Before Netflix and Hulu were available, does anyone else remember Blockbuster? Does anyone remember using flip phones before smartphones? Having streaming videos in your home or a smartphone with internet everywhere you go may seem like a luxury, but as our lives get busier every day, can we imagine living without these things today? 

Now think about the way you see your primary care doctor for your check ups and sick visits.

According to Dr. Vladimir Barayev MD, FAAP, CLC, our current medical system is very similar to old BLOCKBUSTER and flip-phones . You call your doctor to make an appointment which can happen anywhere from 1-3 weeks later. You have to sit in the waiting room (or these COVID days in your car) until the doctor can see you at 2 pm for your 12:30 appointment. After all that waiting, you can expect an average of one interruption every 19 seconds you speak and about a 10-15 minute hurried visit because the next person has been waiting for 1 hour as well. And the system keeps churning through patients one after another. 

There is a better way to connect you with your doctor, it’s the direct care model with no middle men. Imagine if a board certified pediatrician could do your child’s or newborn’s next annual exam from the comfort of home or if you prefer in a private medical office. There is no need for a waiting room because nobody has to wait. With this concierge level of care, your doctor may help prevent your next visit to the emergency room or urgent care center by giving you timely and accurate advice.  

Does your child have a fever? “Just text me!” Says Dr. Barayev. He also adds, “It’s the relationships that I form with my members that does most of the healing, not just my prescription pad. ” Now you can forget all about needing to take a day off from work and bringing all the kids in to see the doctor. You get to know your doctor and he knows your family well, no longer just a name in a chart. 

Rivertowns Pediatrics of Staten Island is now open and accepting new members. You will be able to text your pediatrician with a concern and they will actually reply. You can even schedule an in-home visit with a Board-Certified Pediatrician if you are not comfortable or don’t have the time to venture out into a doctors office. You can set up video chats, phone calls, texts, emails and face to face visits in a schedule that actually works. No more asking Dr Google for advice, no more Facebook groups with “this worked for my kid” stories. For more information you can visit: https://sirivertownspeds.com