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OUR POLICIES

Please review our current office policies. These are meant to answer any questions you may have and help you to avoid any confusion. However, if you need clarification or would like to speak to someone in the office, please do not hesitate to call us.

Registration

​​New patients are asked to arrive fifteen minutes before their scheduled appointment to complete paperwork. You can download this paperwork from our website and bring it with you to your appointment, or, you can fill it out at the office visit. Please note: we require your valid insurance card and co-pay (if applicable) at the time of your office visit. If you do not have your co-pay, your appointment will be rescheduled.

Telephone Calls

Your questions will be answered by a physician through our office staff within 24-48 hours of your call. Messages deemed urgent will be addressed by the physician as soon as possible, and your inquiry will be answered by the end of office hours on the day of your call. There is always a physician available on-call for after hour emergencies.

Appointments

Patients are seen by appointment only. Appointments can be made in person or by telephone during normal business hours. Any patient who is unable to keep a scheduled appointment is asked to notify the office at least 4 hours in advance. A missed appointment fee of $30 will be charged to your account if this policy is not followed. We are aware that your time is valuable and make every effort to be punctual. Occasionally, when unforseen circumstances arise, we appreciate your understanding and patience.

Referrals

We require one week's notice for routine referrals except in the case of an emergency. We will fax referrals to specialists or facilities through our electronic medical records system. There is a $5 administrative fee for the duplication of a lost referral.

Financial Policy

Our office participates with most insurance companies and Medicare. Office visit co-payments are made payable at the time of your office visit as required by your insurance company. For your convenience, we accept cash, debit cards, Visa, Master Card, and Discover. Personal checks are accepted. A $30 fee will be incurred for any returned checks. We ask that you pay your balances promptly. Any accounts over 90 days old will be referred to our collections department.

Forms & Work/School Notes

All forms that require completion by your physician should be brought to your appointment. All forms completed outside of a visit will incur an administrative fee. Work and school absence notes are only provided at the time of an office visit and will not be issued unless you are seen by a physician in the office. If an extension of a current note is needed, please call the office.

Prescriptions & Refills

Please follow this policy carefully to assure that you receive your prescriptions and refills in a timely manner:

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  • To expedite the process, please bring current medications with you at the time of your visit. The physician will either write or send your prescriptions electronically to the pharmacy of your choice, local or mail-away.

  • Due to time constraints, our office will no longer be able to authorize prescription refills from local or mail-away pharmacies by phone or fax.

  • To obtain a prescription refill between visits, please call during office hours only.

  • We ask that you request your prescriptions refills at least one week prior to your prescription renewal date.

  • All patients are strongly encouraged to obtain their refills at the time of their office visit. It is the most efficient way to keep your medications current and to avoid any administrative fees.

Paperwork & Forms

Due to increasing administrative and financial demands of providing quality medical care, it is necessary for us to make certain changes in our office policies. The changes described will take effect September 20, 2016. Additional fees for filling out any forms or paperwork that you need to have completed OUTSIDE THE TIME OF AN OFFICE VISIT will be as follows:

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  • FMLA Forms $25.00

  • Disability Forms $25.00

  • School/Sports Physical Forms $10.00*

  • Working Papers/Physical Forms $10.00

  • Immunizations Forms $10.00

  • Disabled Parking Permit $10.00

  • Certificate of Medical Necessity for Medical Equipment $10.00

  • Ocean Mental Health Physical Forms $10.00

  • Other Physical Forms $10.00

  • Miscellaneous Forms - Fee determined by your physician

 

*Sports physical forms will not be completed without an appointment if the patient's last physical was more than six (6) months before the time the form is submitted for completion.

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The above fees are payable at the time you pick up your forms.

Test Notification Policy

  • Please allow 7-10 business days to receive test results.

  • Please call our office if you have not heard from us after 14 days.

  • If a STAT test is ordered you will be notified of those results in the same day.

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It is up to you and your physician to determine how you will be notified of results. Options are to be notified by phone, patient portal, or email. Discuss your preference with your doctor!

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Please contact our office if you receive notification from the radiology facility that additional or follow-up testing is recommended. You will need a new referral or prescription for additional studies, and may need an appointment to discuss further.

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Family Medicine Center has implemented a "Referral Tracking" policy to help avoid any delays in test results being received and reported to better serve you! With new technology and electronic medial records, we want to be sure nothing gets overlooked. We strongly believe in "Patient Engagement" along with following your doctor's recommended "Preventative Measures" is very important in managing your health!

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