Our ABC Pediatrics’ Family and our healthcare team would like to convey our most sincere appreciation for your support and response to our ever-evolving approach to dealing with the COVID19 pandemic. In order for our approach to be successful, we are striving to communicate with our patients on a regular, if not daily, schedule.  Our goal from the outset of the uncertainty created by COVID-19 has been and will continue to be maintaining your child’s healthcare while thoughtfully considering exposure to both our staff and our patients. Accordingly, effective Thursday, March 26th, our office hours are now 9 am to 3 pm, Monday through Friday.  This means that our previously scheduled WALK-IN CLINIC is no longer available from 7:45 am to 8:45 am.  HOWEVER, SAME DAY Sick and Urgent visits are NOW AVAILABLE ANYTIME during these new office hours. PLEASE call our office (910.892.1333) during the day or after hours for additional guidance as needed.  

ALL persons requesting entrance to our building are being screened by our clinical personnel utilizing COVID-19 CDC guidelines. Screeners take precautions to protect both themselves and our guests by wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Please prepare your little ones that we may look a little different from the last time that they came to our office, but the costume is for everyone’s protection. Patients who are cleared by the screening process will be directed into and through our office accordingly. THERE WILL BE NO PATIENTS IN OUR WAITING ROOMS.  

Patients that DO NOT clear the screening process WILL NOT be permitted inside our building.  Patients not passing screening will have our medical providers COME TO THEM and they will be seen INSIDE THEIR VEHICLE.   

WE are doing everything possible to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while obeying the guidelines of social distancing. However, we recognize the importance of maintaining ongoing and complete health care for our patients. ABC Pediatrics has developed a multifaceted approach to ensure patients receive UNINTERRUPTED well care, medication management, mental health care and allergy immunotherapy, while still maintaining service for our sick patients. Here is how we are providing these services:

• SICK CARE: Three health care provider teams are designated daily for SICK CARE. Sick patients are isolated to their vehicles and necessary care is provided inside their vehicles. There are very few limitations for providers to provide care to sick patients. All previously IN-OFFICE services are available to our patients being seen in their vehicle.  Lab testing, nebulizer treatments and medication administration remain available for vehicle visits. 
• NEWBORNS & WELL CARE: Three health care provider teams are designated daily for WELL CARE. Scheduled patients are brought into specifically designated and maintained areas of our office that are exclusively utilized for well patients. Enhanced cleaning and sanitizing measures are performed repeatedly after each patient visit to ensure the MAXIMUM protection for our patients. Segregated triage and lab collection processes are being employed that will also protect patients from extraneous exposure to other well patients.
• TELEPHONIC & VIRTUAL CALLS: At least one health care provider is designated daily for telephonic visits. Patients needing provider advice and/or medication management but prefer to limit exposure by not scheduling an in-office visit can maintain their child’s healthcare needs by receiving a telephonic or a virtual call from a health care provider.
• MENTAL HEALTH CARE: Even though schools have transitioned to on-line and virtual classes, your child may still be struggling with mental health issues, and you, as a parent, may now be faced with new and or unfamiliar issues.  Our mental health department remains fully staffed.  At present, our counselors are connecting to patients via a tele-health modality (visual and audio) when the patient’s internet service permits or via telephone (audio only) when internet services are not adequate to support the visual connection.   For questions or additional information, please call out Mental Health Department directly at a 910.892.1333, Ext 2277 and speak with Maria or Victoria.  
• ALLERGY DEPARTMENT:  We will continue to support our patients receiving IN-OFFICE allergy injections on your regularly scheduled visits.  For those patients who self-administer their allergy injections at home, please expect a call from one of our Allergy Specialists in the next few days for updated information.  

Your patience, support, and continued trust in what we do here at ABC PEDIATRICS are most sincerely appreciated.  Please follow us on FaceBook and visit our website for status changes, updates to our availability and to get the latest modifications to our workflow as we continually adjust and adapt our efforts to meet the needs of our patients. 

Sincerely, Dr. Vincent M. Chiodo- President