Author: Lake Forest Pediatric Associates

Post Date: 1586145600
Status: live

The safety of our patients, their parents and our staff is our primary concern at Lake Forest Pediatric Associates. In this new era, we have undertaken numerous measures to continue to provide safe and effective care to your children.

All of our staff have their temperatures taken twice daily per current CDC and IDPH guidelines and we are enforcing a strict “do not come to work sick” policy. We are employing universal masking for every staff member and enforcing social distancing.

We have discontinued walk-in sick call hours and now only see sick children in the late afternoon by appointment. We have implemented telemedicine visits to provide virtual care when possible.

We are currently seeing healthy children for checkups (primarily at ages that require vaccines) and appropriate medical follow up visits all morning and the first half of the afternoon. For the protection of other patients and staff, before your appointment, you will receive a screening phone call to make sure all members of the family are currently healthy.

We request that only one adult accompany the child into the office. We will ask you and, when possible, your child to wear masks and will provide them if necessary. We will minimize waiting room times and may ask you to wait in your vehicle until an exam room is available. At the front desk, you will notice tape markings on the floor to ensure a safe distance between you and our staff members. At the conclusion of every visit, we thoroughly clean the exam rooms.

Our COVID health and safety team constantly reviews and updates our policies based on the most current recommendations from the CDC and IDPH. Our goal is to continue to provide you with the best care and service during this challenging time. Thank you for your continued support.

Post Date: 1585540800
Status: live

Lake Forest Pediatrics is pleased to announce that we will now be offering telemedicine visits!

We can provide telemedicine services for your child for issues such as rash, conjunctivitis (pinkeye), allergies, styes, ear pain, vomiting/diarrhea, lacerations (to figure out if your child needs stitches!), or if your child has a cough and you’d like us to assess his/her breathing or have questions.

When contacting our office, our staff will ask you some follow-up questions in order to determine if a telemedicine visit is an appropriate option for your child.

If your child is scheduled with a specific provider, you will be sent an email with the website to go to at the time of your child’s appointment. If your appointment is during our telehealth “sick call” in the afternoon, you will be called by the provider with their website when they are ready to see your child. Please use a computer or device (such as a smartphone) with a good internet connection and webcam, and use an up to date version of Chrome or Firefox. Here is a video that demonstrates how to check in to your provider’s virtual waiting room: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJf9N9sjDLI#action=share. If you run into issues connecting, restart your computer/device or check out http://help.doxy.me.

In consenting to a telemedicine visit, you agree to:

•Login when instructed by your provider with your child nearby. We can better assess your child if you are in a well-lit area. If possible, please have a flashlight on hand (you can also use the one on your phone).

•Check and record your child’s temperature and weight prior to the appointment. If your child has respiratory symptoms and you have access to a pulse oximeter, please also check this vital sign.

•You understand that a telemedicine cannot fully replace an in-office visit. You understand and accept the limitations associated with a telemedicine visit.

•You consent to treatment via the telemedicine platform.

•Please note that if the visit goes toward patient responsibility (deductible/coinsurance), our regular financial policies will apply regarding payments.

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to call the office.

Post Date: 1584936000
Status: live

As many of you may know, Dr. Michael Bauer has been working part-time in an administrative role with Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital.

Starting on March 23, 2020, Dr. Bauer will be taking a leave of absence from Lake Forest Pediatrics. On that date, he will begin working full-time at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital to help combat the challenging COVID-19 pandemic.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call our office at 847-295-1220.

Post Date: 1584849600
Status: live

Nebulizers have been shown to aerosolize respiratory droplets and COVID-19, so it is recommended to use a metered dose inhaler with a spacer instead. This method is safe and effective to use in all ages, even infants.

If you only have a nebulizer at home and need an inhaler and spacer for your child, please call the office at 847-295-1220.

If your child is being seen in the office for respiratory symptoms and has a history of asthma or wheezing, please bring your child’s inhaler and spacer to the appointment.

Post Date: 1584676800
Status: live

Doctor visits ARE allowed by Illinois’ Shelter-in-Place Order. Just as the Order allows for visits to the grocery store, pharmacy, gas station, and other essential services, you are allowed to visit your doctor’s office. Our offices are open to serve you and will continue to be open.

Please view our recent blog article Modified Office Schedule and Processes for current office hours and processes. 

In addition, we are working to expand services to telehealth visits for several types of appointments in the coming days. Please continue to check our website and social media profiles for news.

Post Date: 1584417600
Status: live

It is after careful thought and deliberation that we must temporarily cancel our morning walk-in visits. This was an incredibly difficult decision to reach after having successfully provided this service for over 40 years. We do so, however, to protect the health and well-being of your families and our staff.

We have been able to meet your needs with our Sunday/Holiday pre-booked sick appointments and will use this format to continue to treat ill children during the COVID-19 crisis. In follow-up to our previous notice, please find our modified schedule, for all our offices, below:

• 7:45am: Phones go on
• 8am-10:30am: Sick visits BY APPOINTMENT ONLY – NO WALK INS
• 11am – noon: Follow-up visits (non-respiratory sick visits such as ear rechecks, rashes, concussions), well visits, and ADHD visits.
• Noon – 1:30pm: Closed for lunch
• 1:30pm – 3:45pm: Well-child and checkup visits. All patients coming to these visits must be free from fever, runny nose, and coughing. Anyone arriving with those symptoms will be asked to reschedule their appointment.
• 4:15pm – 5pm: Sick visits BY APPOINTMENT ONLY – NO WALK INS

We greatly appreciate your trust and support as we adjust to the ever-changing demands this outbreak has caused on health care delivery.

Post Date: 1585540800
Status: live

The health, safety, and well-being of our patients and staff are our highest priority. With the growing concern about Coronavirus (COVID-19), we are taking necessary steps to help prevent the spread to our office.

