NOTICE TO PROSPECTIVE PATIENTS If you are seeking a new pediatrician in the Tampa Bay area and have not yet visited our practice, we encourage you to review the following statement regarding childhood immunizations. We believe that vaccinating children and young adults is one of the most important health-promoting interventions we can perform as healthcare providers and you can perform as caregivers. Routine childhood immunizations have resulted in a tremendous decline in serious infections, disability, and death. Unfortunately, these illnesses are still present in the United States and other countries and are often just a short plane ride away. We understand that parents have reservations about certain vaccines, and our pediatricians will be happy to discuss those concerns with you as a new patient. At PHCA our vaccine policy requires that medically able patients need to be fully vaccinated, based on the CDC Recommended Immunization Schedule for Children and Adolescents. We believe that failure to follow the recommendations about vaccination may endanger the health and life of a child, and others with whom a non-vaccinated child may come into contact. Therefore, if you have already decided with absolute certainty that you will not vaccinate your child(ren), we encourage you to find another health care provider who shares your views. Thank you for your time in reading this statement. NOTE: In accordance with this policy, PHCA requires vaccine records/history prior to the first appointment for any transferring patient. |
PHCA Vaccination Policy
As part of our commitment to patient-centered care, we are dedicated to protecting the health of our patients and the community through vaccination. At PHCA we do have a policy that requires patients who are medically able to be fully vaccinated, according to the CDC Recommended Immunization Schedule for Children and Adolescents.
PHCA Standards for Vaccine Compliance | Vaccines Needed** |
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By the age of 12 mos: Patients must have received these vaccinations recommended for ages 0-9 months | Hep B DTaP | Hib IPV | Pneumococcal |
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By the age of 24 mos: Patient must have received these vaccinations recommended by 18 months of age | Hep B DTaP | Hib IPV | Pneumococcal | Varicella |
By the age of 5 yrs & 11 mos: patient must have received these vaccinations by 6 years of age. | Hep B | Hib | Pneumococcal | Varicella |
By the age of 12 yrs & 11 mos: patient must have received these vaccinations by 13 years of age. | All of the above, plus Tdap | |||
**Please note: While PHCA strongly recommends all childhood vaccines, we are allowing limited exceptions to the vaccine compliance policy. Rotavirus, Hep A, influenza, Meningococcal and HPV vaccines are recommended but not required as part of our policy.
The decision to adopt a more stringent policy regarding vaccination stems from the risk that a non-vaccinated child poses to other patients in our office, and to vulnerable families such as newborns or children with weakened immune systems. As a pediatric group we feel a powerful responsibility to work towards protecting our community from illness as much as possible.
Recommended Immunizations for Children
Birth Through 6 Years Old - English
Birth Through 6 Years Old - Spanish
7-18 Years Old - English
7-18 Years Old - Spanish
Please visit the CDC Vaccines and Immunizations page for more information
CDC Vaccine Information Statements
Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis(DTaP)
Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib)
Hepatitis A (Hep A)
Hepatitis B (Hep B)
HPV (Gardasil)
Influenza (intranasal)
Influenza (inactivated)
Inactivated Poliovirus (IPV)
Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
Meningococcal
Pneumococcal
Rotavirus
Varicella (chickenpox)