COVID-19 Information
At Pediatric Associates of Hampden County your child’s health and well-being are our top priority. We continue to work diligently to stay up to date with the latest recommendations regarding COVID-19, from the CDC, the Massachusetts Department of Health, and our colleges at Boston Children’s Hospital.
To reduce unnecessary viral exposures of our patients, their families, and our staff, we have implemented the following policies:
- All walk-in times are now cancelled. We will only be taking appointments by phone and we will ask you questions about COVID-19 exposure prior to your appointment.
- All persons ages 5 and older must wear a mask at all times while in our buildings unless there is a medical condition that does not allow a person to wear one
- We have been and will continue to thoroughly clean our patient and waiting rooms. Books and magazines have been removed to reduce viral transmission. Stickers have been taken out of the hallway. The staff will now distribute stickers at the end of a visit.
- If you are concerned that your child may be exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, please call the office and you will be able to discuss your concerns with one of our staff to determine the best plan of action.
- We are able to provide Virtual Visits for medical and behavioral health when appropriate. A MyChart Patient Portal account is required. If your child does not have a MyChart account, please contact our office.
- It has become necessary to temporarily stop our Sunday hours. As always a provider is available on call.
Please keep in mind that this is a very mild disease for the vast majority of healthy people who contract the illness, and that children under the age of 10 are largely not affected by anything more than minor cold symptoms.
We want to thank all of our families for your patience and understanding and know that we will continue to keep you up to date on any changes or new developments that happen.
- The Providers and Staff of Pediatric Associates of Hampden County
PAHC's Mask Policy
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Persons ages 5 and older are required to wear a face mask in medical buildings. The ONLY exceptions to this universal recommendation for adults and children are for someone who is in respiratory distress or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove a face covering without assistance. Note, asthma is not a reason not to wear a mask. The opposite is true - a person with asthma should take that step to protect themselves. We will not write letters stating that children do not need to wear masks.
New Update March 1, 2023
West Springfield office offering Well Visits
Effective March 1, 2023 Well visits now being offered in both WESTFIELD and WEST SPRINGFIELD offices. PAHC, like many other medical practices, continues to change in response to the COVID pandemic, including when and how we see patients. We also have had staffing challenges.
In order to meet the demand, and to continue to see all of our patients in the safest way possible, we will continue to prescreen all patients prior to their visit. COVID-19 symptom patients will continue to be seen in our West Springfield office. All evening and Saturday appointments will continue to be located in our West Springfield office. We beg for your patience and understanding, it’s tough on us too, but it’s extremely important that we continue to maintain our very high standards in caring for our families.
Billing news
One change in particular that we wish to describe to you is how billing for routine checkups works under the new guidelines.
New Appointment Reminder Service
As of June 30, 2020, we will have a new appointment reminder system for our patients, with families now be notified of their upcoming appointment via text message or voicemail.
Virtual Visits
We are happy to let you know that our office is now able to provide Virtual Visits for medical and behavioral health when appropriate. We remain available in our office for visits that require a physical exam (for example ear checks).
Patient Experience Award Winner
Pediatric Associates of Hampden County Inc. is pleased to announce that it has received an award from Massachusetts Health Quality Partners (MHQP) for being one of the top practices in Massachusetts for patient experience in primary care.
Age Coverage Changed to 21
Big news! PAHC is extending our age range of our patients, previously the upper age was 18, but now we increased it to 21 years old. A little help through those early college years.
Immunization Registry Information
We are pleased to inform you that our office is now participating in the Massachusetts Immunization Information System (MIIS). The MIIS is the new statewide, electronic record-keeping system (or registry) that keeps track of your immunizations (shots).