What is special about this medical practice and model of care?
This model of care is rethinking the standard way that we provide care for new families. We do all of the pediatric medical care at the same time intervals that would normally be done in a pediatrician’s office, but we do the visits in the family’s home. We also are checking in on the postpartum mother. We believe that in our country we spend a lot of energy and care on pregnancy and the birth, but then leave families home alone to navigate what happens once the baby has been born. We want to rethink how we are caring for families during this transformative and important biological moment for both of the members of the mother/baby dyad.
This is a simple model of care that addresses the incredible and intertwined nature of our fourth trimester biology.
Does Tova Health provide comprehensive medical care for the newborn baby?
Yes! During our time together, we act as the pediatric primary care provider for the baby and provide maternal support for the mother. Our home visits happen at the same timing and frequency as the standard newborn pediatric office visits.
Does Tova health accept insurance plans?
Yes! We are in-network with most major insurance plans in the area. We bill all of our visits using Does billing codes.
Why are home visits important during this time?
There are some moments in our lifetime that are not well suited for being in a doctor’s office. The fourth trimester is one of those moments. For several reasons. First, in terms of illness transmission, the newborn phase of life is not an ideal time to be unnecessarily exposed to people that are sick, so a doctor’s office is not the best place for a newborn to be hanging out in! Second, the mother is recovering from one of the most intense physical experiences she will ever have in her lifetime. Her body is healing actively, so the plan of her carrying around a car seat and traveling to a doctor’s office a couple days after delivering a baby (particularly if there has been a c-section) is not a great option. Third, the mother/baby dyad is sorting out a tremendous amount during this time in terms of newborn feeding and lactation. This is one of the most intensive and rigorous life moments for a new family. The notion that we should drive to a doctor’s office and wait in a waiting room (sometimes for a long time) can be quite disruptive for this.
Many traditions and other countries know this! That specific care is indicated for the fourth trimester to suit its unique needs. Our standard of care is not well designed to acknowledge and honor the needs of this fundamental life moment.
Does Tova Health offer referrals, orders and labs for the newborn?
Yes!
How many home visits are there typically with Dr. Zasloff?
There are usually about four home visits during these first two months. This can vary depending on the family’s circumstances, and because Dr. Zasloff is the pediatrician for the baby, if the baby for example has a cold, we will of course schedule a visit for that as needed.
How does the transition of care happen when the care with us is finishing up?
Families will plan to transition the care over to the pediatricians office for the 2 month old well baby visit. As we are getting close to completing our care together, we will fax all of the visit notes, birth paperwork, and anything else medically relevant to the pediatrician that will be taking over the care of the baby. We are happy to provide our families with excellent recommendations for local pediatric providers in the area.
Do families follow up with their OBGyn providers or midwives?
Yes. We absolutely recommend following up with your birth team as it is scheduled. We complement eachother’s care very well. We check-in on both baby and mom at each visit and address issues as they arise. While there are some issues related to the birth that are best addressed by the birthing team, we can treat many important fourth trimester issues such as milk supply concerns, breast infections, or postpartum mood concerns.
What are the weekly fourth trimester group visits?
We believe that community is really important during the fourth trimester! Each week Dr. Zasloff hosts a virtual group visit open to all of the families that are currently in the practice. It is an opportunity for local families to share how they are doing, ask questions and have discussions together.
