Frequently Asked Questions

Our medical providers are available 24 hours a day. Call the office at (610) 325-1400 or (610) 692-2605 and follow the prompts to reach the answering service. Please be aware that after-hours calls are intended for urgent medical issues that cannot wait until the next business day. Referral and appointment requests will not be addressed via the answering service. Calls are typically returned within 15 to 20 minutes. Please call back if you have not received a timely response.

IN THE EVENT OF A LIFE THREATENING EMERGENCY, CALL 911.

We recommend that your newborn be seen in our office within two to three days after discharge from the hospital. Our staff understands the importance of this first visit and will make every effort to schedule this visit promptly.

Please bring or send copies of any previous medical records or tests, including immunization records, growth charts, and available hospital discharge records. Our business office will also need your personal contact information, your insurance card, and your employer information. You can save time in the office by completing the forms needed for your first visit prior to your arrival. Please visit FORMS on our website to download the required forms.

There is a policy in place regarding the renewal of medication via phone. Please see this FAQ regarding the process to renew existing medications. We feel STRONGLY that the best care is rendered in person. Therefore, under no circumstances will a new medication be prescribed in the absence of an office visit. A thorough history and physical examination will enable your physician to assess and formulate a differential diagnosis. He/she will than be able to put a care plan in place.

There is typically no fee associated with the completion of one health care/related form at the time of a scheduled well visit (i.e. Day Care Form-School Physical/Clearance Form-Drivers Permit Form-Etc).

Any form submitted after the time of a scheduled well visit will be subject to a $7.00 charge, as clinicians are expected to review the chart-update all relevant data, and transcribe/complete the form accordingly.

Yes, we welcome new patients.

Generally, patients establish a "home office" where routine visits are scheduled. Of course, if you are being followed by a particular physician who sees patients at both offices, you are welcome to schedule an appointment at either office. During evening office hours, acutely ill children may be seen at whichever office is open that evening. Our Broomall office is usually open Tuesday and Thursday evenings; our West Chester office is usually open Monday and Wednesday evenings; but as hours are subject to change, please call to confirm evening hours.

Advocare participates with most major insurance plans. As participation varies by region, specialty, and physician, we recommend that you contact either our office or your insurance company representative to verify that your insurance plan is accepted.

For information on how to obtain insurance coverage for you and/or your family, please visit www.healthcare.gov.

Yes, we promote breastfeeding. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding babies for the first six months. Breastfeeding helps defend children against infections, prevents allergies, and protects against a number of chronic conditions. While experts believe that breast milk is the best nutritional choice for infants, breastfeeding may not be possible for all women. Some women have specific medical considerations that impede breastfeeding; others choose to feed by formula because of discomfort, work schedule, or lifestyle choices. In these cases, infant formula is a good alternative. We will gladly discuss your diet and feeding concerns at your well care visit, or please call during office hours to speak with our experienced nursing staff.

We are pleased that our practice can offer individual sessions to breastfeeding families and will help support any decisions that a family makes about infant feeding. We have rooms in both offices set up for new families. Each room has a comfortable rocking chair and information to help with any issues that may come up in the breastfeeding experience.

Please call our office and follow the prompts for our prescription refill line. Allow one business day for all routine prescription refills. For prescriptions that require prior authorization from your insurance company, please plan ahead to allow at least three to five days for refill approval. Prescription refills for controlled substances such as pain medications are refilled Monday through Friday only.

Call (610) 325-1400 to schedule appointments at our Broomall office.

Call (610) 692-2605 to schedule appointments at our West Chester office.

Call (610) 265-9290 to schedule appointment at our King of Prussia office. 

Our routine health maintenance visit schedule follows the American Academy of Pediatrics guideline for children. A checkup or well-care visit is an opportunity for you to ask questions and for the physician to perform a physical exam. In the first two years, well-care visits are frequent. Infants are generally seen within two to three days of hospital discharge, but will be seen the same day when there is a problem. We see infants again at ages two to four weeks; two, four, six, nine, 12, 15, 18, 24, and 30 months; three years; and then annually until age 24. You may also schedule an appointment any time your child is ill.

