Author: Lake Forest Pediatric Associates

Post Date: 1602129600
Status: live

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.

Post Date: 1598500800
Status: archived

UPDATE: All phone and email systems are now fully functional. Thanks again for your patience! Feel free to access the portal and contact us by phone or email with any needs.

Please note that our systems are down temporarily. We will notify you when our phone and email systems are functional again.

If you need to make a future appointment or to access the portal, please try again tomorrow.

For urgent matters, please send a private message to us on Facebook and a team member will call you. Please include your phone number, child’s name and date of birth in your message.

Thank you for your patience.

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: 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: 1586232000
Status: live

Lake Forest Pediatric Associates is proud to announce our NEW Virtual Prenatal Visits for expectant parents!

Are you expecting a baby and wondering about your child’s care? We’re here for you! In addition to offering Virtual Telemedicine appointments for many childhood health issues, we now offer Virtual Prenatal Visits.

Join us for a Virtual Visit! Learn about our pediatricians, nurse practitioners, services, and parent education. This is the perfect virtual opportunity to meet our staff, tour our offices, and ask important questions before your baby arrives.

Please call 847-295-1220, Ext. 5380 to schedule your visit. You may also schedule your visit by email at info@lakeforestpediatrics.com – please be sure to include your phone number so we can call you. Our staff will work with our providers to coordinate a convenient date and time to meet you. Looking forward to seeing you soon!

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: 1595390400
Status: live

– The AAP has put out guidance stating the importance of having children attend school in-person whenever possible, and we agree with that statement. Being physically present at school is important to a child’s academic development, but is also key for their social-emotional development and mental health. While we must be cautious about spreading COVID in the community, there is a real risk to children missing out on in-person school as well.

– We expect that CDC guidelines will be used by schools to mitigate the risk of COVID transmission among students, and it is reassuring that data continue to show that children are at very low risk of serious disease from COVID, especially in elementary school age and younger. There is also some evidence that children are less likely to transmit disease to others. Here is a link to the American Academy of Pediatrics positions on the topic:
https://healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/COVID-19/Pages/Return-to-School-During-COVID-19.aspx

– Face masks are a key part of the guidelines for safe return to school, and we do not have any safety concerns for their use in children all day for school attendance, even if your child has a condition such as asthma. Children <2 yrs=”” of=”” age=”” or=”” who=”” are=”” neurologically=”” compromised=”” may=”” have=”” difficulty=”” wearing=”” removing=”” masks=”” without=”” assistance=”” so=”” their=”” use=”” in=”” these=”” groups=”” is=”” not=”” recommended=”” p=””>

– There are some conditions which may put your child, or a close family member, at risk for severe disease from COVID. If your child or a close relative with frequent contact has one of these conditions, this may be a reason to choose virtual learning and we suggest you discuss this with the specialist guiding their care. If you do not have a specialist or would also like to speak with one of our providers, we are available by phone as well. These conditions may include:
– Diabetes
– Chronic/complex kidney disease
– Complex heart disease (excluding innocent heart murmurs)
– Complex neurologic conditions
– Chronic lung disease (COPD, pulmonary malformations, moderate to severe asthma; generally mild asthma is NOT included)
– Obesity
– History of organ transplant
– Compromised immune system from other underlying condition or medication

– It is important to remember that while schools will try to take every precaution possible to reduce transmission of COVID, returning to in-person school will not be risk-free, and you have to decide what is best for your family and your child in terms of in-person vs. virtual learning for the fall.

-Confirm that your child’s immunizations are up to date. As always, we encourage everyone to get the influenza vaccine this year, but it is especially critical this year for those returning to school or participating in activities outside the home.

-Recommendations may change based on prevalence of the virus in the area. It is also important to be flexible and have a back-up plan in place should your school need to transition to remote learning.

-The following are some safety factors schools are putting in place. You can check with your school to see if any of the following are in the plans for reopening:
-Physical distancing
-Frequent hand hygiene
-Cloth face coverings (in school and on buses)
-Utilize outside space when possible
-Lunch in room or small groups outside
-Temperature checks (home and/or school). Fever is considered temperature of 100.4 F or greater
-Sanitizing classrooms and high touch surfaces
-Minimize use of high touch surfaces (such as keeping classroom doors open)

-Keep your child home if s/he or any family member has any illness symptoms.

Post Date: 1598328000
Status: archived

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

We are here to serve you, with regular office hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

On Monday, September 7th, our Lake Bluff office will be open from 8:00 am – 12:00 pm for urgent care only. NO walk-in sick call will be available. The Vernon Hills and Lindenhurst offices will be closed on Labor Day.