Consistent and Reliable Care Since 1901!
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COVID TESTING
We have been getting a lot of requests for COVID testing (imagine that!). We do not yet do testing here at Streeterville Pediatrics, but can direct you to several places that can test.
We can order testing for your child through Lurie Children’s testing sites. Someone from infectious diseases will call you and see if testing is appropriate. In other words, they may decide NOT to test you. If they feel it is appropriate, they will then schedule an appointment time to be tested. You may also call the Lurie COVID hotline at 312/227-5300 – if they feel it is appropriate, then we can place an order for you.
You can skip all of this by finding a test site near you that does not require pre-approval. A great resource is to go to:
https://www.dph.illinois.gov/testing
(or Google "idph covid testing sites near me")
For out of Illinois Sites you can try:
https://www.goodrx.com/blog/drive-thru-coronavirus-testing-near-me/
On that page, just above the list of locations (starting with Alabama) – you can enter your city or town in the “Search in table” box to find locations near you, including telephone and hours of operation. Good luck.
Please think critically if you want to get tested. If you test “too early” (i.e. soon after exposure) you may test negative and then eventually become positive. Most experts suggest to wait at least 5-7 days after exposure. Also, even though you test negative, if you’re suspicious, you should quarantine anyway to prevent possible exposures to others.
Visits to our Office and TeleMed
If you are concerned about your child but can't make it into the office, we can offer you a TeleMedicine visit. Of course, its always better to talk to and examine your child in person, but during this COVID emergency time, this is a nice alternative.
To schedule a telemedicine visit, you must have a smart phone, tablet (I-Pad, etc), or computer with audio and video. Please call the office and we can send you an email with instructions and a link to communicate with the doctor. During this emergency time, the government has instructed insurance companies to cover these telemed services.
Please note that its still very important that your child receives his or her well child visits to check their growth parameters, development, and administer protective immunizations. We are concerned about your family's health and have taken steps to minimize any risks at the office. We reserve the early part of the day to see well children so there is no chance for contact with sick patients. To diminish patients coming in contact with each other, we make expeditiously get patients into their very own examination room upon arrival. Patients who call and have symptoms that may be suggestive of having COVID are screened and do not come to our office.
CORONAVIRUS COVID-19
We know this is a trying time.
For latest updates and recommendations on COVID, please refer to cdc.gov
If you have symptoms of illness, please stay inside and limit contact with others. Wash hands frequently, disinfect surfaces, and socially distance yourself as recommended. Hopefully if we all "self quarantine" for a while, we can eliminate the spread of this virus, and get things back to normal.
Even if you have mild symptoms and feel good, we do not want to potentially spread germs to others who can not fight off illness as well.
If you have fever, dry cough and shortness of breath, please self-quarantine and call for advice. If there is also a travel history and close contact with a confirmed positive case of Coronavirus along with symptoms, please self-quarantine, call for guidance, and you must wear a mask if going to the ER.
To reassure you, we have been stepping up our normal protocols of disinfecting our office. Cleaning common areas frequently during the day, cleaning rooms between patients, and we have eliminated our shared toys and books for the time being.
Interested In Becoming A Patient At Streeterville Pediatrics?
Welcome to Streeterville Pediatrics! We've been in the neighborhood known as "Streeterville" since the 1920's. Our practice still values the personal and individual care proposed by Dr Julius Hess when the practice was started in 1901.
Bigger is not Better! We are still a small and personal practice, and believe that having a close relationship with new parents is most beneficial as they start their family. Located within blocks of the hospitals we attend (Lurie Children's and Northwestern / Prentice Women's Hospital) we are readily able to see your newborn or (if need be) hospitalized child. We also have staff privileges at the 3 biggest pediatric hospitals in Chicago, giving our patients access to some of the most distinguished specialists in the area. A trusted practice, we take care of families from 8 of the busiest obstetrical practices at Northwestern/Prentice. We appreciate this endorsement of our practice from so many obstetricians that have to option to take their children to other offices.
