Preparing for your visit
Please bring the following to your appointment with Immunology:
- insurance card(s)
- co-payment for your insurance, if applicable
- medical records or personal records, such as x-rays or lab results. if you are unsure of what to bring, call the department you are scheduled to visit.
- any forms mailed to you by the department and any forms required by your daycare of school
- books, games, formula, diapers, change of baby clothes, or other necessities.
- referrals or authorizations from your child’s primary care doctor’s office, if applicable
Check the current list of insurance plans accepted by Boston Children’s. For further information, call Patient Financial Services at 617-355-3397.
Obtaining a referral for your visit
You will need to call your primary care doctor’s office and ask for an insurance referral for your visit. You will need to give your doctor’s office the following information:
- attending doctor’s name
- attending doctor’s NPI number (you will need to ask the staff for this when scheduling your appointment)
- date of the visit
- fax number
If your appointment is within 24 hours, please bring the insurance referral authorization number with you, the effective dates for the referral and the number of authorized visits.
If you do not have a referral from your referring physician, you may be asked to reschedule your appointment or sign a waiver assuming responsibility for payment of your visit.
Preparing for your virtual visit in the Immunology Program
To have a virtual visit, you just need a mobile device, tablet, or computer with Wi-Fi connection.
Once the appointment is scheduled, you will receive an email with the Zoom link, meeting ID, and password. Please download the Zoom application, and on the day/time of your appointment log in and join the meeting. On the day of the visit you can video chat with your provider/s and share screens.
Before the virtual visit with your provider, you will need to do the following:
- register for the MyChildren's Patient Portal if you have not already
- review the Patient User Guide for Virtual Visits with Zoom
- complete the Pre-Visit Questionnaire that will be emailed to you five days before your visit. If your visit is scheduled within five days you will receive the email upon scheduling
- send any lab results results through the MyChildren’s Portal, if available
* — Follow these instructions to upload questionnaires, photos, or other documents to the MyChildren’s Portal.
At the time of the virtual visit:
- log in and join the meeting five minutes before your visit
- ensure that the patient is present and awake
- use Wi-Fi but depending on your connectivity, data may work better
- call the virtual visit support line if you have any issues at 617-919-4390
What if I don’t have health insurance?
If you do not have health insurance, please let us know when you schedule the appointment and our Financial Counseling Center can help you find ways to pay for the charges. Their telephone number is 617-355-3397.
Your Immunology team
Boston Children’s Hospital is a teaching hospital. This means doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals who are in training may care for your child. Each staff member in training works under the supervision of a qualified senior professional staff member:
- attending physician: a senior medical doctor who directs the patient’s care
- fellow: a medical doctor who has completed residency and is in training to specialize one area (for example, a pediatrician who is studying to be an immunologist)
- resident: a medical doctor who is training in pediatrics, internal medicine, or dermatology
- nurse practitioner: a nurse with special training in diagnosing, treating, and caring for patients
- staff nurse: a nurse who takes care of your child
- clinical assistant: a person trained to assist with patient care
- social worker: a health care professional who meets with families to help them better cope with illness and hospitalization and to identify community resources for support and care
Parking
Patients and their parents or guardians are eligible to park in the garage across the street from the hospital. Parking tickets are validated at the reception and information desk in the main lobby. With validation, the cost is a maximum of $8 for 24 hours or one exit.
Valet parking is available from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Normal garage rates apply and there is an additional $5 charge for valet services.
Helpful tips
Give yourself an extra half hour before your scheduled appointment to park and get to your appointment. Parking and traffic can be difficult in the Longwood Medical Center area.
If you need to bring other children, try to find another adult to come and assist you. Please speak with your child’s daycare or school to see if their forms are up to date. Stop at the Information Desk if you need further assistance.