Back-to-School Physical with Walgreens

Can you believe it’s already the start of the school year? I can’t! My daughter receives speech therapy services at our local elementary school, and she is so excited to return. Before beginning the school year, I took her for a Back-to-School Physical Exam at a Walgreens Healthcare Clinic just minutes from our home. Want to learn how you can do the same for your child? Follow these simple directions!

The first step is to find a Walgreens Healthcare Clinic in your area. You can do so by visiting the website, clicking “Schedule Appointment” in the left column, and completing these prompts to schedule an appointment near you. You may also schedule an in home pediatric care service if you want.

If there aren’t any appointments available, you can walk in to the clinic closest to your home. Be aware, they are closed from 1 pm – 2 pm daily. Prior to your visit, you will need to print your state’s School Entry Health Exam. I found this form by doing a quick google search. Also, make sure you bring your driver’s license.

When I pulled up to my Walgreens, I noticed this sign. This was confirmation that I arrived at the correct Walgreens (which happened to be less than a mile from my home – how convenient!)

The Healthcare Clinic was toward the back of the store. I was unsure of what to do at first, but then I saw this sign directing me to sign in at the kiosk.

This is the first screen at the kiosk.

I was surprised to see all the different services that were available. Lydia got a back-to-school physical exam, which is normally $60, but is only $39 now. This is a great deal!

When we checked in, we were told there were two people ahead of us. We waited about 20 minutes before we were called back. We felt welcomed into the office when we saw this mat.

This was the office where Lydia was examined. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was a spacious room.

I was glad to see information about the physician who was overseeing the clinic and licensure posted on the wall.

I began by providing the nurse practitioner with my license and Lydia’s information (e.g. name, date of birth).

When grown-ups are talking about health-related information, kids are usually doing something like this, right??

Time for the exam! Lydia was measured and weighed. She is very petite. At almost 4 years old, she is 29 pounds and 37 inches tall.

Next, she sat on the exam table, ready for her check-up.

First, the nurse practitioner examined her eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.

She checked her heart rate and blood pressure as well.

Finally, she checked Lydia’s vision. This is the chart used with younger children.

We had a very pleasant experience at the Walgreens Healthcare Clinic. If I wanted to schedule a well visit with our regular pediatrician, it would have to be done about a month in advance. Generally the wait-time in the doctor’s office waiting room is about a half hour, followed by an additional half-hour wait in the exam room. At the Walgreens Healthcare Clinic, our wait-time was about 20 minutes and that was without an appointment. Our nurse practitioner was friendly and helpful. She worked quickly, but examined Lydia thoroughly. She completed all of our paperwork and she even worked into part of her lunch time to assist us.

The Walgreens Healthcare Clinics are great for:

• Parents who work full-time: they can bring their children to the clinic during evening or weekend hours.
• Individuals who are new to the area who have not yet chosen a primary care physician.
• Individuals who do not have health insurance, as it is not required for an exam.
• Individuals without cars – There are so many Walgreens Healthcare Clinics, there is likely one that is walking distance or can be easily found using public transportation.

Lydia and I had a great experience at her Back-to-School Physical Exam at our local Walgreens Healthcare Clinic! To learn more about our visit, check out my Google+ album.