Many HMOs and similar health care plans set flat fees. A PNP is a nurse, often already with a masters degree, who with additional training becomes the pediatric equivalent of the certified nurse midwife in an obstetrician's office. Many parents like to work with PNPs, as they often spend more time with them, and their fees are lower than a doctor's. Most physicians do not charge for these calls, but some do. Typically, most parents of firstborn children call frequently.
Some doctors make every callback.
Others have office personnel return the calls. If you find that the person who's handling your phone call is not on your wavelength, request that the doctor call you back instead. Pediatricians believe this to be a form of preventive care and an opportunity for parent education. We all need encouragement as parents, but you decide if it's always worth an office-visit fee to find out how much your baby, especially if it's not your first child, weighs and the fact that your doctor thinks your baby is doing well. Some doctors try to avoid mixing the well children and the sick children in the same reception area.