Your Child’s Visit

We want you to make the most of your visit with us.  By reviewing this section of the website, you will maximize the chance of that occurring.  Because we are specialists, your child will likely be seeing us after one or more previous evaluations have been made by your pediatrician or family doctor.  Such evaluations always generate doctor notes, lab reports, X-ray reports, pathology reports, etc.  Please understand that it is impossible for us to fully understand your child’s problem without reviewing these notes and reports.  Furthermore, X-ray reports may not always reflect the subtle findings of an X-ray.  For this reason, and to make the most of your visit, please have your physician make copies of all relevant information for you to hand carry to the appointment.  You may also ask your doctor’s office to fax this information, but confirm in advance that we have received it, as it may not be reliably transmitted.  Furthermore, please retrieve the actual X-rays performed on your child (usually in the form of a CD), as well as the local radiologist’s report of the findings.  The radiologist may mention something in the report not reflected on the actual films that were made during the study.

Never rely on someone else to send your child’s X-rays by mail because they might not be in our office when you arrive.  Also, do not accept the statement “these X-rays cannot be loaned out” when you request the films from the file room or film library at the facility in which they were created.  The films are your property.  If the facility does not want to release the original films, they can make a copy.  Many facilities now make digital X-rays.  Such X-rays can be “burned” onto a CD for your convenience.  Please make sure the CD has the software loaded onto the disc so that any standard desktop computer can view the images.  It helps to have the facility try it out on their computer to make sure it will work in our office.

Again, without your child’s pertinent records or the actual X-rays, your child’s visit will not be as productive as it otherwise would be.  Furthermore, it might cause you to have to wait while we try to track down the information we need to treat you child, or we might have to repeat the X-ray.

Finally, please review the section on what to bring to your visit when planning your visit.

Please respect the office and its contents while you are visiting us.

Please check your shoes for mud before entering the medical office building.

We ask that you do not eat and drink while you are in our office, though baby bottles are permitted.

Please turn cell phones to vibrate while you are in our office.

Our aquaria bring much joy to us and our patients.  They are a source of wonder and relaxation.  Fish are stressed very easily.  Please do not allow your child to beat on the glass.

We have a baby changing table in one of our bathrooms.  If your child has a poopy diaper, please ask one of our staff members for a plastic bag if none is available in the bathroom.  Do not simply throw the un-bagged poopy diapers into our trash cans.

We do not over-schedule our clinic, but we are sometimes very busy, especially if multiple patients show up simultaneously, or if we have a string of very complicated patients.  Neither of those circumstances can be predicted.   We understand that the waiting room can get a little cramped, or that you may have to wait.  Walk-in emergencies can set us back an hour on any given day.  Please be patient.

Medical Information:

Please carefully review “Before Your Visit” in this section of the website before reviewing the following information about what to bring to your visit.  Please bring all papers, doctor’s notes, hospital reports (i.e. history and physical, operation report, discharge summary), laboratory reports, pathology reports, X-rays, and X-ray reports relevant to your child’s problem.  For example, we do not need reports about recent ear infections if your child is being seen for a kidney infection.  If your child has spent any time in a hospital, a lot of useful information will have been documented in your child’s medical record at that facility.  We cannot directly request that information.  You must pick the information up in person or request that the information be sent directly to you.  Until your child has an appointment, do not send your child’s medical records to us, as we will not yet have a chart created for that information.  Just bring the information with you to your first visit.

Insurance Information:

Please review the Insurance Information section of the website prior to your visit.  You will need to bring your child’s social security number and insurance card to every visit, even if we have seen you before.  If your insurance is provided by your employer, please bring the employer’s name, address, and phone number, as well as the name, address, date of birth, and social security number of the insured parent or guardian.  Also, please have working knowledge of your required co-pay, co-insurance, and deductible, as well as whether or not your yearly deductible has been met.  Your co-pay is expected at the time of service, and we accept cash, check, and credit cards.  If you do not have health insurance of any kind, you will be expected to make some payment at the time of service, depending on the services provided.  Please call ahead so that you will know what to expect.  Please read the information about insurance elsewhere in this website.

Doctor and Pharmacy Information:

Please bring with you the name, address, phone number, and fax number of your primary care physician, the doctor who referred you to us (if different), any specialist to whom we may also need to send reports.  We also need to address and phone number of your pharmacy. 

Things For Your Child:

Although we have a number of books, magazines, and toys, feel free to bring whatever you feel your child might need while waiting to be seen.  Don’t forget baby bottles and diapers, which we do not have.  Eating and drinking (other than baby bottles) is not permitted in the office.

The Legal Guardian:

We cannot see a child who is not accompanied by a legal guardian.  A physical examination or a surgical procedure can never be performed on a minor without proper consent from a legal guardian.  If a child comes to our office without his or her legal guardian, a written statement by the legal guardian authorizing care must be provided by the adult accompanying the child.  Foster parents are required to bring all necessary forms required by the State of Kentucky.  Foster parents are not legally authorized to give consent for surgery.

Other Family Members:

Because we have limited space in our office, we prefer that your extended family not accompany you and your child to the visit unless you feel it is absolutely necessary.  If you have several children who may distract you during your visit and your discussions with us, we strongly suggest that you get a babysitter for your other children. 

A medical office is ultimately a business, just like any other, and we expect to be paid for our services so that we can continue to provide those services.  An arrangement for payment, whether made by the patient or via health insurance, must be made at the time of service.  Please review the Insurance Information section of this website for further information about paying for your visit.  If your child does not have health insurance, please contact us to review your options.

If you have commercial health insurance, and after your claim has been processed, you may have a residual balance on your account.  You will receive a bill from our billing agent, Abacus Medical billing.  Please contact them at 859/278-9242 if you have questions about your statement or how to pay your bill.  We appreciate prompt payment.  If you are unable to pay your balance in full, please contact the office to set up a payment plan. 

We hope you came away from your visit with a better insight into the nature of your child’s problem and a treatment plan that you understand and which makes sense to you.  If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact us as directed on our home page.

If you encountered any problems with the entire process of your visit, i.e. from the moment your appointment was scheduled to the time of check out in the office, please let Dr. Schaeffer know, preferably in writing.  The practice of medicine is ultimately a service, and we are always interested in doing a better job.  On the other hand, the world of medicine is also an emotional world, so seeking help for your child is not like seeking help for your ailing car.  We recognize that fact, and we do the best that we can.  We treat patients ranging in age from fetuses to the elderly, but primarily less than 18 years of age.  We try to treat everyone equally, irrespective of station in life.  Sick children always take precedence over children whose problems can be treated electively.