SERVICES 

WE ARE THRILLED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER OUR PATIENTS THE FOLLOWING SERVICES:

PRENATAL COUNSELING – Expecting a baby? Congratulations! We encourage new parents to schedule a prenatal visit to help prepare for this exciting arrival! During these visits, you can meet our staff, tour our office, and have all your questions answered. Common topics of discussion include what to expect in the hospital, care of the newborn, immunizations, breast feeding support, and the scheduling of office visits.

BABY CARE BASICS – This is a class for first time parents and for those wanting a refresher.  It will be expertly led by our RN, Marissa Monteiro with Dr. Rahim by her side and offered approximately every six weeks.  Please call the front desk, (508) 435-7100 to schedule.

REACH OUT AND READ – We are proud to be a program site for Reach Out and Read, an early literacy program that was founded at Boston City Hospital in 1989.  Research has shown that this program results in more frequent reading at home, accelerated vocabulary and critical brain stimulation.  You can expect a FREE age appropriate book at each well visit from 6 months to 5 years!

MEDICAL HOME CARE COORDINATION –The American Academy of Pediatrics describes a patient centered medical home as not a building or a place but an approach to providing comprehensive primary care that facilitates partnerships between patients, clinicians, medical staff and families. It is a model of delivering pediatric care that is accessible, continuous, comprehensive, family-centered, coordinated, compassionate and culturally effective care.  Start Line Pediatrics is proud to offer this service to our families for coordinating care.  Our Medical Home Coordinator, Marissa Monteiro, will be taking an active role in helping us to coordinate the care of our patients with special health care or complex health care needs, and to ensure that all of our patients receive care in the manner described above.  She also assists families in obtaining / aligning community resource services including the Medical Home Asthma Program through Boston Children’s Hospital.  She has access to the Medical Home Asthma Program.  Please let Marissa know if she can be of help to your family in coordinating medical care or other medically related needs.  As a patient centered medical home pediatric practice, we provide evidence based care meaning we follow established American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines and best practices.

LACTATION SUPPORT – Meghan Collins-Putnam,LPN, IBCLC is a certified lactation consultant.  She has been working in mother-baby care since 2001 and has been a certified lactation consultant since 2005. To make an appointment with Meghan, please call our office, (508) 435-7100.  Meghan also offers a prenatal breastfeeding class for interested parents, also available by calling our office.

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONSULTATIONS/COUNSELING – Mera Weber, LICSW, is a Behavioral Health Specialist.  Mera can help your family with the following kinds of problems and concerns: anxiety, depression, ADHD, smoking drug and alcohol use, discipline and limit setting, managing tantrums and oppositional behavior, shyness, worries and fears, management of chronic health conditions, grief, loss, trauma and major life changes, social relationships and dating, school performance and learning, delays in development, sleep and bedtime, toilet training, family relationships, parental guidance and support.

After meeting with you, working as partners, you, your provider and Mera can decide what services and supports may be most helpful:

• Developmental guidance
• Referral to community-based therapy/psychiatric care
• Participation in groups
• Parenting Support
• Medication monitoring in collaboration with a Start Line provider or psychiatric provider
• Periodic check-ins for progress monitoring
• Consultation with schools or other providers

Ask your provider about a referral for Behavioral Health Counseling or call our front desk to leave a request for your provider or our triage nurse, Marissa.

MYCHART
FEATURES AVAILABLE THROUGH MYCHART.

• Send non-urgent messages to your doctor, including pictures and video attachments
• Review your child’s medical records, growth charts, and medications
• Print letters and Well Visit Forms from home
• Access your test results
• Request prescription refill
• Pay your bill
• Manage your appointments
• Sign in for Virtual Visit / Telehealth appointments​

TELEHEALTH SERVICE – Appointments, except well visits, may be scheduled as a Telehealth (Virtual) visit with provider and your insurance approval.  Parents must have a MyChart account for any type of Telehealth Visit.  In addition, all patients 13yo and older must have their own MyChart account for any Telehealth.  Our reception staff will be happy to assist you with a login during business hours.

NUTRITION COUNSELING

Kim Minogue is a registered dietitian with an undergraduate degree in nutrition from Simmons College and a graduate degree from Boston University. She has over 15 years of experience working with both pediatrics and adults.

Caitlin Albano is a registered dietitian with an undergraduate degree in nutrition from Syracuse University and a graduate degree from Boston University.  She has over 9 years of experience working with both pediatrics and adults at the Massachusetts General Hospital and in Newton Wellesley Hospital inpatient units.

Their bios can be found at https://birchwoodnutritiongroup.com/  They have daytime and evening appointments available to work with your child or family. Some common reasons to work with a dietitian include: underweight, overweight, picky eaters, food allergies, eating disorders, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes. They accept most major insurances including: Blue Cross, Tufts, Harvard Pilgrim, Aetna, Fallon, and neighborhood Health Plan.

Ask your provider about a referral for Nutritional Counseling.