Your Appointment at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center

Office hours are daily 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. We see patients and their families by appointment only. We hold weekly clinic hours on Tuesdays from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm. To scheduled an appointment, please call our office at 419.251.4300 or toll free at 888-KID-SURG. If you are unable to keep your appointment, we appreciate a 24 hour notice for rescheduling.

When you arrive, please check in with our receptionist. After checking in, the receptionist will be happy to assist you with our patient registration process. In order to expedite your registration, please remember to bring your child's social security number, insurance card, medical records, and current medications.

Occasionally, emergencies may arise that delay our office schedule and make waits unavoidable. Because we understand and appreciate the value of your time, please feel free to contact our office one hour before your appointment for an express schedule update.

Finally, as a service to you, we are pleased to offer complimentary parking to our patients. Please remember to bring your parking ticket to the office so that we may provide validation.

Your Primary Care Physician's Role

Most patients seen by us are referred by their Pediatrician, or Primary Care Physician. Often the clinical information we need comes from your child's primary care physician's expert judgment. Involvement of your child's primary care physician is important for coordination and follow up care. While your child is our patient, we provide written and telephone reports to your child's physician to keep him or her abreast of your child's condition.

If Surgery is Necessary

If your child requires surgery, we will make every attempt to complete all pre-operative arrangements before you leave our office. This will include a complete past medical history, including allergies and a physical examination.

Before you leave the office, we will also arrange for any pre-operative testing including blood tests and/or x-rays your child will need. Finally, we will discuss a convenient date and time for the surgery and will give you any pre-operative instructions you will need. We will also offer information about a pre-operative class and tour and answer any questions you may have.

Special Services

Our practice is pleased to offer a variety of special services to make your child comfortable and at ease while in our care. Pre-operative classes, tours, coloring books, and loaned videos are available upon request to assist your child as he or she prepares for surgery. These educational tools are designed to help you engage your child in pre-operative sharing and discussion.

Mercy Children's Hospital is proud to be one of few pediatric facilities in the region to offer the acclaimed "Parents Present for Induction" program. Pediatric patients may be eligible to have one parent present during the anesthesiology process. Please ask one of our surgeons or clinical staff members for more information.

Payment for Services

Our practice accepts the vast majority of insurance plans. Our staff is happy to answer any questions you may have regarding insurance or our billing process.

Please check with your insurance policy to determine if a primary care physician referral or pre-authorization is required for coverage. If so, please bring the authorization forms with you on the day of your appointment. If your insurer requires a second opinion or pre-admission approval, please let us know at the time of your visit. Any co-payments required by your insurance must be paid at your child's office visit. You will be responsible for payment for medical services not covered by your health insurance. If you anticipate any difficulties with payment, please speak with our office manager to make proper arrangements.

Emergencies

Our telephone is always answered. If you have an urgent problem after regular office hours, our answering service will contact the surgeon on call and give him your name, telephone number, and message. He will then call you directly.

If you have an emergency, either go to the nearest hospital's emergency room immediately or call an ambulance. The emergency room staff will care for your urgent medical needs and contact our surgeon on call.

If you have any further Questions or concerns please call us at 419.251.4300 or toll free at 1-888-KID-SURG.

This information is provided by the St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center/Mercy Children's Hospital, Section of Pediatric Surgery and is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition. For additional health information, please contact your health care provider or our offices.