Video Visits

**In an effort to assist patients who may be unable to come to our office, we are now offering Video Visits for Sick. As some problems are not able to be adequately evaluated with a video visit, please call our office to see if your concern qualifies. Please note that most insurances are currently waiving the patients' co-payments associated with Video Visits.

Please watch this video in order to prepare for your video visit (the UCSF Zoom video visit is fully encrypted and safe and secure way to conduct a medical visit and it is different that the regular consumer Zoom video):

Tri-Valley Pedatrics has launched TELEMEDICINE FOR BOTH SICK AND (MANY) WELL VISITS!

You may call our office now to schedule your virtual visit. Once scheduled, a nurse will call you just prior to your appointment to make sure you are able to log in to Zoom and place you in our virtual waiting room.  If your child has a well visit scheduled that is appropriate for telemedicine, we will call you to schedule it virtually.  Please note that as we make this transition to virtual medicine, phone calls, MyChart messages, and telemedicine video visits may be subject to copays/deductibles (Currently many insurances are waiving some of the copays related to Video Visits but his could change in the future).

Please trust that we are making every effort to limit your need to come to the office, as we strongly support social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, telemedicine has some limitations. As we are committed to providing your child and family with excellent care, we may ask that your child come in for a physical exam in person as clinically indicated.

Should your child require an in person visit, we have taken several measures to protect you and your family. These are:

1. Masking ALL patients and caregivers upon entry into the building for both well and sick visits
2. Operating a dual office flow
   1. San Ramon — well visits and non-respiratory sick visits (such as injuries, allergies , and UTI) only. All persons coming upstairs will have their temperature checked and they will be screened for respiratory symptoms.
   2. Car Visits (Pleasanton Office-afternoons)--visits for ANY respiratory symptoms. Any child with respiratory concerns is being screened by a provider via phone prior to being allowed to make an appointment to determine if an in-person visit is required. If a visit is needed, p atients with any respiratory symptoms (cough, runny nose, congestion, shortness of breath) will be given a car visit.  For car visits, patients will check in by calling the office.  Please prepare your child that a doctor will come out wearing full PPE equipment.
   3. Pleasanton afternoon Clinic—other sick vists . All patients and caregivers are being masked as they enter the office.  We are rooming patients right away or asking them to wait in their car until a room is available.   Please note that while continuity is valued deeply at Berkeley Pediatrics, your child may be asked to see a different provider for sick visits during this time to preserve these protective measures.
3. Limiting Caregivers to one per patient. Please, no additional caregivers or siblings at visits if at all possible. We are happy to conference call in other caregivers that would like to participate in the discussion during your child’s visit.
4. Vigilantly cleaning rooms and surfaces in between patients. Our office is deep cleaned nightly. We also always recommend washing your hands and/or using hand sanitizer after leaving our office
5. Removed all books and toys from rooms and waiting area
6. Shots are being given in exam rooms to allow social distancing in the office.
7. Staff are wearing appropriate PPE and being screened daily for symptoms, including temperature monitoring

For well visits done virtually, we may ask that your child come in for a brief physical exam later this summer. If concerns arise during your child’s virtual visit, we may recommend an in-person visit sooner as clinically indicated.   We may also ask that you return for certain screenings, such as routine vision and hearing, prior to your next routine check up.

As an independent practice, we need your support.  Despite an overall increase in emergency room and critical care needs nationally, we, along with other pediatric practices, have seen a dramatic reduction in patient volume. Scheduling telemedicine visits will help us support our staff and you during this challenging time.

We are excited about telemedicine and hope that your family feels comfortable using it. We miss you all too and look forward to connecting with you virtually!

Warmly,

Tri-Valley Pediatrics