Six Physicians Have Signed On with TubesToday.com as Participating Surgeons
Ask any parent who has had a child with reoccurring ear infections to describe what it’s like and they will use words such as: tears, pain, fevers, antibiotics, copays, doctor’s visits, missed school, and/or missed work. These infections – most often occurring in the middle ear – are the most common reason parents take their child to a doctor, and when they become chronic, it can result in hearing problems, speech or balance issues, and can even hinder a child’s learning abilities.
In these cases, a doctor may often recommend a tube be surgically inserted to allow the eardrum to equalize the pressure within the child’s ear. This surgery is one of the most common and simple procedures performed in children, with more than 500,000 performed annually, but in Richmond, it can sometimes take as long as four weeks before a surgery can be scheduled. This creates an unnecessarily long process that requires parents to work their schedule around a surgeon’s availability. A new Richmond-based online company called TubesToday.com is changing that, making it easier for parents who have children with reoccurring ear infections to get quick and efficient relief for their children, facilitating a 48-hour turnaround for scheduling ear tube surgeries.
Launched at the beginning of June, six local, board-certified ENT (ear, nose, and throat) physicians have already joined the TubesToday.com team as participating surgeons.
Those include:
Commonwealth ENT: Brian A. Fishero, MD; Patrick J. Gibbons, MD; Matthew Bridges, MD;
Comprehensive ENT: Julie Redmon, MD
Richmond ENT: Michael Armstrong, Jr., MD
The Balance & Ear Center: Wayne Shaia, MD
“With ear infections, they can often turn into multiple appointments spread out over several weeks, instead of a 30-minute procedure” said Dr. Matthew Bridges of Commonwealth ENT. “This often causes undue stress on parents as their child continues to suffer from fevers, restless nights, hearing loss and pain. When it’s time for ear tubes to be put in, neither the child nor the parents should have to wait for surgery to be scheduled and completed. That’s why I signed on to be a part of this unique program. It just makes sense.”
When parents log on to TubesToday.com, they fill out a short online form about their child’s ear infection history. Once on the website, the parents have two options: they are able to choose a board-certified ENT surgeon from the Richmond-area, a local outpatient surgery center and the date and time of the surgery; or if they already have a surgeon in mind, they can find out his/her availability that matches the parents’ schedule.
The company has already created partnerships with Richmond ENT, Commonwealth ENT, Comprehensive ENT, and the Balance and Ear Center. As other physicians join the TubesToday.com team, they will be added to the website. It has also secured contracts with MEDARVA’s Stony Point Surgery Center and West Creek Surgery Center.
“With our help, children obtain their necessary ear tubes in a matter of days instead of several weeks,” said Kathleen Eddowes, COO of TubesToday.com. “That’s very important for eliminating future inner-ear issues and helping parents who are tired of seeing their child in pain. We believe that getting this necessary surgery should be a convenient and expedited service and yet, too often, it involves wasted time and unnecessary burdens on busy parents and anxious children. It doesn’t have to be like that.”
Immediately, the parent will receive a confirmation email and their surgeon will be notified. The selected ENT office will obtain the necessary referrals and contact the patient’s parent to confirm their child’s surgery, either that day or within 48 hours. This scheduling service is provided at no additional cost to the patient or their health plan.
For more information on TubesToday.com, contact Kathleen Eddowes at keddowes@tubestoday.com or call 804-251-8044.
