December, 1995

STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES
SWIMMING ALLOWED
LETTERS FROM HOME
CHICKENPOX
NEW AREA CODE

STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES

This is an era of rapidly changing medical insurance plans and coverage. Medical doctors are merging into large groups. Doctors and patients are being driven apart by huge, powerful, and impersonal insurance networks. Patients are losing the ability to choose the kind of medical care they desire. At this time of chaos and change, we wish to reaffirm our commitment of excellence to our patients. We pledge to you that the principles on which our practice was founded will remain resolute and unyielding despite the turbulence of these times. These are our founding principles:

We will remain committed to home birth, natural childbirth, and breastfeeding as the primary solution to providing the highest quality and lowest cost maternity and pediatric care.
We realize that you, our patients, form the basis of our practice. We appreciate you and promise to spend adequate time with you and treat you kindly. Since we have come to know your families over the years, and for many of you we've been in your homes, we can customize your medical care and advice.
If you call with a medical problem before noon, we will see you the same day if possible.
We will control costs by giving common sense advice, emphasizing nutrition and life-style to keep the family healthy. We will help you avoid unnecessary medical procedures, tests, hospitalizations, drugs, and vaccines.
We will work with our patients as your advocate so that you can achieve maximum reimbursement from your insurance company. In many cases we can offer you a discount comparable to the fee schedule of your insurance plan. If you do not have insurance we can establish reasonable payment arrangements for you.
If you require the care of a specialist, we will recommend the best and most capable specialist available rather than merely anyone on an insurance company's list.
We will remain a source of health information and advice that can be believed and trusted. Our policy of providing free consultations will continue. Dr. Elvove is available for emergency consultations twenty-four hours a day. The myriad accumulated years of experience and wisdom of our staff is open to you in the following areas: childbirth, breast feeding, child rearing, home schooling, diet and nutrition, herbal remedies, homeopathy, and homemaking arts. Our informative series of childbirth classes will continue to be taught bimonthly.

SWIMMING ALLOWED

Parents know that the area of the toybox and the children's book shelf are their children's favorite section of the waiting room in our office. Now we have a new attraction to occupy their attention. An aquarium stocked with brightly colored goldfish delights and fascinates them while you visit our offfice. Hopefully gazing at the fish will relax them and make them less anxious when it comes time for their check up!

LETTERS FROM HOME

I wanted to thank you for helping to make Amit's birth such a wonderful experience. As you know, I wasn't always sure that I could do it at home--because Gabriel's birth wasn't calm and drug-free, with supportive people surrounding me. I didn't know if I could trust my body to do it the way I wanted to this time.
Your calm, low-key approach really helped me. (I guess I'm not used to doctors and nurses with relaxed, positive attitudes, or maybe there just aren't enough of them.) Your approach toward labor and my fears about the pain reminded me of that saying that the only real antidote to fear is courage. After all, I had to have the baby and although I didn't feel especially courageous, I did accomplish my goal of getting through labor drug-free, at home, and (I hope) without too much complaining.
It was beautiful and amazing to be sitting in my living room minutes after Amit was born, nursing her and watching the leaves blow around on a bright autumn morning. It felt so right and natural and true.
I'm also happy to let you know that even previously skeptical family members and friends were awed by the calm and uncomplicated way Amit came into the world, and now see that homebirth is a safe, gentle birthing choice.
Finally, thank you both... for detailed answers to all my questions, for taking seriously my every concern, and for advice about nutrition and childrearing issues. (Thanks to you, Dr. Elvove, I'm only changing one kid's diapers!)
I feel blessed to have been able to experience childbirth this way; thanks for helping to make it possible... S.D.

Rebecca is now 5 weeks old and changing everyday. The miracle of life is so overwhelming, & now we can see the miracle before our own eyes.
Thanks so much for the assistance, education, & support during our pregnancy & delivery. Your service greatly exceeds the typical doctor/patient relationship and with it builds one of trust and respect. I sincerely hope that many of your visiting medical students will follow your lead and help more families deliver at home.
Our new daughter has touched our lives in ways we never imagined. In the first second we saw her, deadlines & houshold chores took a back seat to cuddling and playing. She has actually de-stressed our lives.
Thanks again for everything, and we are looking forward to doing it all again. Sincerely, V. & N. P.

We'd like to extend our warmest thanks for making our experience with your office such a positive one. You've always been warm and patient with our questions during & after my pregnancy.
We also send a special thank you to Dr. Elvove & Cathy for the beautiful birth of our son, Arion It was such a memorable moment! We'll always look back on it with happy feelings shared with our families. Several were touched to the point of tears. Thank you for making that possible! Sincerely, M. & M. Y.

Once again words cannot express how thankful I am you both made Tyler's birth so beautiful.
You'll never be able to know how truly happy & thankful I am that you were recommended to me. I have been thrilled with every single thing about you-from the day I met you to the day Tyler was born...and I'm sure I'll continue to feel this way. You both helped make my birth experiences three of the best memories I'll ever have. I don't intend to invite you over for any more births. But you are welcome in our home anytime! After all...you helped to truly make it a home! I tell everyone how wonderful you are. I just wish everyone could be as lucky as me! You have all, always made me feel so comfortable in your office! Thank you so very much! Love, R. L.

CHICKENPOX

Chickenpox is a common viral illness which affects virtually all children. It is characterized by a low grade fever and a clear runny nose followed by the appearance of the characteristic itchy red spots with small water-filled blisters. The red spots multiply over a period of three days starting on the upper body then spreading downward. The disease is communicable twenty-four hours before the spots appear and until all the spots have dried and scabbed over. The child breaks out with the rash between 10-21 days following exposure to the virus. In children the disease causes mild to moderate discomfort due to the fever and the itching. Itching can be controlled by painting the spots with calamine lotion and giving tepid baths in colloidal oatmeal solution. Acetaminophen is not recommended because it prolongs the course of the disease. After recovery the child retains lifelong immunity to the chickenpox virus. Complications from chickenpox such as pneumonia or encephalitis are extremely rare in normal healthy children.

A vaccine against chickenpox has been approved by the FDA this year. The duration of vaccine effectiveness is yet unknown and it could leave a person unprotected later in life when chickenpox can result in serious complications for an adult. Furthermore any new live virus vaccine might be proven unsafe over time. We may even realize someday that acquiring and recovering from this ancient disease helps the child by building up the strength of his immune system. Since chickenpox is usually an innocuous disease for normal healthy children, I am not recommending this vaccine at the present time. Until much more is known about the long-term safety and effectiveness of this vaccine, it should only be used for non-immune adults or for immunocompromised children.

The chickenpox vaccine was not developed for the benefit of children, rather for the demands of business, so that parents don't "waste time" staying home to care for them. If we cannot afford to stay home with a sick child for several days, are we neglecting other of their needs as well?

NEW AREA CODE

On January 20, 1996, our office's 708 area code will be changing to 847. Please note this change in your telephone book if you are calling from another area code.

George B. Elvove, M.D., P.C.
1029 West Park Avenue, Libertyville, IL 60048 (847) 362-1367 | Map & Directions | Disclaimer