My Doctor Online The Permanente Medical Group
Are you having back pain with any of the following?
- Severe pain, weakness or tingling in your leg(s).
- Difficulty stopping urination or loss of control of bladder or bowels.
- Unexplained fever, nausea or vomiting.
- A history of cancer or unexplained weight loss.
We understand that you are experiencing one or more of the health issues that might be impacting your back pain.
We recommend that you discuss these health issues with your doctor before proceeding with this program.
Once you are cleared by your doctor to do this program, we hope it helps you find relief from your back pain.
Patricia Gahagan, NP
Pediatrics
As your Nurse Practitioner, I value my relationship with you. And I know that maintaining a good relationship means being able to communicate with each other. My colleagues and I have developed My Doctor Online so that we can stay in touch more easily. Because the better connected we are, the healthier you are.
Quick Links
- Teen Clinic at Vallejo
- Cold, Flu and Cough
- Recommended Immunization Schedule
- Vaccine Information Statements
- Car Seat Safety for Children
- Pediatric Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
- Online Newsletters for Parents
- HealthyChildren.org (AAP)
- Prepare for Your Procedure - Emmi
- Young Adult Health
- Anatomical Charts
General References
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Office Visit
Making an Appointment
When your child is sick
If your child is sick, and you are concerned about his or her symptoms, please call our Appointment and Advice line, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We do not offer drop-in appointments, so this call is important.
When you call, please let the representative know you whether you are calling for advice or to schedule an appointment. If you are not sure, our trained nurses can evaluate your child's symptoms and help determine the type of care he or she needs. Depending on your child's condition and medical history and your preferences, the nurse may:
- Provide advice about how to care for your child at home.
- Send me a message so I can follow up with you directly.
- Schedule a telephone appointment with me or a trusted colleague.
- Make an appointment for your child to be seen in person.
If your child needs to be seen, the advice nurse will make every effort to schedule an appointment with me. However, in the event that your child needs care the same day and I am unavailable, we will schedule your appointment with one of my trusted colleagues.
For well child visits
For additional information on scheduling appointments and what to bring to your visit, please read:
Additional References:
Getting Here
- My office address, maps, and transportation instructions are included in "Offices and Directions."
- Please arrive 15 minutes early to allow time for parking and check-in.
- Please bring your child's Kaiser Permanente medical card and a photo ID, such as your driver's license, with you. Teens should bring their own identification, such as a school ID.
Before Your Child's Visit
Please bring any medications your child uses regularly.
- It is important for us to know which medicines, and how much of each, you child is taking because it influences recommendations for tests or other medicines he/she might need. Our electronic medical record tells us what has been prescribed, but only you can confirm what your child takes every day.
- If your child has a chronic condition, bring any related tools and records you keep at home (e.g., asthma symptom diary and peak flow meter; headache diary).
Think about the issues you would like to discuss.
- It is a good idea to write your questions down and bring them to our visit.
Remember to bring your forms.
- Please bring your child's immunization record.
- For well care visits (check-ups) please bring your completed health questionnaire.
Additional References:
During Your Child's Visit
Before you see me.
- When you check in, you will receive information on your registration slip showing when your child is next due for immunizations and other preventive care.
- You will then meet with my Medical Assistant (MA), who will call you in from the waiting room and take your child's vital signs. My MA may also weigh and measure your child before bringing you to the exam room.
- Additionally, he or she will ask if anyone in your household smokes. If you smoke and are ready to try to quit, we have many services that can help.
If your child is here for a sick visit:
- I'll ask about your child's symptoms. It's helpful to know when they began; how long they've lasted; what you've tried at home; and what, if anything, helps your child feel better.
- I will also do a physical exam to look for signs of injury or illness and order any necessary tests, such as lab tests or X-rays.
- If additional specialty advice is needed while you and your child are in the exam room, I can often call a colleague and get specialty advice immediately.
If your child is here for a well visit:
- Please read additional well child visit information.
Please ask questions.
- It is always good to ask questions and voice any concerns you may have about instructions, lab tests, medications, or treatments. If anything is unclear, please ask me for more information.
After Visit Summary.
- You may receive an After Visit Summary, which is a printed reminder of what we talked about during your child's visit. If your child is under 12, you can also sign up to view your child's After Visit Summary online using our Act for a Family Member feature.
Additional References:
After Your Child's Visit
Follow-up questions/activities.
After your child's appointment, if you have follow-up questions, please feel free to call me at my office in the Pediatric department. You can also sign up to e-mail me with nonurgent issues, whenever it is convenient for you.
In addition, our Appointment and Advice line is available for general medical questions and advice 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Please remember to:
- Make sure you complete any follow-up tests or immunizations I recommended.
- Pick up any medications at the pharmacy.
- Follow your child's care plan at home. The home treatment you provide after you see me is a critical part of helping your child feel better.
- Schedule and keep any follow-up appointments.
Test results.
- If your child had lab work or other tests done, I'll contact you with the results by letter, e-mail, or phone.
- If your child is under age 12, you can also sign up to view your child's test results online. You will receive an e-mail notification whenever new laboratory results are available. Because those results are available to you immediately, my comments and instructions will usually follow in a separate e-mail.
Specialist referral.
- If we talked to a specialist by phone during your visit, we will decide if you should follow up with the specialist or with me for additional issues or questions.
- If we schedule you for a specialty appointment, you will receive an appointment reminder.
- If we did not book the specialty appointment during your visit, the scheduler for that department will contact you directly to arrange an appointment.
Online services.
You can begin to manage your child's care online by requesting access through our Act for a Family Member feature. Once you have added your child to your account, you can:
- View and compose secure e-mail messages.
- Manage your child's prescriptions and refills.
- Schedule well visit and nonurgent appointments.
- View your child's Preventive Services to see whether your child is due for any immunizations or well visits.
- If your child is under 12, you can also view most lab test results and review information about past visits.
Additional References:
- External Link to Quit Smoking, We Can Help
- External Link to Act for a Family Member
- External Link to About Pediatric Specialists - American Academy of Pediatrics