Help! Urgent care for children in SF Bay Area?????

The clinic my kids go to doesn't have urgent care apparently. We are in the Easy Bay, and my toddlers look like they have pink eye. My son's teacher sent us home when we got to the school this morning. So I called to make an appointment and they can't get in until April...
I was like, BUT THEY HAVE PINK EYE NOW, not in April. :/

So my question is....WHAT DO I DO? Anybody know where I take them?? Emergency room seems a little dramatic just for pink eye.

Perhaps try over the counter drops and warm compresses over the eye? Wish I knew what else you could do.

if you have no other choice than go to the ER

Quoting mamiKrystal:" The clinic my kids go to doesn't have urgent care apparently. We are in the Easy Bay, and my toddlers ... [snip!] ... So my question is....WHAT DO I DO? Anybody know where I take them?? Emergency room seems a little dramatic just for pink eye."

I cant help you with your problem today, but I'd get a new pedi asap. There is no excuse for not having same-day sick visits for kids ESPECIALLY for something like pink eye. Sorry this is a problem for you and i hope it gets better fast.

Quoting They call me mama.:" Perhaps try over the counter drops and warm compresses over the eye? Wish I knew what else you could do. "

What kind of drops?? And I don't even know if they have pink eye or not, that's why I want them to get checked. They aren't itching them or anything, but did have some eye boogers in the morning.

Quoting Blythe.:" if you have no other choice than go to the ER"

  I wouldnt try to treat it untill you know what it is, and it sounds like the ER is going to be your best bet. I also agree that you should look for another doctor, because that is ridiculous.

Days like these are when I miss my small town in Iowa. No waiting on hold for an hour or waiting months for an appointment. and free parking.

 

Quoting mamiKrystal:" Days like these are when I miss my small town in Iowa. No waiting on hold for an hour or waiting months for an appointment. and free parking.  "

I know what you mean on the parking lol, I'm in Sacramento. However, I have never had those kind of problems with my pedi. Seriously, you should look into switching doctor offices.

If you have Medi-Cal, most county facilities have it. If you just call them. I love in The South Bay, so more like San Jose. But I took my LO to Valley Medical. I called to make an appointment for urgent are when she had a bad cold, and they made it for 3 hours later. It is a goverent facility since its Medi-Cal and we waited about 30-45 min but she got in the same day never-the-less.

Quoting Sweet Baby Blue:" If you have Medi-Cal, most county facilities have it. If you just call them. I love in The South Bay, ... [snip!] ... later. It is a goverent facility since its Medi-Cal and we waited about 30-45 min but she got in the same day never-the-less."

Yes, we have medi-cal. It's just frustrating because I'm not from here so no idea where to go. I'm going to try calling the hospitals closest to home and see if I can get an appointment or something.

Can you call the PEDI office back and ask if there was any way that you can describe exactly what is going on with your kid and the doc might call something in to a pharm for you? I know if you have a good relationship with your pedi and they know you're not a hypochondriac they can sometimes do things like that (especially if the alternative is going to an ER for something that isn't an emergency and possibly exposing the poor babes to something way worse than pink eye.)

Quoting The Pretender:" Can you call the PEDI office back and ask if there was any way that you can describe exactly what is ... [snip!] ... to an ER for something that isn't an emergency and possibly exposing the poor babes to something way worse than pink eye.)"

I would try that except for every time I call I wait at least 30 minutes on hold..and I've never met their doctor before, I've never taken them in, it's just the office I chose for their medi-cal. So I'm really doubtful they will do that. Oh, and the number I have is a "call center", so it's not the actual office.

<blockquote><b>Quoting mamiKrystal:</b>" I would try that except for every time I call I wait at least 30 minutes on hold..and I've never met ... [snip!] ... So I'm really doubtful they will do that. Oh, and the number I have is a "call center", so it's not the actual office."</blockquote>




Ok well then you need to take the first appointment available to establish your children as patients so this sorta thing doesn't happen again. That is likely why it is going to be SOO long before they can get you in- new pt appts take more time and sometimes docs only see new pts on certain days. In the meantime, do they have any clinics at your Walgreens or anything? There may be a slight fee but it beats going to the ER

Quoting mamiKrystal:" I would try that except for every time I call I wait at least 30 minutes on hold..and I've never met ... [snip!] ... So I'm really doubtful they will do that. Oh, and the number I have is a "call center", so it's not the actual office."

We had the same problem when I was first assigned Medi-Cal with DS. We switched doctors 3 times before finally going to a UC Davis office. They are amazing and I love it there. My advice it to stay away from clinics as much as possible. I would see about going through one of the bigger hospitals, or look for an office that has ties to a major hospital like ours.

Thanks to you guys who replied, I appreciate your advice. I called medi-cal and they said if I change his doctor I'll still have to wait until march 1. or I can take him to the ER, but if they don't consider it an emergency his medi-cal won't cover it.
To top it all off, I'm like 37 weeks pregnant and emotional so I started crying on the phone. and in the background my 4 yr old is singing "pink eye pink eye pink eye".

So I guess my plan is to do nothing and see if it goes away.