To better protect your health and in response to the rapid and frequently changing information about COVID-19, we need to modify several of our long and established office schedules. We greatly appreciate your trust and support as we adjust to the ever-changing demands this outbreak has caused on health care delivery.

UPDATE: Starting Monday (4/13) and lasting through the end of April, we will be temporarily closing our Vernon Hills office.

Sunday hours remain unchanged: appointments only, NO WALK INS. Lake Bluff only.

Monday through Friday in Lake Bluff and Lindenhurst and Saturday morning in Lake Bluff and Lindenhurst:

• 7:45am: Phones go on Monday-Saturday, 8:00am: Phones go on Sunday
• 9:00am – Noon: Well-child visits and checkups in addition to follow-up visits (non-respiratory sick visits such as ear rechecks, rashes, concussions), and ADHD visits
• Noon – 1:30pm: Closed for lunch
• 1:30pm – 3:45pm: Well-child and checkup visits
• 4:15pm – 5:00pm: Sick visits BY APPOINTMENT ONLY – NO WALK INS 

Since January, we have implemented a phone screening process for all appointments being scheduled. This policy has been modified several times over the last couple of months as the Coronavirus has spread internationally. Our Support Staff and Patient Educators have been diligently using phone triage protocols to identify possible risks and having those parents speak with our physicians for further instruction as indicated.

We are not testing for COVID-19 but are directing people to Urgent Care Facilities and the Health Department for testing. Please call our office if you are concerned about having COVID-19 symptoms and have had contact with a person who has also been potentially exposed or has COVID-19.

Please limit the number of family members coming with you to all appointments. We ask that only one parent/guardian accompany your child if possible. When feasible, please refrain from bringing siblings to the visit.

We discourage individuals considered older adults and those who may have health problems or may be immunocompromised from coming to the office for their safety.

To minimize the number of people in our waiting rooms, we may ask patients who check in at our front desk to give their mobile number and to go back and wait in their vehicles until we can place them into a room.

Please refer to our “Coronavirus and Helpful Resource” post for further information.

Post Date: 1587441600
Status: live

We’re proud to be caring for your family! Lake Forest Pediatric Associates is happy to announce that our Lindenhurst and Lake Bluff offices are now open for Well Visits for All Ages. Call 847-295-1220 for an appointment.

AAP Recommends Well Child Visits

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents continue to bring their children for well child visits and to continue to follow their child’s vaccination schedule. Read more about it here: Pediatricians Want Parents to Keep Children’s Vaccination Appointments amid Coronavirus. 

Call for an Appointment

Please call 847-295-1220 to make an appointment for well child visits and vaccines at all offices.

Continued Safety

Caring for our patients, their parents, and our staff and keeping them safe continues to be our primary concern. During this stay-at-home time, it’s important to visit your provider for your child’s preventative care. We offer separate times dedicated solely to well visits and we’re taking extra precautions to keep our patients and staff safe.

-We continue to separate well visit and sick visit times for the day. Well visit appointment slots account for the vast majority of the day (morning through early afternoon) with sick visit times in the late afternoon (and not coinciding with well visits).

-Our front desk and nurse educators continue to apply screening questions for appointments.

-We continue to adhere to universal PPE protocols, having our staff in masks and using gloves, face shields, and gowns where necessary, and issuing masks to patients who need them.

-We continue to advocate that patients wait in their car until called back for their appointment. In addition, we limit the number of people in the waiting room and we adhere to social distancing recommendations.

Read our blog article here: Lake Forest Pediatrics Providing Safe & Effective Care.

Insurance Changes

If your health insurance coverage may be changing, it’s a good idea to utilize your family’s current insurance plan for your child’s covered visits. Schedule your child’s checkups and vaccinations by calling 847-295-1220.

Post Date: 1589342400
Status: live

We’re excited to announce a significant upgrade to our Patient Portal!

In addition to the key features you’ve come to expect, the new portal will offer additional benefits. The new portal will enable enhanced engagement opportunities between families and Lake Forest Pediatric Associates. In addition, all features will be accessible from any digital device, including your desktop computer, laptop, or mobile device (tablet or smartphone).

The portal upgrade begins May 19th and the portal will not be available to patients for one week.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Login to the portal NOW to verify that we have your correct email address.

2. Save and Print any messages you’d like to keep. The messages will not be available on the new portal.

3. If desired, download any health information you’ll need to have on hand during the portal upgrade process. The portal will not be available for one week. After the upgrade, your health information will be available again.

4. When the new portal is up (approximately May 26th), please contact our office to request access to our new portal. We then will verify the information necessary for us to send an invite to the parent/parents granting you access to our new portal. Once we do that, you will receive an email from us with instructions on registering for our new portal. We apologize for this inconvenience.

Questions? We’re happy to help! Please call our office: 847-295-1220.

Post Date: 1592798400
Status: archived

Happy Independence Day! All of us at Lake Forest Pediatric Associates wish you and your family a safe, fun and festive Fourth of July!

We are here to serve your family and we offer limited office hours on the holiday weekend. Our Vernon Hills Office will be closed both Friday, July 3rd and Saturday, July 4th. Please make a note of our special holiday office hours:

Friday, July 3rd

Lake Bluff Office – Open in AM only, no Walk-In Sick Call, Phones Open 8am – 12pm

Lindenhurst Office – Open in AM only, no Walk-In Sick Call, Phones Open 8am – 12pm

Vernon Hills Office – Closed

Saturday, July 4th

Lake Bluff Office – Open only for Urgent Care, Open in AM only, No Walk-In Sick Call, Phones Open 8am – 12pm

Lindenhurst Office – Closed

Vernon Hills Office – Closed

Note: No Walk-In Sick Call is available in any office until further notice.