Walden Pond Pediatrics

06/30/2020

A message for families who have children with special needs. Free webinar TONIGHT.

The MA DPH Division for Children and Youth with Special Health Needs is sponsoring a live online event for caregivers, parents, and families of children with special health needs during the pandemic.

This free webinar will provide practical, easy to follow strategies to help families be ready if a parent or caregiver should become hospitalized and someone else needs to care for their loved one in this time of COVID-19.

Please see the link below for more information and to register.

https://statema.webex.com/mw3300/mywebex/default.do?nomenu=true&siteurl=statema&service=6&rnd=0.002313221043131697&main_url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatema.webex.com%2Fec3300%2Feventcenter%2Fevent%2FeventAction.do%3FtheAction%3Ddetail%26%26%26EMK%3D4832534b00000004f42375881ea602c695b92dc0fc8e0dfe046a6c23f249775ca310e42cecea523c%26siteurl%3Dstatema%26confViewID%3D164766452987997422%26encryptTicket%3DSDJTSwAAAATt5EVCs331V5bcUS13a_k1LLr-3PC5Q4wExUC40a0CJQ2%26

06/18/2020

Are you considering camp for your child this summer? Please see this article below for some tips on what to look for in camps this summer to help you decide.

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-play/Pages/What-to-Look-for-In-a-Summer-Camp-COVID-19.aspx

05/20/2020

A special message for parents...

LITTLE SUPERHEROES

Each day we salute superheroes,
Front-liners who give of their lives.
Sacrificing for all they encounter,
Just trying to lessen our cries.

Each morning they put on their armor,
Maybe a mask and some gloves.
They give of their lives so freely,
To protect everything that we love.

But there’s another hero YOU know,
They abide in the room next to you.
Maybe you never quite noticed,
That they’re quite a hero too.

In a world where they should be happy,
Free of such stress and such strife.
Tonight, maybe you should just tell them,
Stuck inside they are saving a life.

For just like the heroes in movies,
They resist this villain’s foul aims.
But by staying inside they save others,
So less lives this villain can claim.

They gave up their games and play dates,
They now must sit fixed to a screen.
Virtually singing and dancing,
With friends, with miles in between.

Few of us e’er had to do this,
Sit day after day trapped inside.
Unable to walk down the sidewalk,
Unable to go for a ride.

But your little hero is mighty
They’ve made up the games of their own.
And when this mess is finally over,
MY GOD you will see how they’ve grown.

So please tell YOUR hero for me,
I’m so thankful for what they all do.
And just like a team of young warriors,
They will surely, surely come through.

Tell them one day they will gather,
Just like they all did months before.
They will be part of the army,
That banishes this thing evermore!

So, go now and grab your little hero,
Be it a boy or a girl.
Remind them that stuck in that basement,
They are helping to save the whole world!

Courtesy of Eric A. Yancy, M.D.
Pediatrician, Indiana

05/07/2020

Does your child have a virtual visit scheduled soon? Please read the FAQs and Instructions posted on our website.

http://www.waldenpondpediatrics.com/news-topic.php?newsid=39

04/29/2020

Hello families! We hope you are all staying healthy and enjoying some of the sun! We wanted to provide you with an update on our continued efforts to care for your child while keeping you and your family, as well as our staff, safe during these times.

1. Well visits. We continue to see our patients for their well visits, especially if your child is due for immunizations - this includes children 2 years old and under, 4 years old, 5 years old, 11 years old, 16 years old, and pre-college.
2. Sick visits. Our office is open for sick visits in the afternoon - this can be done either in-person or virtual.
3. Follow-up visits. Based on your particular visit, we will request to convert it to a virtual visit.

If you or your child do not have a MyChart account, which is needed for a virtual visit, please contact the office and we will be happy to assist you.

Remember
- If your child is under 13yo, the MyChart account would be under your email;
- If your child is 13yo or older, they need to have have their own account using their email.

Thank you for your attention, and more importantly for continuing to trust us to care for your child!

04/10/2020

Hello families! We hope you are staying safe and healthy as we fight this virus as a community.

We are doing our best to continue to care for you and your family while keeping you - and our staff - safe!

If you a receive a call from a restricted number, it is likely our staff trying to reach you. If your child has an appointment in the next 2 weeks and you haven't heard from us, please call our office at 978-369-9401 or send us a message in MyChart.

Remember
- If your child is under 13yo, the MyChart account would be under your email;
- If your child is over 13yo, they would have have their own account.
Please call the office and we can set up an account for you or your child.

