• Please take your child's temperature before calling for advice regarding an illness. If your child is under 3 months of age, please take the temperature rectally.

• Have a pencil and paper ready in case we need to give instructions. If possible, try not to leave your phone after calling the doctor. If you must leave home, please notify the office where you may be reached or when you will return home. After talking to the answering service (MedLink), press * 87 to deactivate call block to receive the doctor's call.

• Have your favorite daytime and nighttime pharmacy number ready should we need to call in a medication. If you wish to refill medications, you can generally call the pharmacy and ask them to fax a refill request to our office.

• For life-threatening emergencies (when moments count), call 911 or take your child to the closest emergency room for stabilization.

• For poisonings, call the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 and then call your physician.

• Should we fail to return your call within a reasonable amount of time, call again as a safeguard against telephone trouble, wrong numbers, and human error. You should expect a return call within 30 minutes.