I hope that the winter season is going well for you.  We all know this is our busiest season of the year.  I just wanted to update you all about winter related changes.

Due to the high volume of patients we are currently seeing in our Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Hospitals we are currently on a diversion for patients aged 15 and older who have not previously established care with one of our clinics. If your patient presents to the ED without a referral and they are over 15 they will be evaluated.  We have an agreement with Dekalb Medical Center who has agreed to accept patients of this age for admission.

As always if you have a patient who is under the age of 15 and you would like to send them to CHOA to be seen please call the transfer center at 404-785-7778 and update them on your concerns and evaluation recommendations. Please always take the time to call the transfer center if you are referring a patient this helps us to identify your concerns and alleviates the confusion when families say my pediatrician sent me but are unclear of the reason why. If you are a pediatrician and would like to speak with an pediatric emergency medicine physician you can also upon request be transferred to one of us. If you would like a call back please specifically indicate that to the transfer center and give a number that is reliably answered such as a cell phone number or backline number.

Updates:

• Our PEMCONNECT newsletter will be published quarterly from this point on.
• We will send email updates via our ED outreach listserve
• In an effort to obtain important information about community pediatric practices please look out for an email survey via the listserve in the new year-2016!

Have a blessed holiday season and Happy New Year.  We hope to visit more of your practices and Emergency Departments next year.