Author Archives: Brian Udell

Dr. Udell’s New Advice for Choosing a Pediatrician

The New York Times recently published their version of “How to Choose the Right Pediatrician“. That was great advice for the last century. Web-savvy parents being more knowledgable than co-authors Prof. Chang and Dr. Wilkerson gave due credit, my estimation of what families need to consider may provide a more useful prescription.

The days of developing a personal relationship with your pediatrician are passing quickly. Multi-physician groups. Multi-specialty groups. Nurse Practitioners’ and Physician Assistants’ assistance. Docs-in-a-Box. This is the prelude to even further distance from the ‘real’ doctor. Telemedicine is here to stay. We need to make the best of it.

Moms and Dads will ask family and neighbors about a ‘good doctor’, to be sure. However, practitioner reimbursement will determine the family’s options, navigating an increasingly more complex system than even the present feudal alliance with payors (sic). As parents seek a medical office that possesses the infrastructure for on-line labs and appointments, as was suggested in the above-referrenced article, the number and variety of practitioners will, likewise increase.

The future of pediatric visits, for the most part, is going to include increasing digital documentation (pictures, videos) and virtual interaction. This sea change will likely reduce spread of infection, and families find it quite convenient. In my estimation, more distance = fewer accurate diagnosis and increasing incidence of unnecessary or incorrect treatments. I am a dinosaur in the medical profession, so time will tell. Certainly, insurance, pharmaceutical, medical malpractice, and physician management companies will be collecting extensive data. When properly utilized, large real-time databases detailing nutrition, red flags for growth and development, ADHD, and other parameters can provide useful knowledge.

Your child’s Pediatric visits with ‘The Company’ may look something like this:

“Hello, you have reached Mega-Pediatrics Medical Insurance Group.
In an emergency, call 911 and/ or go directly to your nearest emergency room.
If this is not an emergency, please answer the following questions…
If it is time for your child’s vaccination, someone will answer immediately. (Press 1)
Otherwise, please send an email with your issues (help@www.yeahright.org), or visit our FAQs page where you will be directed to further assistance. However, if you prefer to stay connected, you can ask our on-line virtual assistant further questions…
Was that helpful? Yes or No…
If not, you will now be directed to our Nursing Assistant who will direct you to the next available practitioner. Wait time is not more than…
Hi, I’m Charlie… please tell me the nature of your child’s condition?”

And, so it shall go. My point is, rather than placing your trust in any single actual physician, choosing plans that clearly document a path to useful assistance will prove much more fruitful as Universal Systems seek to decrease overhead and streamline care. So, how does a parent access the necessary services in the most efficient manner? Consumers need to choose policies that receive high ‘grades’ somewhere, favoring that important issue over the lowest priced provider. Websites that highlight and provide proof of medical care provided in a timely and useful manner will be much more important than, “Dr. So-and-So is really good.” Even if she is, there is no small chance that her employer/insurance/plan/circumstances/etc., will change in the next few months. Accessibility, stability and continuity of services should be benchmarks for success.

Youngsters will still have to go somewhere for routine inoculations. (Note to self… good business for Pro-Vaxxers… home vaccination service?… home-vaccination kit?). This reality, plus the need for occasional ‘real’ physical interaction and advice, might lead to an increasing number of  ‘concierge’ practices that are able to cater to more individual needs. This will be especially true for children who exhibit complicated medical challenges. The present state-of-the-art has declared that the today’s version of ‘evidence-based’ medicine is the only useful one. Obviously, (COVID-19 response) we aren’t always following the ‘science’ – especially when it’s a moving target.

It then becomes even more important for outlier pediatricians and functional medicine practitioners to keep accurate databases and large companies to properly evaluate their own information so that, together, such knowledge may actually change long-held incorrect views about child development. Mega-Pediatrics Medical Insurance Group done correctly could assist in future pediatric care. Money talks, right?

As new parents now have so many usual decisions to make in such an unusual and rapidly changing environment, their knowledge of navigating the web – literally, with one hand – will come in useful to make the correct choice for your child’s pediatric needs.

Read more here

The Child Development Center Continues to Struggle with All COVID-19 Information…

How The Child Development Center is Responding to COVID-19

COVID-19 Planning Considerations: Guidance for School Re-entry
Critical Updates on COVID-19  /  Clinical Guidance  /  COVID-19 Planning Considerations: Guidance for School Re-entry

The staff had our first ‘Response to the COVID Epidemic Meeting’ in our South Florida Office in the second week of March 2020. This was just after reports indicated ever-increasing numbers of infected people in our region. 

Cleanliness, individual space, fewer people, and avoiding those who have possible symptoms have been a sensible start. We asked families not to bring other siblings for in-person doctor visits.

We have kept one in-office staff member per day to help answer the phones and emails, and to keep in close contact with Dr. Udell, who is having virtual follow-up visits from his home office.

The staff has remote access to our database so that appropriate prescriptions are refilled, started, and discontinued. Laboratory evaluations and results can be made available through cooperating institutions and services.

In addition to the virtual visits, other digital means (videos, pictures, reports, etc.) to discuss difficulties, protocol changes, and other patient issues can fill an important void.

Constant notification through emails has always been a valuable tool to keep protocols running smoothly. This includes assistance during these times of close quarters among families with additional behavioral implications.

As the days are turning into weeks – and more – of isolation, this may become an even more propitious moment to explore biomedical intervention for your child’s developmental challenges. Further advice from our warrior families is, as always, sought and appreciated.

UPDATE:
We are now allowing in-office and virtual visits (for established patients). We are only allowing 1 family at-a-time to enter the office, performing temperature checks upon entering, and thoroughly cleaning all areas prior to the next appointment. Acrylic barriers have been put in place and all of our staff are continuing to use face masks and strict hygiene. This takes more time and resources, so we appreciate all of our patients’ patience in these precarious times.

UPDATE:
All of the staff is tested frequently for COVID-19 positivity. That may mean longer wait times and fewer staff to handle all of the children experiencing developmental challenges with few options. Thanks for your patience.

How long will this last – WHO KNOWS FOR SURE?

Brian D. Udell MD
Medical Director
Child Development Center of America

New team member – Practitioner Ben Roberts

We are pleased to welcome a new professional to our team.

Ben has been a registered nurse since 2007. He has cared for adult and pediatric populations in emergent and non-emergent environments throughout his career. During his career and throughout his education, Ben has participated to educate and improve healthcare to vulnerable populations across all age groups.


In 2019, he met Dr. Udell during a pediatric rotation for his Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) degree and immediately became intrigued with Dr. Udell’s approach to Autism and ADHD children. Ben has a son on the spectrum, so making a difference with these children and adults has priority. Ben graduated with honors in august 2019 and has been interning with the office ever since to continue to educate himself to treat autism and ADHD.