Office Hours & Appointments

Our current hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday with lunch from noon to 1:00 p.m.  Thursday hours are 8:30 a.m. to noon.  Weekend and evening hours will be considered in the future, depending on demand.

Appointments can be made in advance by phone or in person.  If you feel your child needs to be seen urgently, call ahead and we will help you with your request.  Same-day appointments can often be made.  Routine check-ups and physicals are always made in advance.  Call for an appointment before there is a waiting list!  

Are you an email user?  For your convenience we are now providing an email contact to make routine (non-emergent) appointments.  Simply email your child's information and we will call you back to schedule an appointment.  The email address is: brooks_kids@hotmail.com .  Please include in the email your child's full name with middle initial, date of birth, social security number, guardian's name, address, name of insurance and a phone number where we can reach you.  

If ever you cannot make an appointment, please notify us at least 48 hours in advance so another person waiting for an appointment can be seen at that appointment time.

Attention expecting parents!  Dr. Brooks would like encourage you to call for an onsite, after-hours, complimentary prenatal visit.  This is a free service to help you with some decisions before the day the baby arrives. Come meet our staff, tour the office, have a chance to ask questions and meet Dr. Brooks to put a face to the name.  The Prenatal visit is an important screening tool in the decision process to choose your future pediatrician. 

Our Staff

Dr. Benjamin A. Brooks, M.D., FAAP -- Pediatrician
Melody Smith -- Reception/Billing/Office Manager
Angela Michael, RN -- Nurse

Quality Care

Being a parent in today's impersonal climate of information overload, is both demanding and rewarding.  We will assist you decifer the good word from the bad.  We are advocates for child health which involves health maintanance, preventative medicine and acute care with a professional, but child-friendly savoir-faire.  In essence, we assist the parents of our children by quelling fears and anxieties while providing instruction and personal care. 

Telephone Calls

All patients are encouraged to call with any questions they might have concerning any problems. Our office staff is well qualified to answer most questions.  If the problem is beyond the staff's ability to answer, they speak to Dr. Brooks or he will call you himself at his earliest opportunity.

Emergency Treatment

We recognize that you can have an emergency situation arise and we will do our best to respond to your problem promptly. If you do have such a problem, please call us as early in the day as possible.  If an emergency arises when the office is closed, please call the answering service for assistance.  That number is 875-8561 to have Dr. Brooks paged.

Insurance

We currently accept all forms of insurance with the exception of TriCare. We are no longer accepting Medicaid or KidCare for  new patients, but will continue to see established patient if insurance changes to Medicaid or KidCare. Currently established patients will not be turned away.  Questions regarding insurance and billing policies can be directed to Melody Smith. Please check with your insurance plan to see if Dr. Brooks is a provider.

Fees & Payment

We make every effort to keep down the cost of your care. You can help by paying for services the day that they are rendered. As a courtesy we will submit bills to insurance companies. All office visits should be paid in full on the day of the visit unless you have provided us with insurance or other billing information. We accept cash, check or Visa/Mastercard/Novus(Discover). We are also happy to set you up on a payment plan.  Please call your insurance to see if your policy covers vaccines in advance to your appointment.  Be sure to ask if they cover "Prevnar" and "Varicella."

Directions to Brooks Kids

We are conveniently located near Decatur Memorial Hospital campus at 2220 North Monroe Street, Decatur IL 62526.  For a map to our office click here.

Contact Brooks Kids

You can contact the Brooks Kids office by phone at (217) 423-PEDS [7337].  For scheduling routine physicals, don't forget our email at: brooks_kids@hotmail.com