If you're expecting and would like to schedule a "prenatal visit" (no charge) to meet the doctors and see the office, please call us. Click on Prenatal Visits for more info about setting up a time.
To see reviews of our practice, please click here: Streeterville Pediatrics Reviews
You may also go to the New Patients Tab for more info about us.
Sandy Rochford 9/10/1949 - 11/21/2019
It's with a very sad heart we announce that our dear Sandy Rochford passed away Thursday evening November 21 after a valiant fight with cancer. With her wonderful personality, she was loved by and touched so many lives at Streeterville Pediatrics. Photo of Sandy back in 2010 with Rigmor Bruno (L) and Izella Mosley (R)
Sandy first came to work at what is now known as Streeterville Pediatrics for Dr Bill Barrows and Dr Herbert Cibul in November 1983. There have been quite a few changes at Streeterville, but Sandy was always a constant and solid fixture at the office until she retired at the end of 2014. With a very solid training in pediatric lab procedures, Sandy was an integral part in developing the many strong services at our office. Her developing technological skills helped us transition into the computer age - first for patient tracking and eventually to full electronic medical record keeping.
Sandy was loved by so many of our patients. She possessed a competent professional demeanor, while at the same time making strong personal connections with so many. I fondly remember Sandy answering the phones, oftentimes warmly using the callers first name and inquiring about the other children. She would always try to "work someone in" even though the schedule would be pretty full. On Monday mornings she would frequently tell me who she ran into over the weekend at a volleyball game, at the store, or wherever.
Sandy officially retired from Streeterville Pediatrics on December 31, 2014, giving us 31 wonderful years of service, and touching thousands of families and children. A truly solid and dedicated person, Sandy often came back to the office to help us out even after her retirement.
The Streeterville Pediatrics family will miss Sandy, her wonderful smile, her support to our practice, and her devotion to the many families at Streeterville Pediatrics.
- Dr. Brown
New Patients
Please go to the New Patients Tab to find info about the practice. Also, to expedite your visit, please look at the "patient forms" section there. Download the necessary forms and bring them with you. If you have troubles, we can assist you when you arrive.
"Exchange" Insurance Problems
Many of the plans that were previously covered under the Affordable Care Act will no longer be covered by the hospitals that we are affiliated with. Hence, we will not be part of these plans either, as our medical insurance contracts are linked through the hospital.
With the continuing changes in the Healthcare Insurance market, it is more important than ever that patients are familiar with their personal coverage/benefit plans. Many of the changes for 2017 and 2018 are reductions in the Networks offered in Illinois. For Streeterville Pediatrics the Exchange/Marketplace plans that Lurie Children's & Northwestern Memorial Hospital were once In-Network with have either left the exchange or narrowed their available Networks greatly. This has created a situation in which there are no Exchange/Marketplace plans that Streeterville is allowed to contract with, and has affected many of our families.
If an employer group insurance plan is not an option for you, we have identified a plan that could be an option, the Harken Compass Network. Harken has been in our area for the past year, and the Compass Plan is new since 2017. Streeterville is In-Network for their group and individual plans (for now). Please call Harken directly at 800-797-9921, and remember when you sign up to choose a Streeterville physician as your PCP. Providing our Tax ID 363535360 or NPI (National Provider ID) 1225070691 for Streeterville Pediatrics may help them find a plan with our practice.
We are told that Lurie Children's Hospital is in network with Harken Compass. To contact a representative from Lurie to verify you can call 312/967-922 or go online to: www.luriechildrens.org/application-help.
If you have an employer group insurance plan, it is important to always verify that our practice is In-Network with the plan you choose. This can be done by contacting your specific plan and providing the Tax ID 363535360 or NPI 1225070691 for Streeterville Pediatrics.
An Additional Option:
As long as a patient doesn’t get insurance from healthcare.gov, they CAN purchase a "short-term" insurance policy for up to 360 days that WILL include Lurie and Streeterville. UHC (United Health Care) is the biggest insurance that offers the short term plans. Here is a link to their fact website https://www.uhone.com/insurance/short-term/short-term-medical-insurance-faqs#acarequirements. However, there may be concerns about "pre-existing conditions" that may have exclusions for the short term plans.
