Other Services
Fairmount Pediatrics wishes to make your life, as a parent, as convenient as possible! Toward that end, we are happy to offer some related services: Blood draws; Pertussis (Whooping cough) vaccine for parents.
Blood Draws
One and two year olds need a screening hemoglobin and lead level. This can be done at the time of your visit, via fingerstick.
For other kinds of bloodwork, older children may schedule with the medical assistant, on her calendar. For young children and those who have found blood draws difficult in the past, an experienced phlebotomist comes to the office every other month (on the odd months) on the Saturday we are open. She has worked extensively with children, and is available, by appointment, to do these more difficult blood draws. Please go to the patient portal, and choose the phlebotomy calendar, and schedule one 15 minute time slot. We do not expect any waiting at these appoointments, so please do arrive on time.
Patients are also welcome to go to an area outpatient lab for bloodwork. Quest serves most insurances and has many convenient locations. The CHOP outpatient lab is also very good
Pertussis vaccines for parents
Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a common disease that causes prolonged cough. Babies catch it from the adults and teens in their households. You were probably vaccinated for this when you were young, but immunity wanes over time.
It's now recommended that all parents of babies and young children be re-vaccinated for pertussis.
If you had a tetanus shot in the past two years, you received a pertussis vaccine as part of that. If not, you are due!
Read more at this link: http://blog.historyofvaccines.org/2010/06/01/recommendations-on-pertussis-whooping-cough-vaccination-for-adolescents-and-adults/
Fairmount Pediatrics is pleased to offer the Pertussis Vaccine to parents, at the time of an appointment with your child, with advance notice. Please arrange this with our office, through email or phone call, at least 3 days before your visit.
Financial info regarding this vaccine :
If you have health insurance that allows you to see any doctor, we will bill your insurance for this, and charge you your co-pay. If you do not have a co-pay, there will be a $10 fee to cover administrative expenses.
If your insurance is an HMO, requiring you to see your primary care doctor for vaccines, we can charge you the cost of the vaccine ($50) and you can submit it to your insurance to see if they will reimburse you.
If you do not choose to receive this vaccine at our office, please consider seeing your own doctor to get the Tdap vaccine to keep the babies in our lives healthy!