Patient Policies

Cancellations

Please call the office 24 hours in advance to cancel appointments. Failing to do so could result in a $25 charge, for which you are responsible since insurance will not cover this fee.

Referrals

If you are referred to another healthcare provider you should call the office at least three (3) days before the appointment to give us the information needed to complete the referral. That information includes: your name, the physician you are being referred to, his phone and fax numbers, the date of the appointment, the diagnosis for the referral, your insurance, whether it is for a visit or a specific procedure (such as surgery), and where it is going to be performed (office or hospital).  You should familiarize yourself with your insurance plan, and determine if it requires you to take a referral with you; if you are not certain of how your referral is handled, please ask one of our office staff members, and they will help you to determine what to do.

Emergencies and On Call

If you have an emergency, such as chest pain, severe shortness of breath, severe headache, or bleeding, call 911 or proceed directly to the nearest hospital emergency room. You can always call the office with any questions about acute medical problems after hours. If the physician is not in the office, the machine will direct you to call our answering service and they will contact the doctor on call. If the doctor on call does not answer your call within 30 minutes, please recall the office.

Lab and Test Scheduling

If you choose to schedule any physician ordered tests at an outside facility, please give our office at least 48 hours to contact your insurance company for approval and precertifications as to avoid any inconveniences.

Lab and Test Results

If you have any testing performed we will send a letter to you with the results of those tests. If you do not hear about the results of your test within 10 days, please call our office.

Records Releases

Please complete the enclosed records releases to obtain your medical records from your previous family physician and any specialists you may be consulting. Our Practice Privacy Policy is available at the office for your review.