Our contract with BlueChoice Select Network ended on 8/23/16! Again, another victim of the Affordable Care Act. This is unfortunate, but our medical insurance contracts are linked through the hospitals that we are on staff. Since Lurie and Nowrthwestern are not "on these plans" we can not accept these plans at our office. We are only allowed to take BCBS PPO. All other plans should be verified with a BCBS customer representative. Sorry for this inconvenience.
Family Media Guide:
If you have questions about media use (tablets, computers, TV), please see our article concerning the American Academy of Pediatrics "Family Media Guide". You can find it in the section "Staying Healthy" > "Media Use / Screen Time".
We Are Hiring!
We are looking for a Certified Medical Assistant to join our Streeterville family.
Pediatric experience is preferred. Please fax your resume to 312-280-1485.
Please go to the New Patients Tab to find info about the practice. Also, to expedite your visit, please look at the "patient forms" section there. Download the necessary forms and bring them with you. If you have troubles, we can assist you when you arrive.
"Exchange" Insurance Problems
Many of the plans that were previously covered under the Affordable Care Act will no longer be covered by the hospitals that we are affiliated with. Hence, we will not be part of these plans either, as our medical insurance contracts are linked through the hospital.
With the continuing changes in the Healthcare Insurance market, it is more important than ever that patients are familiar with their personal coverage/benefit plans. Many of the changes for 2017 and 2018 are reductions in the Networks offered in Illinois. For Streeterville Pediatrics the Exchange/Marketplace plans that Lurie Children's & Northwestern Memorial Hospital were once In-Network with have either left the exchange or narrowed their available Networks greatly. This has created a situation in which there are no Exchange/Marketplace plans that Streeterville is allowed to contract with, and has affected many of our families.
If an employer group insurance plan is not an option for you, we have identified a plan that could be an option, the Harken Compass Network. Harken has been in our area for the past year, and the Compass Plan is new since 2017. Streeterville is In-Network for their group and individual plans (for now). Please call Harken directly at 800-797-9921, and remember when you sign up to choose a Streeterville physician as your PCP. Providing our Tax ID 363535360 or NPI (National Provider ID) 1225070691 for Streeterville Pediatrics may help them find a plan with our practice.
We are told that Lurie Children's Hospital is in network with Harken Compass. To contact a representative from Lurie to verify you can call 312/967-922 or go online to: www.luriechildrens.org/application-help.
If you have an employer group insurance plan, it is important to always verify that our practice is In-Network with the plan you choose. This can be done by contacting your specific plan and providing the Tax ID 363535360 or NPI 1225070691 for Streeterville Pediatrics.
An Additional Option:
As long as a patient doesn’t get insurance from healthcare.gov, they CAN purchase a "short-term" insurance policy for up to 360 days that WILL include Lurie and Streeterville. UHC (United Health Care) is the biggest insurance that offers the short term plans. Here is a link to their fact website https://www.uhone.com/insurance/short-term/short-term-medical-insurance-faqs#acarequirements. However, there may be concerns about "pre-existing conditions" that may have exclusions for the short term plans.
Our contract with BlueChoice Select Network ended on 8/23/16! Again, another victim of the Affordable Care Act. This is unfortunate, but our medical insurance contracts are linked through the hospitals that we are on staff. Since Lurie and Nowrthwestern are not "on these plans" we can not accept these plans at our office. We are only allowed to take BCBS PPO. All other plans should be verified with a BCBS customer representative. Sorry for this inconvenience.
Family Media Guide:
If you have questions about media use (tablets, computers, TV), please see our article concerning the American Academy of Pediatrics "Family Media Guide". You can find it in the section "Staying Healthy" > "Media Use / Screen Time".
We Are Hiring!
We are looking for a Certified Medical Assistant to join our Streeterville family.
Pediatric experience is preferred. Please fax your resume to 312-280-1485.