Appointment and Walk-in Care Information

 

Our goal is to schedule routine office visits with your primary medical provider. We do this to promote the continuity of your medical care. We know that your time is valuable and we will do our best to see you in a timely fashion. Please tell the receptionist the nature and severity of your problem when you call to arrange an appointment. Our staff will do their best to arrange appointments that are convenient for you.

To set up an appointment, please call our office at (919) 968-1985 x124 during our normal business hours of M - W, 8 AM - 8 PM; Th - F, 8 AM - 7 PM ; Sat, 8 AM - 6 PM, and Sun, 1 PM - 5 PM .

Appointments are available Monday - Friday from 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM.

Times for appointments vary with each health care provider, but are generally within those hours..

Because sudden illness and injuries do not always allow time to schedule an appointment, we are able to accommodate these patients in our daily urgent care clinic. Walk-ins are available on a first come, first served basis all of the hours we are open, with urgent cases taking priority. Medical emergencies and related events are unpredictable, but our staff will let you know your estimated wait and will inform you of any significant delay. Walk-in visits are for sudden illness or injury only. Medication refills, annual physical exams and management of chronic medical problems are seen by appointment only and are not treated by our walk-in provider.

 

HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT AT THE FAMILY DOCTOR


NEW PATIENTS:

To expedite the registration process, please download and print out the following:

* Patient Information Form ( en Espanol )

* Medical History Form Adult ( en Espanol )

* Medical History Form Pediatric ( en Espanol )

* Review of Systems Form

* Hippa Privacy Form / Consent of Treatment ( en Espanol )

If you have records located at another practice, please complete and mail the Request for Medical Record Form to your prior physician (please request the last two years of treatment). Please complete all of these forms in full and bring them with you to your appointment along with a picture ID and your insurance card(s).

Please arrive 20 minutes prior to your appointment time to allow us time to enter your patient information into our computer system and create your chart.

If you are having a yearly physical exam or plan to have your cholesterol (lipids) checked, please make a morning appointment so that you can come in fasting. Fasting means no food or drink (water is ok) for at least ten hours prior to your lab test. If you have an afternoon appointment, you will be given an order to return for fasting labs on a morning that is convenient for you.

If your appointment is for a school physical or travel consultation, please bring with you a record of your previous vaccinations.

Please bring a list of all of the medications, supplements and vitamins that you are currently taking to your appointment.


ESTABLISHED PATIENTS:

For each office visit, we ask that you arrive at least 15 minutes early to verify your patient information. For example, you may need to update your contact information, your insurance coverage, or update your health history. Arriving prior to your appointment time to complete this paperwork keeps us on track with our appointment schedule and saves you unnecessary waiting. If you arrive at your appointment time or later you may be asked to reschedule.

If you are an adult male or female having a complete physical exam, you will need to complete a physical form yearly. Children's sports, camp, and kindergarten physicals also require completion of a questionnaire. Other types of office visits requiring completion of a questionnaire include: travel consultations, erectile dysfunction, DOT physicals, etc.

If you are having a yearly physical exam or plan to have your cholesterol (lipids) checked, please make a morning appointment so that you can come in fasting. Fasting means no food or drink (water is ok) for at least ten hours prior to your lab test.

If your appointment is for an annual physical, an adoption physical, a camp or school physical or travel consultation, please bring with you a record of your previous vaccinations.

If you are being treated for hypertension, please bring a log of your blood pressure readings* to each appointment

If you are being treated for diabetes, please bring a log of your blood sugar readings* to each appointment

If you are being seen for headaches, please complete the "headache diary* (Instructions here)

If you are having problems sleeping, please complete the Epworth Sleepiness Scale* and the Pittsburgh Insomnia Scale.* Make an appointment to discuss the results with your provider.

*These form are available for download by clicking the name of the form you need.


FOR EVERY OFFICE VISIT, PLEASE:

. Bring a list of all of medications, supplements and vitamins you are currently taking*

. Review ahead of time what medications you need refilled

. Bring in your insurance card and show it to our receptionist when you check in

. Advise us of any change in your telephone numbers, home address, or workplace

. Advise us of any changes in your medical condition since your last visit with us.

 

For additional information regarding appointments and walks-in care, please call (919) 968-1985 x124

*All of the forms marked can be accessed here, as well as on the FORMS page..

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view these forms.
It can be downloaded for free by clicking here:

 


 

Patient Referral

FAQ's

Because of the broad training that our physicians receive, we are able to care for most medical conditions without medical subspecialty consultation. Generally, managed care insurance companies and many specialists require a referral from your family physician prior to treatment. In these instances, an appointment in our office is required before a referral can be made. When specialist care is needed, we will coordinate your treatment so that your referral will be made to the appropriate physiciant.

How are referrals arranged?
If you are covered by an insurance plan that requires a physician referral or if the specialist office requires our office to call, our office will arrange the appointment for you. If you are covered by an insurance plan that does not require a referral and if the specialist office does not require our office to call, you may be asked to schedule you own appointment. This way your appointment will be scheduled faster and you can choose the date and time of your appointment.

We will call you with your appointment information if your visit is scheduled within a week. Appointments scheduled further out, or ones patients may arrange will be mailed to you. Referrals scheduled by our office generally take 5 - 7 days to process with urgent cases taking priority.

Why am I being referred to certain practices?
While we have a local referral base of physicians we know and trust to treat you, we must also refer you to physicians or facilities that are in-network with your insurance company. Some doctors or facilities that are recommended to you may not be accepting new patients or may not be in your insurance network. If there is a particular office or facility you would like to be referred to, please let our office know and we will do our best to arrange it.

How long does it take to get an appointment with a specialist?
That varies from office to office. Many specialists now require that we fax over our records for them to review prior to making your appointment. This can take up to a week to gather (ie: dictation, lab reports and x-ray results). After sending the information to the specialist, it may take several more days before you are contacted about an appointment. Our office will mail you the contact information for these specialists so you can check on the status of your appointment. Some specialist offices are booked for several weeks or even months.

Are appointments scheduled faster if our office calls to scedule?
No. Our office is given the first appointment date/time that is available, just as when the patient calls. The only way you can be seen earlier is for your provider here to call and speak to the specialist to see if they can work you in earlier. Generally, this is only done for urgent cases.

What about Radiology appointments?
Generally, patients are contacted by the radiology offices to schedule studies like mammograms, ultrasounds and bone densities. Insurance companies require pre-certification for CT scans, MRI's and MRA's and other special testing. It can take 48 - 72 hours to receive authorization from the insurance company before we can schedule the appointment. You will be notified if there are special preparations to pick up prior to your x-ray.

How am I notified about my appointment?
If your appointment is scheduled within a week, we will call you with your appointment date and time. Information will be mailed if the appointment date is over a week (which is generally the time frame). It will include your appointment date and time, the name and address of the specialist and their phone number. If there are any special preparations for testing you will be notified.

How are Worker's Compensation referrals arranged?
Employees will be referred back to their employer for approval for any referrals. We will fax copies of the request for specialty treatment with your medical records. Your employer or their insurance carrier will arrange these appointments for you when authorized; the specialist offices need to obtain authorization directly from them.

Questions? Please call our referral office at (919) 968-1985 x134

 


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