Initial visit:

Your initial visit will require more time to ensure completion of all office forms. Your physician will also review and clarify your health history and perform a physical examination. All of your problems will be entered onto a master problem list. Additional time is also require to order medications, laboratory tests and imaging procedures, prescribe medications and review instructional information regarding your illness, as well as the benefits and possible adverse reactions to any new medications. The staff will also schedule any follow-up visit with your physician.

Follow up appointments:

Time intervals for follow-up visits are determined by the acuity and complexity of the patient’s medical issues. Patients who are unstable or who have unresolved or undiagnosed issues are seen more frequently. Patients who are stable and doing well are sometimes seen at one-year intervals. Legal and insurance mandates require that we see any patient receiving a prescription medication on a regular basis. Prior to each follow-up visit, you will usually be requested to do laboratory tests about one week before the visit is scheduled.

Insurance:

This clinic has contracts with most major insurance carriers including Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana, and United Healthcare. We also welcome Medicare patients and many secondary Medicare health plans. If you are uncertain about your insurance coverage, our staff will be able to help answer your questions.

Laboratory testing and other diagnostic procedures:

Patients are requested to do their laboratory tests one week prior to each return visit. This allows time for the results to reach our office and be reviewed by our personnel for critical laboratory values prior to placement in your chart. Having the laboratory results available at the visit makes it more efficient and productive.

We encourage patients to use any certified laboratory of their choice, such as Quest or LabCorp. Quest has a drawing station on the second floor of our professional building. Some insurance companies require their customers to use a specific laboratory. Fortunately, the large national laboratories such as Quest or LabCorp having drawing stations located all over the city and one is probably located near your home or work. Each testing facility will submit its own claim to your insurance company. This office does not profit from tests or procedures done at outside facilities.

Some of your laboratory tests should be done fasting in the morning before your first meal. For these tests, you should not eat or drink anything except water (which is fine) after 10 o’clock on the evening prior to the test. The following morning, you make take all of your medications with water, except for certain diabetes medications such as insulin or glipizide, which should not be taken until breakfast, after your blood is drawn, to reduce the risk of low blood sugar.

Medications:

Some unwanted effects or “adverse reactions” are possible with almost any medications. We strive to carefully review with you the most important possible side effects of any new medication which we prescribe. Patients are also given printouts which review new medications in detail, which should be read carefully prior to use of the new drug. If you do experience possible side effects from a medication, call us to determine the proper course of action, or go to an emergency clinic immediately if you have a severe reaction such as swelling of the tongue or throat, wheezing, or shortness of breath.

Medication refills:

The best way to obtain a refill for one of the medications prescribed through this office is to call or contact your pharmacy or prescription service directly. They will then fax or email us a requisition for the prescription needed. After verification of the medication dose and quantity, we reorder the medication, often via the internet of by return fax. This process may require 72 hours (three days). Modern electronic prescription filling provides an extra measure of security, helping to ensure that all of the prescribing details are correct. To prevent delays or missed medications, it is important to call or contact your pharmacy at least one week before your medications supply is exhausted. Emergencies have been caused by unnecessary delays in obtaining prescription refills.

Payment and billing policies:

Payment of your copay, deductible or coinsurance is requested at the time of service. Patients are also responsible for any adjusted charges not paid by the insurance carrier(s). It is the responsibility of the patient to disclose any pre-existing illnesses not covered by insurance prior to service in this office. Adjusted charges declined by insurance carries because of pre- existing illnesses are the responsibility of the patient.

Privacy:

Memorial Endocrinology and Diabetes is compliant with national and state regulations regarding the privacy of your personal health information and any other sensitivity personal data. Your privacy is important to us, and we strive to follow all current guidelines regarding the handling of such information. Please review our “Notice of Privacy Practices”, also located on this website, and sign the “Acknowledgement”

Telephone access:

Office personnel are available to answer your telephone calls during regular office hours from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon, and from 1:30 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. daily except for Friday, when the office is closed. Your calls are important and during these hours, our staff is available to answer your call. If our staff is occupied or away from the desk, you will be requested to leave a voice message. Voice messages are checked at least daily during normal work days (Monday- Thursday). You will often receive a response to your call the same day. Some questions require review by the physician, in which case your call may be answered during the evening that day after regular office hours or the following day.

If you feel you have a medical emergency, you should call 911 immediately, rather than trying to contact one of our physician through the office or the answering service. If you feel your call is urgent, alert the person receiving your message. Our office personnel or our answering service will direct your call to the appropriate person. Before and after regular office hours, your call will be handled by our answering service. Routine calls regarding prescription refills, appointment, and test requirements and results should be made during regular office hours. One of our physicians or a respected colleague who is covering in their absence is available by telephone for emergencies at night, weekends, and holidays.

Complaints:

The staff and personnel at this clinic strive to please you and provide the best possible medical care. The quality, cost, and convenience of your care as well as your opinions about our attitudes and performance are very important to us. If you have a suggestion for our improvement or a complaint about our performance, voice it to an appropriate staff member. Often, complaints are best resolved by talking to our office manager. You may also discuss your concerns directly with your physician. If you remain concerned and feel the remedies listed above have been unhelpful, we required by law to provide you with contact information for the Texas Medical Board or the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, where you may express your complaints or concerns.