I’m sure you have heard by now that it is cold and flu season. After two years in a “bubble” our kids are being exposed to a never ending sequence of the common cold, RSV, the flu, hand foot and mouth, and of course COVID. This had led to a lot of issues such as trouble getting an appointment with pediatrician, cough and cold medicine shortages, and even difficulty getting antibiotics from the pharmacy. You are not alone if your experience has been frustrating. As a mom and a pharmacist, I find myself at an advantage when it comes to navigating these issues and I am sharing my secrets to minimizing frustration.
Keep reading to learn how I navigate the trip to the pediatrician and pharmacy to make the process as smooth as possible.
Avoid Urgent Care and the Emergency Room (when possible)
You will have a much smoother experience if you are able to get in with your regular pediatrician. They know you. They know your child. They have a vested interest in making sure you have a pleasant experience because they will likely see you again. With that being said, if my kid is coming down with something at the beginning of the week, I like to go call and make an appointment for a few days out. I am mindful of the cancellation policy and if my child has a miraculous recovery and the situation sorts itself out, I cancel. It gets tricky when they get sick near the weekend when most pediatricians are closed. If this happens, I go ahead and make an appointment. I would rather go to the pediatrician and be told that its minor, than risk going into the weekend (or holiday) and having to seek urgent care. Now that my kids are older, I have a pretty good feel for what needs a trip to the pediatrician, but when in doubt, I book the appointment. Peace of mind is priceless.
Be Nice to the office staff
This should go without saying but you will definitely catch more flies with honey than you will with vinegar. Be nice, but don’t sacrifice assertive communication and don’t be afraid to speak up. One thing I will do is check in if I have been waiting 20 minutes past my appointment time. I usually approach the desk and say something to the effect of, “My appointment was 20 minutes ago. Is everything ok? Do I need to reschedule?” This sets the tone and usually gets the appointment either moving in the right direction, or opens the line of communication.
Did you know that most things can be done by members of the office staff such as calling in (authorized) prescriptions, school/work excuses, FMLA paperwork, school physicals, prior authorizations, etc?
The physicians are busy. Being friendly with the staff can go a long way towards expediting your requests and getting your needs met.
Be prepared
Have a list of your child’s symptoms including onset. Include any siblings or high risk relatives that may be close contacts. You only get 15 minutes with the physician. The more information that you are able to provide, the more confident the physician will be in the diagnosis. If your child is dignosed with an illness, ALWAYS ask about the risk of passing it on to siblings. We all know that germs tend to run through households but your physician will let you know who is most at risk. For example, when I brought my newborn home from the hospital, my oldest was diagnosed with Strep. I was panicking because I was terrified that my infant was going to get sick. The pediatrician was able to talk to me about how Strep is spread and give me the reassurance that in ALL of her years of practice, she had never diagnosed community Strep in an infant under 6 months. The thought is that the tonsils are too small and there is too much saliva for the bacteria to effectively grow. If the siblings are at risk, I ALWAYS ask what I should do if they start showing symptoms. Asking this question ahead of time will let you know if the physician will want you to make an appointment, or if they feel comfortable prescribing medications without them being seen.
Secure the Prescription
If your child needs a prescription, I always WAIT for the prescription to be sent in or ask to have it printed out so that I can have it in hand. These days everything is electronic. A lot of times the physician will put in the order for the prescription and either the computer system or a member of the staff will need to send it in. If the office is busy, or there is a system glitch, this step can easily go wrong. I can’t tell you how many times parents call or show up at the pharmacy expecting a prescription to be ready, and it’s not even there. Avoid this frustration by waiting for confirmation that the prescription was not only sent, but also received by the pharmacy or offering to take the prescription by hand.
Know before you go
Did you know that the pharmacy doesn’t get paid a single dime until you pick up the prescription? Most pharmacies have automated systems to let you know when a medication is ready to be picked up. If you don’t pick it up after a few days, you will start to get those pesky automated calls. If you haven’t gotten confirmation that a prescription is ready for pick up: CALL THE PHARMACY. This is a huge red flag and likely indicates that there is a problem with the prescription. Maybe it wasn’t recieved. Maybe it’s not covered by insurance. Maybe it’s not in stock. Whatever the case may be, showing up at the pharmacy without knowing that your prescription is ready is a recipe for frustration.
Knowledge is your superpower
Having sick kids is unfortunately a part of life. The more you know about navigating this process, the more confident you will be when advocating for your kids. Using these tips can save you time, frustration, and hopefully get your little one on the road to recovery sooner. If you thought this information was helpful, share this with other moms. If you have any other tips, I’d love to hear them!
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