Frequently Asked Questions
— Dr. Daniel Ganjian
About Me
- What is your approach to children’s health care and pediatric medicine?
- What awards, recognition, and certifications do you have?
- What makes you different? Why should a family choose you as their pediatrician?
- Do you have a subspecialty or area of pediatric interest? If so, what is it?
- How old are you? Will we be able to continue with you as our pediatrician as our children age (and possibly welcome siblings)?
At Your Appointment
- What are appointments with you like?
- How long does it take to get a non-emergency appointment with you?
- How long do I have to wait to see you at your office?
- How long are routine appointments?
- What insurance do you take?
- How many doctors are in the office? Will my child always be able to see you, or will some appointments be with other doctors?
- What is the parking situation?
- Will you respect my family’s values?
Between Appointments
Emergencies
For Expecting Mothers
About Me
Q. What is your approach to children’s health care and pediatric medicine?
Everything is centered around the child. I develop a genuine relationship with my pediatric patients and I treat them as the emotional and social beings that they are – not just physical bodies. At the beginning of appointments, I help them warm up (if you’re unlucky this might involve some humorous magic tricks) and I spend a lot of time explaining, and answering questions. I believe in helping children heal themselves without medicines first, and saving medicines and antibiotics for those that are not improving or are very sick.Q. What awards, recognition, and certifications do you have?
I am licensed in the states of California and New York as well as by the American Board of Pediatrics. I am fortunate to have had my work recognized on a number of platforms:- AOA Medical Honor Society Member, a distinction given to only 5-10% of physicians in America.
- Listed as one of “America’s Best Physicians” by the National Consumer Advisory Board
- Physician’s Recognition Award, from the American Medical Association for commitment to patient care and life-long learning through continuing medical education.
- American Academy of Pediatrics Continuing Professional Development Award
- Compassionate Doctor Award from Vitals.com
- Expert Pediatrician for media interviews and broadcasts about children’s health.
Q. What makes you different? Why should a family choose you as their pediatrician?
I would never tell a family that I’m the right choice for them. That has to come from you. I can tell you what other families said about why they chose my practice or link you to my reviews on Google, Yelp, Facebook, Vitals.com, and Healthgrades. I think those are helpful, but I’d also like to tell you a bit about the children’s medical practice that I wanted to create: world-class pediatrics with a heart.
I have a concierge practice without the fees. You can usually get an appointment the same or next-day. I call parents with lab test results myself. Patients see me, the MD, and I leave lots of time in my appointments for children to have time to warm up and get comfortable and for children and parents to ask questions.
I am passionate about keeping up with the latest research. This has led to a lot of appearances in the media as a pediatric expert and resource on children’s health and children’s medicine. I am humbled to know that the medical gifts that I possess were given to me to help others.
Finally, since I have children of my own, I stress practical parenting advice over theories that sound nice but might not be realistic in the real world.
Q. Do you have a subspecialty or area of pediatric interest? If so, what is it?
My interests range pretty widely over pediatric medicine. I am especially interested in nutrition and childhood obesity and these subjects are often the focus of my research. That said, I believe it is important to make time to stay up to date on all aspects of pediatric care generally, both for my patients and for the broader public, as I am often asked by health journalists and media outlets for my expertise on children’s health issues.
Q. How old are you? Will we be able to continue with you as our pediatrician as our children age (and possibly welcome siblings)?
I was born in 1983. I love what I do and I’m planning to continue doing it for the foreseeable future.
At Your Appointment
Q. What are appointments with you like?
First, we want the child to be comfortable. Stress and anxiety reduce a child’s (or adult’s) ability to fight off disease. That’s why we start with a bright, open waiting room, with separate areas for sick and healthy children, and with decorations and activities designed to help a child feel as comfortable as possible. Then, I want to see you as soon as possible. Waiting around only adds to stress and anxiety.
