How To schedule
an Appointment
Albany
(518) 489-3292
Cooperstown
(607) 547-7952
When making your appointment, we will make every effort to schedule you in the location of your choice in a timely manner.
Our scheduling staff will need approximately 5-10 minutes of your time. We will need to obtain your current insurance information, address, and phone number. Please have your current insurance information available when scheduling an appointment.
Due to the complex nature of our specialty, you can expect the first visit to take 2 or more hours. We suggest you bring extra bottles, diapers, toys, books, etc.
To make your appointment more efficient, a text message and/or email will be sent to you to confirm your appointment and complete the necessary documents in advance. You will also have the option to pay your copay or any outstanding balances at that time. Please continue to bring your insurance card to the appointment. If you do not confirm your appointment at least 24 hours before your scheduled time, your visit will be cancelled. Please note there is a $50 no-show/cancellation fee for missed appointments or cancellations with less than 24 hours’ notice.
Co-payment / deductible due at time of appointment.
Cancellations
We often times have families waiting for appointments for their child or newborn, so please be courteous and give us at least 24-48 hours notice when cancelling appointments. It is very important that you arrive on time for your appointment, as late arrivals are very challenging for our specialty care. If you are more than 15 minutes late for your appointment, we will explore all available options on our schedule but may not be able to accommodate your needs. We may be able to fit you in at a later time that day or may need to reschedule your appointment for another day.
Please note: there will be a $50 no-show/cancellation fee if an appointment is missed or cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice.
Pre-Authorizations
Once you have an appointment, you may need to obtain authorization from your primary care physician or directly from the insurance company if it will be out-of-network (depending on your insurance plan). Our scheduling staff will know what authorization, if any, needs to be obtained. Please understand that it is the patient's responsibility to obtain authorizations.
First Appointment
After any co-payments are received, the patient will be called by our staff to have vital signs – heart rate, blood pressure, height, and weight - recorded. If ordered, studies such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) and echocardiogram will be performed. The patient and family will then be brought into an examining room to meet with the pediatric cardiologist.
The evaluation will include a thorough history and physical exam by the pediatric cardiologist. At the end of the visit, the pediatric cardiologist will sit down with you to discuss all the findings and answer any questions that you may have.
Due to the complex nature of our specialty, you can expect the first visit to take 2 or more hours. We suggest you bring extra bottles, diapers, toys, books, etc. If a repeat visit is recommended, an appointment can usually be arranged before leaving the office. The pediatric ardiologist will write a comprehensive report and send it to your child's primary doctor and other specialists involved.
It is very common for pediatric residents and medical students from Albany Medical Center to come to our office to further their education in the field of pediatric cardiology. Often, the resident/student will be the first to take the history and perform the physical examination. The findings are then discussed with the pediatric cardiologist. We consider teaching the next generation of physicians to be very important.
How to prepare for your visit?
- Print directions from our website ahead of time
- Please allow time for your visit. While we strive to see patients at their scheduled appointment time, the doctor may request a variety of diagnostic tests. Depending on the tests ordered, your visit might last more than two hours.
- Please do not put any lotion or powder on your child before your visit. We almost always perform an EKG, which requires sticking electrodes to the skin. We cannot get a good reading if the electrodes do not adhere properly.
What to bring?
- Photo ID and insurance card
- A note from the parent/guardian, if you will be sending your child with someone other than a parent/guardian
- Any medical records or tests already performed
- Medication bottles your child is taking, if they do not require refrigeration.