Our pediatric nurses are available through the day to answer questions and help you work out whether your child needs to be seen, can be managed at home, or needs a specialist. Most things we can handle in the office — so call and let us point you the right way.
Calling the office
We try to answer calls live. When volumes are high you may be asked to leave a message; those are checked hourly, often more, and a nurse will call you back as soon as they can.
For routine questions — potty training, feeding, nutrition — you may be directed to the non-urgent nurses’ line. Those messages are checked periodically through the day, and you can expect a call back within 12 to 24 hours.
Prescription refills
Refills can be requested any time through MyChart, or by calling the office and asking to be put through to the pharmacy line.
Whichever way you ask, include:
- Patient’s name and date of birth
- Who is requesting the refill
- Medication name and dosage
- Pharmacy name and address
- A number to reach you on if there’s a query
Refills are processed during regular office hours, Monday to Friday, and can take up to 24 hours. Plan a little ahead rather than calling on the last tablet.
If a specialist prescribed the medication, ask the specialist rather than us — they know the drug and its interactions best. Bear in mind specialists don’t always have cover when they’re away, so those requests can take several days.
Some medications need more frequent review, and you may be asked to book an appointment before a renewal.
Behavioral health prescriptions
Stimulants for ADHD and SSRIs for depression or anxiety carry stricter rules, because of the potential for misuse and the side effects that need watching. For these we require:
- Regular appointments to monitor how things are going
- Refills approved by the prescribing provider only, requested with at least three days’ notice
- Monthly requests — we don’t issue extended supplies of stimulant medication
Setting a reminder on your phone, or signing up for refill alerts at your pharmacy, saves a lot of last-minute calls. We can’t refill medication prescribed by providers outside the practice, and we reserve the right to stop prescribing if the conditions above aren’t met.
Travel visits
Travelling abroad with children takes planning. Tell the nurses at least a month before you go, so there’s time to check what immunizations or medications are needed using CDC guidance.
We’ll need:
- Departure and return dates, and total length of stay
- Which country
- Which cities, and whether they’re urban or rural
Once the travel work-up is done, the office will call to book an appointment to go through it and give any vaccines or medication needed.
Health forms
Forms are published to MyChart within 24 hours of your child’s physical, so you can print or save them whenever you need a copy.
Through the summer we get a heavy volume of college and camp forms, and turnaround can stretch to seven to ten days. You can speed this up considerably by filling in everything you can — name, date of birth, and so on — before handing the form to the nurses.
Reaching us
Woburn (781) 933-6236 · North Andover (978) 557-5712