The First Consultation

» Quick Links: Making the Appointment | First Visit | Treatment | Brain Imaging and Other Exams | Appointment Reminders and Canceling | Other Considerations

Making the Appointment (New Patients and Patients from more than 3 years ago)

Please have the following information when you call:

1. Insurance card (need to know what insurance company and whether the plan is a PPO or HMO*)
2. Name of referring pediatrician or doctor
3. A brief description for the reason of the visit (i.e. diagnosis or type of evaluation needed)

The secretary will ask for your child's personal information: date of birth, home address, and contact numbers.

» Unsure if we accept your insurance plan? See our list of accepted health plans.
Note: We do not accept Medi-Cal, Santa Clara Family Health Plan (SCFHP), or Healthy Families.

* If you have a HMO plan, a referral from the pediatrician/PCP is required.

The First Consultation

The first consultation lasts for 1 hour and is primarily information-based. Dr. Guarino will ask you about your family history, observations, etc. and your child how he or she feels. Basic procedures, such as a physical exam (i.e. measuring blood pressure and testing reflexes), may be conducted during the visit. No shots are given in this clinic. No imaging exams or EEGs are conducted on the same day. The doctor may decide that one is necessary depending on the severity of the condition. A diagnosis will be made during this appointment.

Subsequent appointments following the first consultation are necessary if your child is prescribed a medication or has been diagnosed with a serious condition that must be monitored.

» See more information regarding the practice

Treatment

Treatment options vary with the condition being treated. The doctor can only do what he deems is useful for your child. The most common treatment options:

• Medication
• Behavioral Therapy
• Speech and OT Therapy
• Psychiatric Treatment
• Learning Centers

Brain Imaging and Other Diagnostic Exams

If the doctor orders an imaging exam for your child, the secretary will direct you to an imaging facility based on your insurance plan and provide you with the contact information for scheduling the exam. All information regarding the order and patient information will be submitted to the imaging facility on the same day. Parents will schedule the exam at their convenience. Prior-authorizations for the imaging procedure (if required by your insurance plan) will be done by the secretary or by the imaging facility.

Other diagnostic exams include EEGs, blood tests, and genetic testing.

If you have questions regarding the cost, your insurance coverage, or whether the facility in question accepts your plan, please contact your insurance company.

» See more information regarding diagnostic brain imaging exams, EEGs, and other diagnostic exams.

Appointment Reminders and Canceling

Our office will call the day before your child's appointment to confirm your presence at the appointment. If you are unavailable when we call, we will leave you a voice message. Please check your voice message to confirm that the appointment date and time are correct. If in doubt, please do not hesitate to call our office at (408) 356-4777.

If you need to cancel your child's appointment, please give us at least 24 hours notice before the appointed day and time. There is a fee* for not showing up to your appointment or cancelling at the last minute without a valid reason.

Your cooperation is much appreciated.

* The fee varies depending on the appointment type.

Other Considerations

• Please be on time for your appointment
• If English is not your primary language, please be prepared to bring in an interpreter.
• If you have no insurance, please call (408) 356-4777 to inquire about our out-of-pocket fee for an initial consultation.
• If you will be changing insurance plans, please let us know at least one week prior to your next appointment.
• If you switch to a HMO under the accepted medical groups: PMG of San Jose, PMG of Santa Cruz, SJMG, and SCCIPA, we need to know early, because we have to submit a referral for every visit.