Peds on Wheels promises to care for children during health crisis

SANDUSKY — Medical professionals representing Peds on Wheels reassured community members they're here, more so than ever before, to help and heal children. With help from Lauren Kwasny, one of the pediatric clinic's nurse practitioners, the organization released some information pertaining to COVID-19 and its ongoing operations. Q: What is Peds on Wheels? LK: Peds on Wheels is a pediatric clinic serving the surrounding five-county areas. The veteran-run clinic is composed of a pediatrician Dr. Robert Johnson, two nurse practitioners, Amanda Johnson and myself, LPN Kelsee Waggoner and our behind-the-scenes office operator Jamie Deninger. Our goal, as an organization, is to provide high-quality health care to children within the communities that we live in and serve. A large portion of our patient population is an underserved community that would traditionally be unreachable for routine health care because of a lack of transportation. We see children with every insurance and those without insurance. No child is ever turned away for the inability to pay. Over the last several years, our practice has grown exponentially through word of mouth. We collectively see over 3,000 patients. Q: How have operations changed, if at all, with the coronavirus pandemic? LK: The health care team at Peds on Wheels is continuing to provide services to the children of the community with both home and office visits. Myself and Mandy Johnson provide home visits, and pediatrician Dr. Johnson is at the office location at 167 E. Washington Row in downtown Sandusky. The office hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Services offered include vaccines, well-child exams, sick visits, sports physicals and more. Every insurance is accepted. For more information or to set up an appointment, call 419-217-7635. Amanda and I travel to patients' homes to deliver the same high-quality health care that would be provided in a traditional health care environment. Dr. Johnson stays at our office location for walk-in appointments. Our services have been exponentially vital during COVID-19 because we maintain the ability to see patients in the comfort of their homes, allowing them to abide by the stay-at-home order. In addition, our services have kept many children out of the emergency room, lessening the potential of COVID-19 exposure and allowing the emergency rooms to be reserved for the purpose of emergency care. We are also continuing to provide routine care in patients' homes including vaccines to keep them on schedule. Q: How are you best protecting patients and staff during this health crisis? LK: We have been very fortunate to have received personal protective equipment donations that have allowed us to continue the home visits, keeping both the nurse practitioners and the patients safe. We still continue to welcome all personal protective equipment donations as the end of the pandemic is not clear. We went out and purchased a tent to screen and treat patients that come to the office with COVID-19 symptoms to ensure the safety of all patients seeking care. Q: What other initiatives or partnerships has the organization recently pursued? LK: During this time, we have also paired up with OHgo and have been taking breakfast and lunches to the children that we care for. Kelsee, our beloved LPN, has been running lunches out to children in the community on her lunch break. We also have a donation room at the clinic where we provide clothing and supplies for children in need. There was a recent apartment fire in town, and we were able to provide clothing to many of the children that lived in the building. The amount of support we have received from the community has been extremely humbling. Q: What message do you want the community to understand about Peds on Wheels? LK: Although we know that we are actively on the frontlines of COVID-19 by placing ourselves in patients' homes, we also know that these children would not have any access to health care if we did not continue to see them during the pandemic. Each person that works at Peds on Wheels has an incredible love for the profession and the children in the community. We take pride in caring for children and giving families a sense of security during these uncertain times.