personal check, and most major credit cards.

HEALTH INSURANCE/MANAGED CARE PLANS
We participate with the majority of managed care plans in the Washington D.C./Baltimore metro area. If you have any questions, please call our billing department at (410)263-6363, prompt #7.

RULES

• Your insurance plan requires that you present your current insurance card at the time of service.
  
• Although we will assist you, it is ultimately your responsibility to be aware of the extent of your coverage, limitations and exclusions before the time of service. This includes well child care and immunizations. If services received are not covered by your plan, it is ultimately your financial responsibility to provide payment for these services.
  
• If you have a co-pay or deductible, your plan’s contract with both our practice and you as the patient requires us to collect this at the time of service.
  
• Most managed care plans limit our ability to perform lab tests on site. If your child needs a lab test, we will give you the necessary documents and instructions to have this test done at an outside lab. The results will be sent to us and we will notify you.
  
• With the exception of a medical emergency, referrals will be prepared within three business days of a request. Referrals have expiration dates, so be sure that your appointment with the specialist is within your referral’s expiration period.
  
• Referrals may be picked up in our office or mailed. We are not permitted to issue retroactive referrals. Please call our billing department if you have any questions.

PRESCRIPTIONS AND REFILLS
Refills for all non-emergency medications require 48 hours notification. Refills will not be given after regular office hours. Your child may be required to see the doctor or nurse practitioner before a refill is issued. Refills can be ordered anytime at (410) 280-2089 or on our web site.

We also have a medication dispensing service on-site in our Annapolis Office that has many common prescription medications. Prescriptions can also be faxed to the pharmacy of your choice.

FORMS AND MEDICAL RECORDS
There is a $5 per form fee for completion of school and camp forms. There is a medical record copy fee of $15 per child per chart. This does not apply to copies made for our referrals to specialists. Please allow seven business days to complete all forms from the time of request.

FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
We will file our charges with your insurance carrier if we contract with the plan. In order to file, we need a current copy of the child’s insurance card. If you do not have evidence of current insurance with one of our doctors as primary care provider, or if your child is not covered under any insurance, you will be required to pay in full for services at the time of your visit.

QUESTIONS
If you have any questions about the office, please do not hesitate to call us at any of our offices or visit our website.

The practice administrator can be reached at 410-263-6363, ext 128.

We look forward to serving you.
Thank you for choosing Annapolis Pediatrics!

Sincerely,
Dwight N. Fortier, MD
Samuel M. Libber, MD
Stanley R. Weimer, MD
Katherine S.K. Edwards, MD
James W. Rice, MD
Margaret C. Turner, MD
Charles L. Parmele, MD
Sefanit Fassil, MD
Jennifer Corder, MD
Dana Kim, MD
John McGrath, MD
Anita Weissburg, CPNP
Gwyn Reece, CPNP
Cathy Baldino, CPNP
Roseanne Thompson, CPNP
Linda Murray, CPNP
Gina Friel, CPNP

revised July 2007

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