Pediatric Specialists of Virginia (PSV) has compiled these FAQs to address common questions about your child’s pulmonary care and ensure clarity about scheduling, billing, and appointments.
Determining the Right Provider
Do I need to see a pulmonary or allergy provider?
Your child’s primary care provider will determine the appropriate specialist based on their symptoms.
Appointments and Scheduling
Why am I scheduled for a separate appointment with Children’s National Hospital?
Your office visit is with a PSV pulmonary provider. However, many patients also require an in-office procedure called a Pulmonary Function Test (PFT). This is a simple breathing test which is administered by our partners at Children’s National Hospital. Patients 5 years and older are automatically scheduled for the PFT test so parents do not have to make separate appointments. The test will be performed in the same location as the office visit, but with Children’s National Hospital.
Why did I receive two appointment reminders?
You will receive separate reminders for:
- Your PSV office visit.
- Your child’s PFT, which is performed in the same building and suite, but managed by Children’s National Hospital.
Both appointments are scheduled at the same time, and patients are asked to arrive 15 minutes early.
Can this visit be conducted via telemedicine?
First-time pulmonary appointments are typically conducted in-person to allow for a thorough physical assessment. After the initial visit, your provider will determine if follow-up appointments can be conducted via telemedicine.
Can I choose where my child has their PFT done?
While Children’s National Hospital performs PFTs on-site, PSV can assist with scheduling through Inova Health System if your insurance is not in-network with Children’s National Hospital. If this applies, PSV will provide the necessary contact information and PFT order for you to schedule directly with Inova.
Check-In Process
What to expect when you arrive for your visit.
When you arrive for your appointment, you should first check in at the PSV front desk. Depending on the age of your child and if your child is scheduled for a PFT, you will then be directed to the Children’s National Hospital check-in desk in the same waiting area. Children’s National Hospital staff will make sure they have obtained all the necessary information for their billing system and the appropriate signatures.
If you have a co-pay for your office visit with PSV, you will be asked to pay that at the time of check-in. If you have a co-pay for the PFT, you will receive a bill from Children’s National Hospital after the visit. A medical assistant will then bring you back for your appointment and PFT, if scheduled.
Billing and Insurance
Why are PFTs conducted by Children’s National Hospital?
PSV does not have the equipment or staff to administer PFTs. Therefore, we have partnered with Children’s National Hospital to offer this service on-site to our patients.
Why does Children’s National Hospital need my insurance information?
Children’s National Hospital operates independently with its own medical records system. They require your insurance information to verify coverage and obtain authorization for the PFT.
Why did I receive two bills?
If you have additional financial responsibility outside of the co-pay for the office visit, you will receive a bill for the office visit with your PSV provider. You will also receive a separate bill for the PFT, which is managed and billed by Children’s National Hospital. It is important to know that Children’s National Hospital bills this service as an “outpatient visit of a hospital” which may be subject to deductibles and higher out of pocket expenses.
Specialty Appointments
What should I expect for a newborn screening visit?
For appointments related to newborn screening:
- You will have a telemedicine appointment with a PSV nurse practitioner who specializes in these visits.
- Telemedicine reduces the risk of illness exposure for newborns.
If further care is needed, your child will be paired with a PSV pulmonologist for ongoing management.
Why was I scheduled with a nurse practitioner instead of a physician?
We aim to schedule your child with the pulmonologist specified in your hospital discharge instructions. If that provider is unavailable, we will schedule your child with another PSV pulmonary provider to ensure timely care.
If you need further assistance, please contact us at 703-635-2768.
