Cowles Clinic Pediatrics
1000 Cowles Clinic Way
Willow Cottage, Suite W-100
Greensboro, GA 30642
ph: 706.454.1210
fax: 706.454.1211
706.454.1210
mon-fri 8:30-4:30
sat 9-noon
on call 24/7
So What's Your Question?
These are some of the most common questions Dr. Bassett is asked by new patient families. If you have a question, just drop us a line.
- Are you really available 24 hours?
- "Yes. Our regular office hours are 8:30-4:30 weekdays, and 9-noon Saturdays. However, even if the office is closed, I am still available by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I will also see established patients in the office after hours - nights, weekends, and holidays - for urgent medical needs. Our goal is to never leave you stranded when you need us!"
- What happens when I call after hours?
- "Your phone call will be answered by an operator in Athens, who will take your information and connect you to my cell or home phone. We use an after-hours operator to make sure you'll be able to get in touch with me, even at 2am."
- Don't you ever take a vacation?
- "We do take vacations, but I take my cell phone with me wherever I go, so you can get advice even if we're out of town. There may be unusual circumstances during which I can give you advice over the phone, but cannot see your child in the office. In these rare times, I will have another well-trained physician 'covering' for me. However, given that our favorite vacation spot is only two hours away, this shouldn't be a problem."
- What if my child needs to go to the E.R.?
- "Emergency cases (potential loss of life, limb, or eyesight) should call '911' immediately. Less urgent cases may call our office to get instructions. If I refer your child to the emergency department, I'll call the ER doctor ahead of your arrival to make sure things run smoothly for you."
- Which hospitals do you recommend?
- "This depends on the problem. I admit children to Putnam General in Eatonton for routine inpatient issues. But if your child has a more complicated case or requires a longer hospitalization, I might recommend hospitalization at Children's in Atlanta, or MCG in Augusta. If you child is sent to one of these facilities, I'll keep in close contact with the attending doctors there."
- Which other doctors do you recommend for my family?
- "Without sounding too much like a commercial, let me say that my family sees Dr. John McCurley for our medical needs. The Cowles Clinic has over 50 excellent physicians, including Dr. McCurley, in just about every medical field you can imagine. Check out the Cowles Clinic main website and I'm sure you'll find what you need there."
- What did you do before becoming a doctor?
- "My first college degree was actually in Advertising. So before going to medical school, I worked at a small publishing firm as an illustrator. I didn't decide to become a doctor until I was about 23 and had been working for a few years."
- Why did you become a pediatrician?
- "I was 'supposed' to be a plastic surgeon. My family said that with all of my artistic training, plastics and reconstructive surgery was my calling. However, in my third year of medical school, I held a brand new baby for the first time, and decided that very day that I wanted to be a pediatrician. It was just a really neat feeling to hold an entire little human in my two hands. My brother, an orthopaedic surgeon, was a little upset with my decision to give up on surgery, but now asks me for pediatric advice on a regular basis."
- Do you have any children?
- "We have 5 daughters: Cameron, Rowan and Aidan (twins), Olivia (or 'Livi') and Caleigh. The first three live mostly in Jacksonville, FL, while Livi and Caleigh live here in Georgia and attend Redeemer Episcopal Academy. They're a lively bunch when they're all together, and we're a little anxious about the teenage years! We also have two dogs: Guinness, a rat terrier/toy fox terrrier mix, and Cookie Bear, a yorkie/poodle mix."
- Does being a pediatrician make you a better parent?
"More likely the other way around: Being a parent makes me a better pediatrician. You learn to be much more sensitive as a physician when you can imagine illnesses happening to your own child. You'll often hear me say, 'Well, if this were my child, this is what I would do.' It's very useful for me to put myself in that mindset, to help make sound but sensitive medical decisions."
Dr. B. Answers the Oft-Asked Question: 'Do You Give Antibiotics?'
"This is a common question, which I hear most often from expectant or new parents.
"The short answer is Yes, I do give antibiotics.
"The long answer is Yes, but only when there's a good chance they'll help the patient.
"Most infections, including most coughs, runny noses, and sore throats, are caused by viruses which cannot be treated with antibiotics. The only treatment for viral infections is just what your grandma used to give you: lots of fluids, rest, and time. Fortunately, most viruses do not cause serious infections, and most colds go away in 7-10 days.
"We do use antibiotics, but certain criteria have to be met for their effective use. First, we need to be fairly certain the infection is being caused by bacteria, not a virus. Second, we have to choose the right antibiotic for the right infection. And third, we have to make sure treating the bacterial infection with antibiotics is actually a good idea (sometimes it's not).
"Also, it can be hard to tell which infections are viral, and which are bacterial. That's when we might run tests or x-rays to get a better idea of what we're dealing with.
"To summarize, we put a lot of thought into when and why we use antibiotics. Although we’d like to be able to wave a magic wand and make your child’s cold go away, most of the time we have to depend on the body’s natural ability to heal itself. When we diagnose a bacterial infection, rest assured that we’ll do everything we can to make it go away quickly and safely."
- Dr. Bassett
Cowles Clinic Pediatrics
1000 Cowles Clinic Way
Willow Cottage, Suite W-100
Greensboro, GA 30642
ph: 706.454.1210
fax: 706.454.1211
