Policies

Our Commitment to Patient Care and Service

Appointment Policies | Administrative Policies | Financial & Insurance Policies

At Southtowns Pediatrics, we strive to provide exceptional care and service to all our patients and their families. Our policies are designed to ensure smooth and efficient operations while maintaining the highest pediatric healthcare standards.

Scheduling Appointments

Office Visits by Appointment

  • Our office hours are by appointment only. Schedule your visit between 9:00 am and 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday.
  • For non-urgent appointments, use our Patient Portal to request a slot, and our staff will call you to finalize the details.
  • Walk-in hours are available for sick patients at our Derby location on Saturdays at 9 am.

After-Hours Emergencies

  • In life-threatening situations, dial 911 immediately.
  • Our on-call clinician is available after hours for urgent matters. Call the location's main line and follow the instructions on the answering machine for assistance. Your call will be returned within 5 to 30 minutes. Please call again if you haven't heard back within 30 minutes.

Nurse Line

  • Utilize our nurse line for FAQs, prescription refills, and lab results. Leave your child's details and your query for a callback by the day's end.

Administrative Policies

Daycare and School Forms

  • We complete health forms for daycare, school, camps, and sports. Ensure a recent well-child check-up and inform us about the form to be filled.

Prescription Refills

  • Request refills via our patient portal or ask your pharmacy to send us an electronic request. Allow us 2-4 business days to process.

ADHD Medication Monitoring

  • Children on ADHD medication need check-ups every three months or monthly if there are any changes in medication.

Specialist Referrals

  • Follow the steps outlined for specialist referrals, including insurance verification and obtaining approval from your PCP.

Voice/Video Recordings:

  • It is the policy of John Mulawka DO PC that voice/video recordings are not allowed unless advance written permission from the Office Manager, Alissa Lewandowski, prior to the taking, publication or dissemination of any photograph, film, videotape or voice recording of John Mulawka DOPC buildings, facilities, property, student, faculty or employee for personal, professional or commercial use.

Financial & Insurance Policies

Appointment No-Shows

  • Missing an appointment without 24-hour notice may lead to discharge from our practice after repeated occurrences.

Physical Examination Compliance

  • To remain an active patient, adherence to annual physicals and AAP's Well Child Check-Up Schedule is required.

Payments and Co-Payments

  • Due at the time of service. We accept various payment methods and expect co-payments and past-due balances to be settled promptly.

Insurance Coverage

  • Patients are responsible for understanding their insurance coverage and network providers. We bill out-of-network insurers as a courtesy, but unpaid balances after 60 days become the patient's responsibility.

Custodial Parent Responsibilities

  • The custodial parent is responsible for payment, regardless of divorce agreements. Our office does not involve itself in the division of financial responsibilities between parents.

Need Further Assistance?

  • Our billing department is ready to assist with any questions or to arrange payment plans. Contact us at (716) 639-0155 for support.