03/23/2020

Update on COVID-19.
As you are aware, Governor Baker has issued an emergency order for all businesses and organizations to close their physical workplaces and facilities. Medical practices, hospitals, and pharmacies are among the list of essential business that will remain open.

We have been working on some changes to keep you - and our staff - safe.

1. Well visits. We continue to see our patients for their well visits - and are adjusting our schedule to see them in the morning.
2. Sick visits. We will keep our office open for sick visits in the afternoon.
3. Follow-up visits. Based on your particular visit, we may be able to convert it to a virtual visit.

If our office is closed on a particular afternoon to facilitate staffing needs, Dr Bakshi will still be available by the on-call number until the end of the business day. Depending on your concern, she may advise you to schedule a virtual visit or bring your child in.

If your child is under 13yo, and you don't have an active MyChart account, please call the office and we can sign you up.

If your child is over 13yo, and they don't have their own active account, please call the office and we can sign you up.

Thank you for reading through this message. We appreciate your continued trust in our team to take care of your family.

03/18/2020

We wanted to provide you with an update on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and keep you informed as to what we are doing in response to this outbreak. Please take the time to read this message in its entirety.

We are closely monitoring the fluid status of this outbreak and are following guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the MA Department of Public Health (MA DPH).

We are trying to minimize the spread of this disease while we maintain normal business hours in the following ways:

1. Our entrance is locked. If your child has an appointment, we ask you to please call the office to check in your child, and our staff will then open the door. We will not be collecting co-payments at the time of the visit, but you will be invoiced after the visit. If you are coming to pick up or drop off forms, please call the office and our staff will open the door.

2. As some of you have already experienced, we are screening all patients for COVID-19 on the phone and in person.

3. If you/your child screens positive for COVID-19 over the phone, we will advise you and call MA DPH for further guidance.

4. If you/your child screen positive for COVID-19 in the office, we will give you/your child a mask to wear and ask you to sit in a room with the door closed and assure you have your cell phone. We will call the MA DPH for guidance and will communicate with you by your cell or in person as advised by the MA DPH.

5. We are working on creating virtual visits in the event we are unable to see you in the office. In order to do this, we need you to sign up on the patient portal (MyChart). If your child is above 13 years old, they will need their own MyChart account. If you have not done so already, please call the office and the staff can help you/your child set up an account.

I know that was a lot of information - thank you for reading it all! We will continue to provide you with more updates as they are warranted.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work hard to minimize the spread of this disease. We thank you for continuing to trust us to care for your family.

03/09/2020

As of this weekend, Massachusetts has 27 presumed positive cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID19) in addition to the 1 confirmed positive case from February 1. The majority of these cases are associated with individuals who were at a conference in Boston in late February. Of the data collected thus far, children have not been shown to be high at risk for this infection. Individuals at higher risk of getting very sick include older adults and those with significant chronic medical conditions (heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease).

How can you protect yourself and your family from the novel coronavirus (COVID19)? Per the CDC:
1. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
2. Cough or sneeze into your elbow or cover it with a tissue and throw the tissue in the trash
3. Wash your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds with soap and water. If soap is not available, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol
4. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

The CDC is asking individuals who have traveled from the current Level 3 countries (China, Iran, Italy, and South Korea) to stay home for 14 days from the time that you left the country.

If you are returning from one of these countries and have an appointment in our office during the 14 days after leaving, please call to reschedule. If your child needs to be seen for an acute illness during these 14 days, please inform our staff of the travel when you call to review your child's symptoms.

Please use the following resources for more information:

https://www.mass.gov/resource/information-on-the-outbreak-of-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html?fbclid=IwAR001PM5gkA5N6_IjkPLydrWXgtxSgsNaxxj2hJW_NACMEuUuv-JhPrBQzo

02/16/2020

We are pleased to report the electronic medical record system has been restored with most functionality available. We are working diligently on the completion of a full restoration.

We understand many of you have expressed concerns about the security of your medical information, and while we are currently unaware of any compromise of patient information, we're actively investigating the situation and will know more in the coming days.

We know this has been an inconvenience and we are deeply grateful for the patience and support of our families, and the tireless commitment of our staff to ensure our patients continued to receive the highest quality care.

Thank you all.

