Bringing home your beautiful new bundle of joy is an exciting time, but it can also be very stressful—especially when it comes to keeping your baby healthy. One way to feel a lot less uncertain is to know exactly where to turn if you need medical help or advice. Use this guide to feel confident you’re always seeking out the right care for your family:
- Time for a check-up? See your baby’s primary care doctor. Your baby’s pediatrician is the best person to supply routine care and treat minor medical issues that pop up. Just call the office and make an appointment to go in. If you need a pediatrician for your baby, log in to your member account at bcbsm.com to find an in-network doctor.
- Not sure what to do and need advice fast? Call the nurse line. Not sure if your baby’s cough or low-grade fever is something to worry about? Before bundling up your baby to go to an emergency room call the nurse line and get free advice 24 hours a day. The registered nurse you speak with will help you to make a decision about what care your baby needs and whether or not you should go to an urgent care center or emergency room. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan members can call 1-800-775-BLUE (2583) and Blue Care Network members can call 1-855-624-5214.
- Need immediate care that may require a prescription? Opt for 24/7 online health care. Use your smart phone or computer, to connect with a board certified doctor at any time of the day or night, especially when your Primary Care Provider (PCP) is unavailable. The doctor will be able to prescribe any needed medications and send the prescriptions directly to your pharmacy—all at a cost of $49 or less. To access this feature, download the Amwell app, visit bcbsm.amwell.com or call 1-844-733-3627.
- Pediatrician unavailable but need in-person care for your baby? Visit a retail health center or urgent care center. If your baby gets sick and you can’t get in to see the pediatrician, there are a host of options available to you. A retail health center is a walk-in clinic found in places like pharmacies and other stores. There you can get care for minor medical issues like a baby’s sore throat or ear infection. If your baby has something a little more serious going on, like a minor burn or scrape, visit an urgent care center. These offices are usually open 24/7 and offer convenient medical care from board certified doctors without an appointment (or the high costs that come from a visit to the emergency room). Open your Blue Cross mobile app or log in to your member account at bcbsm.com to find a retail health clinic or urgent care.
- Has an emergency occurred? Go to the emergency room or call 911. When something serious has happened, like your baby is struggling to breathe or is vomiting uncontrollably, always to go the hospital’s emergency room or call 911.
For more advice about keeping your baby safe and healthy, visit bcbsm.com/findcare or see these other blogs:
- Are You Getting the Most Out of Your Pediatrician?
- Parents: Do You Really Know When Antibiotics Are Needed?
- Sweet Dreams: Preventing SIDS Through Education
Photo: Ryan Polei
