You can reach us via email to share non-confidential information that has been requested by the pediatricians. This inbox is monitored once daily, and is NOT suitable for urgent messages or requests for appointments or prescriptions.
Referrals:
Once your primary care provider sends a referral to our office, it is triaged by one of our pediatricians. Triage means that patients are not waitlisted in the order they are referred, they are seen in the order required by their symptoms or diagnosis. We would love to see everyone the next day, but that is not possible!
Triage ensures that all patients are seen when medically required based on the reason for referral, and may offer a time period for your primary care provider’s management to take effect. The referring provider will receive a letter back to indicate your referral has been accepted.
The Waitlist:
Strathcona Pediatrics receives between 5 and 15 referrals per day. The wait between referral and seeing the pediatrician is varied. For certain concerns, we arrange for patients to be seen immediately via the Emergency Department or Hospital. For other concerns, there can be months, even 1 year of waiting.
It is critical that when waiting for an appointment with a Pediatrician, you continue to see your family doctor, NP or the walk in clinic doctor that referred you. They are asked to provide updates to the Pediatrician which can influence your wait time, ie if something is getting worse, we need to know! Similarly, once triaged, the pediatrician may request that the referring provider share some information, arrange certain tests, inquire about symptoms, start treatment, or track growth before the child can be seen in clinic.
Things that make your wait longer than it needs to be:
Appointment no-shows, last minute cancellations.
Inaccurate or out-dated contact information
If you move, make sure when you update your clinic, they also issue updates to ‘pending referrals’
Not returning information the pediatrician has requested (ie Teacher forms, previous assessment documents)
In-Person Consultations
In person consultations may take place at the office, at the hospital, or in a specialized multidisciplinary clinic. Please follow the link in your reminder text/email to ensure you and the doctor end up in the same location!
Plan to arrive 10 minutes before your appointment time to register and park. Remember your license plate number to register your parking pass. *Free parking is available at our office site.
Patients are weighed and measured at each visit.
A child or youth’s guardian should be present, at minimum, for the first appointment. Ongoing presence at appointments can be discussed with the pediatrician but in most circumstances, a guardian is expected to be present each visit.
Given the pandemic, we have very limited distractors and toys! We encourage parents to bring a favourite toy or activity. We do not provide wifi for screens. Medical equipment is not a toy. Please supervise your child at all times during their visit to our office.
Your child has been referred to a pediatric specialist for a specific reason. We will always provide a comprehensive assessment; however, we may not have enough time to address all issues outside the scope of the referred concern. Your primary practitioner will continue to provide excellent ongoing care for all other issues not addressed in our visit.
*We are not able to host siblings, friends or caregivers not critical to the child named in the appointment. Thank you in advance for arranging childcare of any siblings.
Telehealth Consultations
This type of appointment uses an internet-based secure audio and video connection. Prior to the appointment time, you will be sent a unique link to join your appointment. This may come from a ‘No-Reply’ email address- so be sure to check your junk folder!
If you have a scale and measuring tape at home, please weigh and measure your child before the appointment.
Measuring your Child Measuring your Infant
While we won’t be able to listen to the heart or check your child’s blood pressure, with your help, many aspects of the physical examination can be covered through a video-connection. Your child must be present! If they need to play nearby in a room off camera-that’s okay but at some point the doctor will need to have a look at them. If further in-person assessment is necessary, arrangements can be made to see patients in office.
During this type of consultation we request the same attention you would give to an in-person consultation. You can do this by connecting in a private, quiet room at home. Any report cards, assessments or forms should be faxed or e-mailed in advance of the appointment.
Appointment Timing:
First consultation: 1-2 hours
Follow up appointments : 30-60 minutes
Patients must attend appointments:
In-keeping with the guidelines of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC and our office policy your child/ adolescent must be present for ALL appointments, regardless of being virtual or in person. Appointments not attended by the patient, even if their parent or caregiver is present, will be rescheduled and charged a no show fee.
