FAQs

Yes, we always welcome new patients to our practice! Please see the list of insurances that we accept under the "Office Info-Insurances" Menu Tab. If your child is new to the practice and needs a well visit, please note that we need all prior records sent to our office before making your appointment. This gives our providers adequate time to prepare prior to your appointment and that means less wait time. It also allows for us to give an appropriate amount of time for the appointment in case there are additional issues to discuss and make sure that the last well visit has been at least one year prior for insurance purposes. If the entire chart is unavailable in time, we ask that you please have your prior providers office fax, the vaccine records and last well summary to our office in the meantime. Thank you and welcome aboard!

Our office is open Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. After hour service is available 6pm to 730am weekdays and 24 hours on Satruday, Sunday and all major holidays. 

To make an appointment please call our office. To ensure the best use of time, for both our providers and patients, all of our office visits are by appointment only. We ask that you arrive at our office 10 - 15 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment time. This will allow you to complete any necessary paperwork and to update any demographic and insurance changes. If you must cancel an appointment, please notify us as soon as possible so we can offer that time to someone else.

Emergencies arise. We will advise you if there is going to be a delay in seeing you. If your schedule won't allow you to wait, we will be happy to reschedule your appointment. We do appreciate your patience and cooperation during our busy times and we will make every effort to keep your wait time to a minimum.

Please refer to our insurance page to review a list of accepted insurance providers.

You can access virtual on demand visits from Montana Pediatrics after hours using your desktop, laptop, or smartphone, but make sure your device has a camera and microphone.

These virtual visits are made possible through the technology partner, Refyne Connected Care. When you start a virtual visit, you’ll be redirected to their website. Before you can meet with one of the pediatric providers, you’ll need to create a free account with Refyne Connected Care. Don’t worry, no credit card is required.

Refill of medications and referrals will not be handled after hours.

IN THE EVENT OF A LIFE THREATENING EMERGENCY, CALL 911.

A PNP is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who specializes in caring for newborns, infants, toddlers, adolescents and young adults. PNPs focus on well-child care and the prevention or management of common pediatric acute illnesses and chronic conditions. PNPs earn their master's or doctorate degree and are board certified by an approved certification body.

PNPs also provide parents with support and advice with issues such as growth and development, safety and prevention, nutrition, and emotional wellness to foster a lifetime of good health.

Every effort is made to arrange your child's well care and follow up visits with the provider of your choice. When your child is ill, he or she may see any one of our providers.

Our routine health maintenance visit schedule follows the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for children.

Early Childhood (Birth to 2 Years): 

Newborn: Within the first 3 to 5 days after birth, RSV vaccine in season.

2 week: First check-up after birth, circumcision if desired.

2 Months: Monitoring of growth and development, first set of immunizations.

4 Months: Important for developmental milestones and immunizations.

6 Months: Immunizations, feeding, and sleep guidance.

9 Months: Monitoring development, checking for anemia and addressing any concerns.

12 Months: First birthday check-up, including immunizations and developmental assessment.

15 Months: Check-up for growth, development, and immunizations.

18 Months: Assess growth, development, and provide immunizations.

24 Months: Check-up for growth, development. 

Toddler and Preschool Years (2 to 5 Years): 

30 Months (2.5 Years): Growth, development, and health screening.

3 Years: Check-up for growth, development, and immunizations.

4 Years: Check-up for growth, development, vision screening and Kindergarten immunizations.

5 Years: Check-up for growth, development, and immunizations, as well as school readiness evaluation. 

School-Aged Children (6 to 18 Years):

Annual Check-ups: From age 6 through 18, it's recommended to have yearly checkups for growth, development, and immunizations.

Immunizations are a series of shots given to children at different ages to help ward off serious, and potentially fatal, childhood diseases. Making sure your child receives immunizations when scheduled is the best way to help protect your child from potentially fatal diseases. According to The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), vaccinations have reduced the number of infections from vaccine-preventable diseases by more than 90%. 

If you're apprehensive about vaccinations, please do not hesitate to contact our office.

To help protect your child from many serious infectious diseases, we follow the immunization schedule recommended by The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Please discuss your immunization questions and concerns with any of our providers.

For non-urgent referrals: when one of our providers refers you to a specialist, please schedule your appointment with the specialist, then call our office within five business days of your appointment. Your referral will be available within 72 hours. Most referrals are completed electronically and submitted directly to the specialist's office. Please check with our office staff to determine if your insurance plan processes referrals electronically.

For urgent referrals: when one of our providers determines that you need an urgent referral, your referral will be initiated immediately. Please remain in our office while your referral is processed, then proceed to your specialist.

You will receive a call quickly with any lab results that require urgent attention. Other abnormal lab results will be addressed promptly by the provider that ordered the labs or tests. Normal values are reviewed and addressed by the provider that ordered them.

Please call our office. Allow one business day for all routine prescription refills. For prescriptions that require prior authorization from your insurance company, please plan ahead to allow at least three to five days for refill approval. Prescription refills for controlled substances such as  ADHD medications are refilled Monday through Friday only.

Yes, we promote breastfeeding. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding babies for the first six to twelve months. Breastfeeding helps defend children against infections, prevents allergies, and protects against a number of chronic conditions. While experts believe that breast milk is the best nutritional choice for infants, breastfeeding may not be possible for all women.

Some women have specific medical considerations that impede breastfeeding; others choose to feed by formula because of discomfort, work schedule, or lifestyle choices. In these cases, an iron-fortified, milk-based infant formula is a good alternative. We will gladly discuss your diet and feeding concerns at your child's well care visit, or please call during office hours to speak with our experienced staff.

Yes, in fact we strongly encourage parents-to-be to visit our office for a prenatal appointment. This is a great way to get acquainted with our office and our providers. During this visit, we will answer any questions that you have about our practice or your new child. Visit our expectant parent's page for more information.

We recommend that your newborn be seen in our office 1-2 days after discharge from the hospital. Our staff understands the importance of this first visit and will make every effort to schedule this visit promptly.