Expectant parent group meetings are offered monthly at both the Broomall and West Chester offices. These free, informal group sessions with one of our providers include a discussion of newborn issues, an introduction to the practice, and time to ask questions. If you are experiencing a high risk pregnancy, an individual consultation may be scheduled upon request. Please call our office for specific dates and times.

Every effort is made to arrange your child's well care and follow up visits with the physician of your choice. We advise you to choose one or two of our providers with whom you feel comfortable and schedule your appointments with these individuals whenever possible. When your child is ill, he or she may see any one of our physicians, but you may request a specific provider when you call to make your child's sick appointment.

Our physicians play an important role in facilitating the proper care for your child. In most cases, we will need to see your child in the office before making a referral.

For non-urgent referrals: When one of our doctors refers you to a specialist, please schedule your appointment with the specialist, then call our office within five business days of your appointment. Leave a message on the referral/billing phone line with all the pertinent information. Your referral will be available within 48 hours. Most referrals are completed electronically and submitted directly to the specialist's office. Please check with our office staff to determine if your insurance plan processes referrals electronically.

For urgent referrals: When one of our doctors determines that you need an urgent referral, your referral will be initiated immediately. Please remain in our office while your referral is processed, then proceed to your specialist.

Our offices are open Monday through Friday in all 3 locations, and Saturday mornings by appointment in the Broomall and West Chester locations. We have Sunday morning "sick" appointments available in the Broomall location. Please note that our offices close daily from 12:00 PM -1:00 PM for lunch.

When our offices are closed, one of our physicians is always available by phone for urgent situations. Please call our main number and follow the instructions to reach our answering service.

To help protect your child from many serious infectious diseases, we follow the immunization schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Please discuss your immunization questions and concerns with any of our pediatricians. Our providers strongly encourage our patients to receive all vaccines as recommended by the AAP and CDC.

Please note that due to COVID19, walk in hours have been suspended in all offices. Please contact us for a same day sick appointment. 

Walk-in is a time we provide on Monday through Friday from 7:45 AM to 8:30 AM when existing patients may be seen without an appointment for an uncomplicated illness or injury such as a rash, sore throat, earache, or other acute problem. This time is not for chronic, persistent problems such as constipation, recurrent bellyaches, etc.

As all children are different, we advise following several appropriate steps to advance your child's diet based on age and development. Please discuss these steps with our providers at your well care visit. Most babies start solid foods at four to six months of age.

You will receive a call quickly with any lab results that require urgent attention. Laboratory and x-ray results are returned to the ordering physician or nurse practitioner. Note that some results take longer than others. Our nurses or physicians will advise you of any abnormal test results after they have been reviewed. If you have not heard from us within a reasonable length of time, please do not hesitate to call our triage nurse. Never assume labs are normal unless you speak to one of our medical staff members.

Our physicians are affiliated with two of the region's finest hospitals: The Chester County Hospital, located in West Chester; and Bryn Mawr Hospital, located in Bryn Mawr. Both hospitals have fully staffed pediatric units. In certain situations requiring advanced or specialized care, children may be referred to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia or A.I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware. While we do not have admission privileges at these hospitals, we communicate with the physicians there to ensure follow-up after hospital discharge. Wherever your child is hospitalized, we will work with you to facilitate the best available care.

When seeking medical advice, you may speak to our phone triage nurse during regular office hours. Our experienced nursing staff can answer most of your questions, but if you need further information, one of our providers will return your call at the earliest opportunity. If your child is having a serious problem after office hours, please call our answering service to reach the doctor on call.

Please note that routine well visits generally do not require a co pay, but sometimes, due to the nature of other issues addressed that are not part of the well visit, your insurance may dictate that a co pay may apply to your well visit. Visits are coded according to the time spent with a patient and the specific issues addressed during that visit. Should your visit include something that is not routinely in the well visit you may be assessed an additional co pay by your insurance company. If you have any questions on this, please check with your insurance company on your coverage.