On Call Info

Answering service number: 423.493.6475

Please remember that after hours calls should be for emergencies only. Should you need to contact us about an emergency after hours, you will speak directly with the physician on call.

Whether you are calling for routine advice during office hours, or for an emergency, please keep a few suggestions in mind.
1. Have a pen, paper, and pharmacy number handy.
2. Make a specific list of your child's symptoms and your questions.
3. Mention relevant medical history, drug reactions, and current medications.
4. Have your child's approximate weight.

The following are examples of non-emergencies which should be handled during regular office hours:
1.Scabies, lice, poison ivy.

2.Refills on prescriptions unless they are desperately needed such as for an asthma attack. Plan ahead if your child has a long term prescription need.

3.Colic, feeding questions, diaper rash, crying

4.Low grade fever without other symptoms in children older than three months.

5.Social problems, school problems, divorce arguments, depression, potty training, and early morning calls for appointments later that same morning.

6.Minor lacerations.

These lists are not all-inclusive, but they do serve as guidelines.
Please consult these guidelines and look at the section on suggestions for common illnesses before you call.

Emergencies
If you have an emergency and cannot wait for a doctor to return your call, go to the Emergency Room. T. C. Thompson Children's Hospital is the best choice. At the first available time, call the answering service and let them know your child's name, the nature of the emergency, and the name of the hospital. The service is usually able to patch you directly to the doctor on call if you identify the situation as an emergency (such as a poisoning). If you are able to safely wait, call the answering service and let them know the above information, as this will allow your doctor to follow through on your child's care as soon as he or she is contacted.

Recommendations for Contacting the Providers at Spring Creek Pediatrics
We at Spring Creek Pediatrics wish to provide comprehensive and compassionate care for our patients. One of the key elements to this achievement is good communication and continuity. This is best achieved by contacting the providers at Spring Creek Pediatrics through proper channels. Additionally, communicating through proper channels helps us best ensure patient privacy.

1. During office hours, please contact us through the office number 423-892-3400. A message can be taken, and your call will be returned on the same day.
2. After hours, please contact the provider on call by calling the answering service at 423-493-6475. Our answering service contacts us directly using a secure method. This ensures that your information stays private. Contacting us through the answering service also ensures that we can follow the paper trail and properly document your concerns. This is essential for continuity in care.
3. It is best to use the answering service to contact us after hours to be sure you are reaching the provider on call. This provider will be in the best position to respond quickly and effectively to your concerns.
4. Please do not use messaging apps or text messaging to contact us as these methods are not secure. We do not have third party agreements with anyone other than our answering service, so a message through social media may be accessible to entities that do not need to have your personal information. Also, it is difficult to ensure that this type of communication is reflected in the patient's chart. Again, this is essential for continuity of care.
5. Please contact us during office hours for non-emergent concerns.