Across the world, doctors offices and the people they care for are moving to use videoconferencing to visit the doctor, as an essential step to help stop COVID-19 from spreading.

Advanced Pediatrics is ready.  AP Televisits has been in place for many months, ready for all to use.

In the past, AP Televisits has been a convenience, it has now become a necessity.

Public health officials and leaders of our community have identified staying at home as a priority action to try to stop the sudden rise of cases of COVID-19.

Further, our leaders have made it clear that it is urgent that families and doctors take the leap, and use televisits to get as much of their medical needs addressed as possible.

We at Advanced Pediatrics stand ready to make televisits a reality that is as easy and valuable to your family and your children as possible.

Luckily, the process is very, very easy, and insurers are now signing up to cover the service, too.

HERE IS HOW YOU CAN USE THE AP TELEVISIT, and HELP SLOW COVID-19

1. The videoconferencing platform we use is called It is part of our electronic medical record and so it is HIPPA Compliant and secure.
2. You may be familiar with other videoconferencing platforms, such as Apple’s FaceTime and Microsoft’s Skype, or even Zoom.  This is just like those programs, but embedded and secured in your child’s electronic medical record.
3. The idea is very simple.  You make an appointment to see either Dr. Lavin or Dr. Hertzer as you always have, no difference.  You call and pick a time and date.  But this time the appointment will be for an AP Televisit on Healow, not in the office.
4. You and your child can be anywhere your webcam and mike are, on your phone or laptop.
5. When you make your AP Televisit appointment, the front desk will help you enable your ability to participate in the videoconference by taking these simple steps:
   • Download the Healow App on your phone and/or computer
   • Enable your chart as “Web Enabled”, this is done at the front desk
   • When you enable your account as Web Enabled, you will receive a username and password, and our office’s Healow code.  You need all three to sign to your AP Televisit appointment.
6. When your AP Televisit is due, here is how you actually get on screen with the doctor, be sure to start 10 minutes before the appointment time:
   • Log on to the Advanced Pediatrics portal online
   • Go to the “Appointments” tab, select “Join Televisit”
   • The Vitals page will appear, please complete as you can and the click on “Submit Vitals”
   • Now a window will come up verifying there is a secure connection, once that happens the “Proceed” button will appear, click on the “Proceed” button
   • You will enter our virtual waiting room, wait for Dr. Lavin or Dr. Hertzer to join you

So that is it, get enrolled when you set up your first AP Televisit appointment, then 10 minutes prior to that appointment, log in, enter your vitals, hit Proceed, and then have your appointment, all in the comfort of your home, or wherever you’d like to be.

One note, the AP televisit will cancel if you don’t enter the virtual waiting room by 5 minutes after the appointment time, so be sure to make the appointment on time.

Insurance Coverage

Medical Mutual and all Medicaid plans have committed to us that they will cover AP Televisits like a regular office visit.  Aetna has told UH that they cover these visits as well.

We are told that given the COVID-19 crisis, more and more insurers are allowing coverage of this service.

BOTTOM LINES:

1. It is time.  Let’s all try out AP Televisits.  It is convenient, no drive.  And the community is really asking us all to move to telemedical visits to help stop COVID-19.
2. The process is simple, truly easier than driving in to be seen.
3. Major insurance companies cover this service and more are doing so as the COVID-19 crisis proceeds.

See you on the screen!

To your health,
Dr. Arthur Lavin