I follow the same approach in my examination room. My first priority is to make the child comfortable and to have open communication with the child and with you. Our appointments are never rushed. I want there to be lots of time available for discussion and questions. My approach to pediatric medicine is a collaborative one – I believe very strongly in working with families to bring the best care to your child.
Q. How long does it take to get a non-emergency appointment with you?
I don’t cram appointments and deliberately keep some room in my schedule for patients who need more time or unexpected situations. You can generally get an appointment for the same or next day. You’re also welcome to call me if you have a quick question.Q. How long do I have to wait to see you when I’m at your office?
If you have an appointment (and most of the time, you can make an appointment for the same or next day), then there is very minimal waiting time – a few minutes at most. Waiting around adds to stress, which doesn’t help your child whether s/he is sick or healthy.Q. How long are routine appointments?
Routine appointments generally last 15-30 minutes, but you can request a longer appointment for complicated issues.Q. What insurance do you take?
- Aetna Signature Administrators PPO
- Aetna Commercial HMO and non-HMO
- Aetna Deductive HMO
- Aetna EPO
- Aetna HMO HRA
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access PPO
- Aetna Medicare PPO
- Aetna Open Choice PPO
- Anthem Blue Cross Classic Traditional HMO Network
- Cigna LocalPlus Narrow Network PPO
- Cigna Open Access Plus PPO
- Health Net Blue and Gold HMO
- Health Net CA IEX PPO
- Health Net CA Shop PPO
- Health Net Excel Care / SNN
- Health Net HMO
- Health Net Medicare COB
- Health Net Select POS-PPO Tier
- Health Net Silver Network
- Health Net Small Business HMO
- Health Net SMC – MCR COB Excl/SNN
- Health Net Wholecare HMO – On Exchange
- Medishare PPO
- Motion Picture Industry
- Oscar
- Scan Classic, Classic II
- Scan Connections, Connections at Home
- Scan Employer Group
- Scan Health at Home
- Scan Plus
- Screen Actors Guild Insurance
- UHC – Comm Choice Plus Network
- UHC – Comm Options PPO Network
- UHC – Comm Signature Value HMO
- UHC – SR HMO Plan 1, 3
- Writers’ Guild Insurance
Q. How many doctors are in the office? Will my child always be able to see you, or will some appointments be with other doctors?
Two. Your appointments will be with me.Q. What is the parking situation?
The last thing you want to do with a sick (or any) child is driving around forever looking for parking and then having to park miles away. As a parent, I wouldn’t want to do that with my children either. That’s why when I set up my practice, I made sure that there would be ample and plentiful parking in the same building as my office. Especially in Santa Monica, this is a rarity and something we’re proud to offer our patients.Q. Will you respect my family’s values?
I work with many families with diverse backgrounds and points of view on topics such as circumcision, breastfeeding, immunizations, alternative medicine, attachment parenting, co-sleeping, daycare, and so on. I can help interpret the latest research on these topics so you can make the best decisions for your child.Between Appointments
Q. If I have a quick question about my child, is it possible to phone or email you?
Yes, absolutely! I’m a parent too, and I would hate to have to bundle up a potentially sick child and bring him to the doctor’s office if it wasn’t necessary. I don’t mind at all if you call or email with questions. Often I’ll be able to talk to you directly, or, if I’m with a patient, someone on staff will bring me your question and let you know my suggested course of treatment, and whether I recommend bringing the child for an examination.Emergencies
Q. How are emergencies handled on the weekend or after hours?
We have Providence Urgent Care for after-hour and weekend emergencies.
Q. To what hospital do you admit patients?
For Expecting Mothers
Q. When should an expectant mother start seeing a pediatrician?
An expectant mother should start seeing a pediatrician as soon as possible, and ideally before the birth. That way your pediatrician can be involved in and aware of the baby’s pre-natal health, you can develop comfort and familiarity with the doctor and share your values and approach to parenting, and so your pediatrician can see you and your baby in the hospital.