Pediatricians - charging for after-hours calls

MrsWindyCity · January 2010

We had our first pediatrician consult yesterday and learned that particular offices charges for after hours calls/pages. I then looked into the second office we were planning on visiting and found they do the same. Just curious if this is the standard practice? I'm not sure of the cost for the second place but the first is $25/call, and I could see that adding up for first time, slightly neurotic parents like us.

(Oh and if you happen to be in the Chicago area and have a rec, please let me know! We don't have friends in the city who have kids yet. Thanks!)

MrsRebecca · January 2010

I think it is standard practice. I think the idea behind it is to make sure if you are calling after-hours it is due to an emergency type situation. I'm sure they get a lot of unnecessary after-hours calls.

Bianca42 · January 2010

They charge for after hours phone calls? Can you talk to your insurance company and see if it's something they would pay?

I've not had to pay for after-hours calls, but I'm in Western NY (and I didn't have to pay when I was in Central NY either.)

Anna&Matt · January 2010

Ours charges if the call doesn't result in needing to be seen. I thinkits common to try to deter calls that could wait until the next day. Ours isonly $10 though.

RadicalDreamer143 · January 2010

As per our Dr's website:

Pediatricians and parents both know that kids are predictably unpredictable! Illnesses often arise during the evening and emergencies can happen at any hour. The physicians of______ are committed to providing continuous care. Therefore, _______ is pleased to provide evening triage calls free of charge. You can call at any hour and speak to a pediatric nurse and, if needed, one of the physicians from _______ is available every night of the week. However, we do ask that you utilize this service for illnesses and emergencies and not for things that can wait for when the office opens the following morning.

lildevil968 · January 2010

That seems so weird to me because DD's pediatricians offer free after hours calls. I bet they do get some weird calls though!

mrshutch · January 2010

It's funny you mention this. I noticed women talking about this on the Chicago board. I had no idea that this was common practice, but it sounds like a number of places do it. We're up in Evanston so we use a local practice (there are a few great ones across from Evanston Hospital). I know ours doesn't charge for after-hours calls b/c there's always someone on call. I haven't heard of other practices charging either, but who knows. Sorry I don't have recs for the city, but GL in your search!

Dressage99 · January 2010

Really! Wow! I'm in Rockford, and my pedi always tells me I can call anytime I need them. I've never been charged. I would check with your insurance and see if its covered. But really, I've only had to call after hours a few times. So I guess its not that big of a deal.

lite-bright · January 2010

I think it depends on where you are. None of the pediatric practices I talked to charged for calls, so it is certainly not standard practice where I am.

StylishMom · January 2010

Lived in raleigh NC, and they had the same charges as OP spoke of. $25 after hours. My DD had state health care so the one and only time i called...i didnt pay it. (was covered)

But dont worry....dont need to set aside an extra $100...you'll figure it out!! lol

UrbanLe1 · January 2010

It is a VERY common practice, especially if it's not a really large group practice. Think about it--fielding after hours calls requires that someone (doc, nurse, or physician assistant) has a cell phone on them at all times. In larger practices, they can pay someone to be "on call" virtually on the nights they take the phone. But when the practice is smaller, you're dealing with the lives of these doctors and nurses.

Yes, you should ABSOLUTELY be able to reach your doc after hours. BUT...the docs should be able to retain some semblance of a normal life as well. I'm married to a physician. Perhaps that makes me more sensitive, because I know firsthand how horrible it is for that pager to go off at 3 am when it's a call that EASILY could have waited til 8 when the office opens. Paying a small fee to keep your doctors sane--and acting like real people, not medical robots--seems a small price to pay. Doctors who sleep (and get to spend time with their own families) are better doctors--it's proven.

jmrussell03 · January 2010

They have to have someone on call at all times. Every Dr office, no matter how small or large, is required to have someone to reach. And, for the offices that have single MD's, they usually have another practice cover on holidays and vacations, etc.

As far as charging for calls, I have never heard of this and I work in a hospital and I have called hundreds of Drs. Obviously, they don't charge me, but I think I would have heard of this somewhere. Although pp say they have heard of it.

IMO I would keep looking. As a first time parent sometimes you just need a reassuring "expert" to calm your fears. And, you don't ever want to avoid calling just because it is going to cost you. So, first start with your OB office and ask for recs. The receptionist, other patients in the waiting room, nurses, the OB. If no luck there, ask around the hospital. Nurses are ALWAYS the best to ask about what Dr to use. We know all their quirks.

I llive in south suburbs and could give you recs around here...not sure where you are at...

Shell24 · January 2010

Yep, ours charges $25. Our friends with kids go to the same practice we do, so I don't know how standard it is, but I would imagine it's to discourage frivolous calls after hours, which makes sense.

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