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OFFICE LOCATION AND HOURS

Location: Suite 200, 830 Pennsylvania Avenue, Charleston, WV, 25302.

The office is in the four story office building connected to and just past Women and Children's Hospital and just before the Lottery building on Pennsylvania Avenue. The office is the first one off of the elevator on the second floor. If I am not present, then one of my partners will see you if you are ill and cannot wait to see me.

MAKING AN APPOINTMENT

Sick visit - emergency:   A legitimate emergency is one that eminently threatens life or limb.Therefore, in the case of an emergency call 911. The operator is trained to help you with immediate life saving techniques, dispatch emergency personnel and route you to the most appropriate facility. A fever <104, ear ache or sore throat are NOT emergencies.

Sick visit - urgent: This involves an illness that should be attended to within the next 12 to 24 hours. Call the office during business hours to schedule an appointment as soon as possible. Adequate time ( 2 to 3 hours depending on the season ) in the schedule is left open for this type of visit so that you may always be seen in a timely manner. I have trained the office personnel to place certain illnesses in the schedule automatically and in order of severity. I have also trained the personnel to have me call you back if the illness appears to be one that we can handle over the phone to save you from unnecessary expense and exposure to other ill children.

Well child check-ups: As the check-up schedule is set and well known, the best times on my schedule are filled up from 1 to 4 months in advance. The check-up schedule is listed below, is also in the back of the newborn booklet given to you at your child's birth and when to schedule your next check-up is always at the bottom of the statement you received at the last office visit. Please call in the afternoon, if possible, to schedule a check-up as the phones are often tied up in the morning with sick patient calls. I will see patients until they are 21. Some older adolescents become uncomfortable waiting in a "baby" doctors waiting room and chose to see a family practice physician at about 16 to 21. Female patients requiring pelvic exams are usually referred to an OBGYN physician (often the mother's OBGYN) and I can still do the regular check ups until 21 years of age, or they are welcome to switch to the female physicians in our practice. A pelvic exam is no longer recommended until 21 years of age, onset of sexual activity, or if there is a pain or unusual discharge. Birth control for period control or acne can be prescribed without a pelvic exam.

Well child check up schedule:

1st year: 2-3 weeks, then 2, 4, 6 and 9 months.

 2nd year: 12, 15 and 18 months

 3rd year: 24, 30 and 36 months.

 Then yearly after 3 years of age.

NOTE: the 12 month, 4 year , and 16year check up visits must be on or after that birthday if vaccines are received at our office.

Immunizations: The routine immunizations are given at the scheduled check-ups, but occasions arise where they may not be. Should your child need a vaccine before the check-up can be scheduled, then please leave a message for me at the office in the afternoon and I will make sure your child's vaccines are up to date. It is not always necessary to have a check-up before giving the vaccines nor should a minor illness prevent your child from receiving a vaccine. I make every effort possible so that none of my patients are behind on their vaccines. If you have no medical insurance, then you may obtain the vaccines at the office or at the health department. The is a vaccine for children program that covers the vaccine but not administration of the vaccine. Therefore there is s small charge for each injection. If you have insurance that does not cover the vaccine, then this program does not apply, but you are still welcome to get the vaccines at the health department where they will be considerably cheaper.

Sports and camp physicals: These are the same as check-ups. The form you need filled out may be completed if your child's last check-up was within the last 365 days and there have been no major changes in your child's heath since the last check-up. If both of these criteria are not met, then the form cannot be filled out as this would be unethical and risking your child's life due to a potentially unknown problem. Please do not wait until the last minute to schedule your check-up. The sports physicals your child may receive at school are not the same as a check-up at our office. We are much more thorough than they need to be for just a sports physical.

NEW PATIENTS: I am accepting new patients into my practice. I have hospital privileges only at the best hospital for children and deliveries in our area, Women and Children's Hospital. If you are going to deliver at Women and Children's, all you have to do is tell the nurse, when asked, that you would like Dr. Matusic as your pediatrician. If you are going to deliver at Thomas, please call as soon as possible, because I will want to see your baby within a day or two of discharge from the hospital.