For new patients

Prior to your child’s appointment at Valle Verde Pediatrics, you will receive a notification from MyChart with check-in instructions. You will also have to log into the patient portal to complete pre check-in registration before you arrive. This registration form includes demographic and insurance information, an age-appropriate questionnaire, and more.

Valle Verde Pediatrics confirms all scheduled appointments the day before, so you can expect to hear from us in advance. We will also reach out if there are any insurance issues.

Welcome! When you arrive at Valle Verde Pediatrics, our front desk staff will ask for any information updates, collect forms and co-pays, and scan your driver’s license and insurance card into our computer system. We will verify your contact information at every visit so we can always reach you, especially if your phone number or email address changes.

During this time, our providers are seeing other patients and preparing your child’s exam room. Because we have multiple providers working at the same time, you may not get called back to the exam room in the order you arrived or were checked in. If someone gets called in ahead of you, they are probably seeing a different provider who has a different schedule. Don’t worry, it will be your child’s turn soon!

At Valle Verde Pediatrics, we always try to be as quick and efficient as possible. However, we must give every patient ample time to provide the best possible care. We can never predict when issues or emergencies will arise, but we will be sure to notify you if your provider is running behind. You can always ask our front desk staff for an update as well.

First, we will take your child’s vital signs (including their height, weight, temperature, and blood pressure) and ask some essential questions about their medical history. This information gives us an immediate preview of what’s going on with your child before the provider arrives, especially if your child is sick. If you completed the pre-visit questionnaire prior to your appointment, we should have all the medical history information we need. However, your provider may ask similar questions during your child’s exam as they evaluate their symptoms.

Our well-trained team knows to look for “red flags” when they are taking your child’s vital signs and reviewing their medical history. If there are any concerning issues — such as a child who came in with mild cold symptoms but is now wheezing and breathing rapidly — we will get an available provider to the exam room right away. Emergency situations like these are often the reason behind extended wait times, but the health and safety of our patients is our top priority.

It’s time! Once your provider reviews your child’s medical history and asks about your specific concerns, the exam begins. Whether your child is here for a sick or well visit, they may still need additional testing, treatment, and/or immunizations. If so, we will prepare and perform these services to complete your child’s appointment.

After your child’s exam and treatment are complete, it’s time to go to the front office and check out. You can pick up any prescriptions or referrals that were printed for you and schedule your next appointment here. If you have a balance due, you will also make your payment at this time. 

After you head home, we still have more work to do! First, your provider completes an “office encounter” online, which adds all notes and documentation to your child’s medical chart. Once this information is entered, you should be able to see a visit summary in your patient portal (usually by the end of the day, although it can take up to 2-3 days to appear).

Unless you are self-paying, the next step is to review our office notes and submit a bill to your insurance company. After this bill is submitted, we follow the charges and update your account when payment is received. We typically will not know until then if there are certain parts of your bill that your insurance plan did not cover. If you have a remaining balance, we will send a bill to your home.

There’s an important group of people you may not encounter in our office but speak to frequently on the phone — the Valle Verde Pediatrics clinical advice team. These pediatric experts are available to address any questions or concerns you have about your child’s health. When necessary, they will consult with a provider directly to give you the best possible care advice.

All members of our clinical advice team have medical training and can schedule telehealth visits via MyChart or refer you to the ER if necessary. Anything we discuss will be added to your child’s electronic medical record and reviewed by a provider for follow-up care.

Our phone lines are open 24/7, so you can get care even when the office is closed. Call (858) 487-8333, select option 5, and our clinical advice team will be ready to assist you.