02/12/2020

Since Monday afternoon, the electronic medical record system that we use to schedule appointments and manage our patients' medical information has been offline as the result of a malware attack. While the Boston Children's and PPOC information technology teams are working in concert to restore our system, for the security and privacy of our patients and their families, we will be keeping the system offline until we can be completely certain that it's safe to bring it back online.

In the meantime, you may contact our office to schedule a same day appointment. Please note, MyChart is also unavailable during this time. If you wish to schedule or re-schedule a future appointment, please call our office and we will do our best to help.

We are working tirelessly to return to normal operations soon, and will keep you informed of any changes to this situation. While we know that this is a great inconvenience to our families, providers and staff, we're grateful for your support and your patience. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us directly, at 978-369-9401.

01/27/2020

We are experiencing phone trouble. If you have an urgent medical question, please call the on-call physician at 978-295-1113.

Our phone line should be back up late tonight. If you need to leave a message for Dr Bakshi or the staff, please feel free to send a non-urgent message via the portal or please call the office in the morning.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

12/02/2019

Given the inclement weather, the office will have a delayed opening. We will open at 11a today.

We will provide updates here and on our outgoing message if we need to make additional changes.

If you have an urgent medical question, you can reach the on-call physician at 978-295-1113.

09/04/2019

09/04/2019

Flu season is around the corner!

If your child is 6 months or older, he/she is eligible to receive the flu vaccine. Please call the clinic to schedule.

08/01/2019

10/31/2018

Happy Halloween!
Please see this link for some Safety Tips for tonight!

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/all-around/Pages/Halloween-Safety-Tips.aspx

09/18/2018

We are happy to announce our first Flu Clinic of the season!

When: Saturday, October 6, 10a-12p
Where: Walden Pond Pediatrics

Please call the office to schedule your child's seasonal flu vaccine.

If this day doesn't work for you, you can still schedule them during the weekdays!

09/07/2018

Flu vaccine is here!!!

Is your child 6 months old or older? Please call the clinic or send us a message on MyChart to schedule their seasonal flu vaccine.

08/25/2018

We'll be at the Concord Family Fair tomorrow, Saturday, August 25 10a-4p at Nashoba Brooks School.

See local vendors, enjoy the activities, and come say hello!

08/22/2018

We have received the flu vaccine for our patients 19 years old and up!

Please call the office or send us an appointment request on MyChart to schedule your flu vaccine before you start school.

08/17/2018

I had a great time working on this episode of "Healthy Living with Emerson Hospital". Thank you Emerson Hospital for the opportunity.

In this episode of "Healthy Living with Emerson Hospital", Leah Lesser, Public Relations Manager at Emerson, interviews Dr. Esh*ta Bakshi, Chair of Pediatrics.

08/06/2018

There have been a few cases of diarrhea caused by Cryptosporidium in our local camps with swimming pools.
Please see the link below for more information, speak to your child's camp administration to inquire about exposure, and call the office if you have concerns about your child.

https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/pdf/swimming/resources/cryptosporidium-factsheet.pdf

07/24/2018

Please see below for details of recall of different crackers, among other foods

Whey powder is an FDA regulated ingredient used in a multitude of foods. It was recalled due to possible salmonella contamination which has resulted in several subsequent recalls including Swiss Rolls, Ritz crackers and Pepperidge Farm Goldfish, with more recalls expected to follow.

06/29/2018

The office is currently closed and unfortunately our voicemail is not working due to an outage per phone carrier.

If you have an urgent medical matter, please call the on-call physician at 978-295-1113.

If you would like to relay a message and you are signed up on the patient portal, please send a message through MyChart and the staff will return your message Monday when the office reopens.

Unfortunately we were not given a duration for the outage.
I apologize for the inconvenience.

06/07/2018

Our phone lines are up and running again! Thank you for your patience.

06/06/2018

We are having a trouble with our phone line. Please call Dr. Bakshi at the on-call number: 978-295-1113.

If she is unable to take your call, she or a member of the staff will return your call at their earliest convenience.

Sorry for the inconvenience. We will keep you posted as soon as our line is up and running again!

03/13/2018

For the safety of our patients and staff, we have decided to keep the office closed all day. We apologize for any inconvenience.

If you have an urgent medical matter, please call the on-call physician at 978-295-1113.

We plan to be open tomorrow at our regular time. Please be careful if you will be out in this weather.

03/13/2018

Due to the inclement weather, the office will be closed this morning. We hope to open this afternoon.

If you have an urgent medical matter, please call the on-call physician at 978-295-1113.