Frequently Asked Questions

A: My goal is to be more accessible than your triage line, more personal, and not lead to more charges. When you call to ask a question at a typical doctor’s office, you leave a message, wait for a nurse to call you back, then wait for the nurse to talk to the doctor. Or you may not have a chance to talk to the doctor at all, and are just told that you need to make an appointment. With Your Pediatrician Friend, you will always be communicating with me–not a triage nurse, a covering physician or AI. By taking out the middleman, we can have more efficient and effective communication. You can text me questions and photos, get my impressions, and even get treatment for some issues, all in one interaction. No more playing phone tag or waiting for the doctor to call you back.

A: Your Pediatrician Friend has a limited membership, to avoid lack of access or lack of a personal feel. In my private clinical practice, I had over 2,000 patients. By having just a fraction of that patient load in this new model, patient communication can be more manageable.  Also, I know that you are all reasonable people, and will respect my time. As a one woman show, it would not be sustainable for me to answer questions throughout the day and night. I expect that people will be thoughtful about the timing of their texts, understanding that I have a family and other obligations.

A: Generally you could expect a response within 2 hours between the hours of 7am and 8 pm. There will be extenuating circumstances when I am unreachable, because that is life! But, I would let you know if that were to happen.

A: For simple cases of pinkeye, swimmer’s ear, eczema, ringworm and impetigo, I could prescribe medication, if needed, after a text exchange. It is possible, however, that upon my questioning I discover something that I think needs to be evaluated in a clinic setting. In those instances, I would refer you back to your regular doctor.

A: I have not received any investor funding, so am unable to offer bargain basement prices. Further, you are paying for high-quality answers from a board-certified pediatrician with 20 years of clinical experience every time you send a question! I believe the personalized approach from a trusted resource is worth the cost.

A: I have a medical license in the state of Minnesota, and regulations prohibit telemedicine across state lines. Other entities offer their services in multiple states because they have multiple providers from many different states that are employed by their organization. At Your Pediatrician Friend, it is just me!

A: Yes! Anytime I prescribe medication, I would send a visit summary to your regular doctor. I feel it is important that your regular doctor has a full picture of your health.

A: At this time, Your Pediatrician Friend is a purely virtual-based healthcare service.

A: No, I do not accept insurance. Upon request, I can provide you with a superbill that you can submit to your insurance company or HSA to see if they would cover my out-of-network services. But, you will be charged directly for services and I don’t bill insurance directly or guarantee reimbursement.

A: I will bill your credit/debit card or bank account directly each month (for monthly subscriptions) or every 3 months (for 3 month subscriptions) for your membership, starting from the time of sign-up. You will be automatically charged monthly/every 3rd month depending upon the type of membership selected. Cancellation is available anytime (see link at bottom of page for policy,) and your membership will terminate at the beginning of your next billing cycle.

For virtual consults, you will be charged at the time of scheduling. Payment must be received before your appointment. Cancellation is available for up to 2 hours before a 15-minute consult and 24 hours before a 30- or 60-minute consult. Send a message to cancel.