Lexington Pediatrics | FAQ

There are three provider teams at Lexington Pediatrics. Each team is comprised of 2-3 doctors and 2 nurse practitioners.

• Dr. Katharine Garnett, Dr. Johanna Mailloux, Dr. Molly Lederman, and Nurse Practitioners Jane Berman and Alicia Cline comprise the Green Team.
• Dr. Victoria Arthur, Dr. Justin Sweder, and Nurse Practitioners Susanne Maher and Christine Grabenstatter comprise the Blue Team.
• Dr. Nuria Gine-Nokes, Dr. Jesse Lock, and Nurse Practitioners Sarah Zombek and Amy Lazaro comprise the Red Team.

Our pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs) have a master’s degree in nursing (MS or MSN) and have received advanced education, skills, and training in caring for infants, children, and adolescents. All of our PNPs are board certified in pediatrics. PNPs can take medical histories, perform physical exams, evaluate sick visits, make diagnoses, write prescriptions and provide counseling. Our PNPs work closely with our doctors to deliver comprehensive care to our patients.

Before our patients visit a local emergency room, we appreciate a call to our office as we will often be able to see your child promptly and at a lower cost. When our patients do need emergency services, we recommend the Emergency Department at Boston Children's Hospital (BCH) or Winchester Hospital. Winchester Hospital is staffed by BCH pediatric emergency providers. Lexington Pediatrics is a Boston Children's Hospital Community of Care Preferred Practice. This means we can access your child’s BCH medical records quickly and efficiently, and communicate with your child’s specialist of hospital team at BCH directly to make sure we are working as a team. We work closely other hospitals as well, for example, if your child requires care from a specialist, we will refer your family to the provider you or your insurance company prefer. When our patients are hospitalized, we communicate frequently with the pediatric hospitalist staff caring for them, wherever that hospital may be.

While at the hospital your baby will be seen daily and cared for by the pediatric hospitalists. When you are admitted for the delivery of your baby, you will be asked who your pediatrician will be. Let them know that you have chosen Lexington Pediatrics, and they will contact us about your baby’s birth.

We accept most insurance plans. Because your exact insurance coverage varies by plan and your specific policy, we recommend that you call your insurance company to confirm your coverage, PCP, and any out-of-pocket costs. Please bring your child’s insurance card to every visit.

The healthcare law states that patients will no longer have to pay co-pays for routine pediatric check-ups. Some insurance plans are “grandfathered in”, which means a co-pay is still required for routine pediatric check-up visits. If your insurance plan requires you to pay a co-insurance or deductible, you may be billed for this balance. However, copayments and deductibles are still required for other services. If your provider addresses a specific health issue beyond the routine check-up exam, there will be an additional charge added to the check-up visit charge for the treatment of the illness, and you will be responsible for the co-pay portion of that visit. A routine checkup exam does not include a medical problem that is happening right now.

At Lexington Pediatrics we follow the standard well visit schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. We see children at 2-5 days, 2 weeks, 1 month, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 15 months, 18 months, 2 years, and then annually from age 3 to 22. We also recommend a 2.5 year visit, please check with your insurance to determine coverage. 

Well visits are preventative care visits and include services such as history, physical exam, screening tests and immunizations. These visits are also a time for you to ask any questions you have about your child’s growth and development, behavior, and any other questions you may have.

Lexington Pediatrics believes that the cornerstone of primary care is prevention. To this end, we expect that all patients in our practice will follow the immunization schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and will receive all required vaccinations at the recommended ages. 

We do not offer walk-in appointments. Please call our office to schedule an appointment if your child needs to be seen. If you would like a sibling to be seen, please call us so that we can be prepared for the visit.

We understand that it can be hard to get out the door with young children and that there are sometimes unavoidable traffic or parking issues! When planning a visit to our office, please try to arrive 10 to 15 minutes before your appointment to accommodate for this. If you arrive more than 15 minutes late for your appointment, we will try our best to still see your child, however in some circumstances you may be asked to reschedule. If you are going to be late, we appreciate your call to let us know, but you may still be asked to reschedule your appointment depending on when you arrive.

We make every effort to stay on schedule and we respect that your time is valuable. Sometimes, our patients arrive very ill or with unexpected concerns that require more time. We ask for your understanding and patience if this occurs as we will always give each patient the time and attention they deserve. We will do our best to keep you informed while you are waiting, and offer you the chance to reschedule your appointment or see another available provider if you prefer.

If a parent or guardian is not able to accompany the patient to their visit, please send a reliable caretaker/historian in their place with a note giving us permission to speak with them (unless you have documentation on file). Please also be available by phone to consent to any necessary treatments or immunizations or to discuss follow-up care.