Office Policies
Introduction
Welcome to Internal Medicine of Yuma. We are happy to have you in our practice. These policies have been created as a means to make your experience with us a pleasant one. In the hectic world of medicine, sometimes key issues in the everyday operation of our clinic, though second nature to us, are not always understood by some of our patients, leaving them uninformed and confused. These policies attests to our care for you and our goal in building a strong relationship with our patients, their families, and friends. Thank you for your attention and if you have any questions, please ask a member of our staff for help.
Policy on charges for health care services
It is the policy of Internal Medicine of Yuma to provide medical care to all patients regardless of one’s ability to pay. Health services will be provided at no charge or at a discounted charge to persons unable to pay for care. All appointment fees will be discounted using the sliding fee schedule established each year using the federal poverty guidelines. Some services and supplies may have additional charges. This will not include any outside testing if required, such as blood work, x-rays, etc… We will not discriminate against any person receiving health services if payment is made under Part B Medicare or Title XXI of the Social Security Act. We will accept assignment for all services for which payment may be under the above named programs. Documents may be required i.e., tax returns or current pay stubs. If someone is unable to obtain either one of these items, please see the office manager for other means of verification of income. Finances will be based on the household income of both mother and father. Upon each visit staff will inquire of any changes financially since their last appointment.
Philosophy
Our goal is to provide honest medical care with an emphasis on education and ethics. We are committed to providing you with the information you will need to make appropriate choices concerning your medical health care. We believe in the approach of letting people choose their own path using our guidance. All of this is best achieved in a professional and yet relaxed environment and is reflected in our personalities, demeanor's, and office atmosphere. We are not an “urgent care” nor should we be treated like one. It makes it difficult for us if you do not take care of yourself i.e., we strongly urge you to be accountable for your health. Ask any questions and bring any potential obstacles standing in your way to reach your maximum health.
Scheduling Appointments: YOUR TIME, OUR TIME
Please be on time for your appointment. New patients are asked to be present 30 minutes prior to their appointment time to complete their registration papers. If you are more than 15 minutes late, you may lose your position in the patient sequence, having to wait another 15-60 minutes to be worked back in. Medical Providers do their best not to be more than 30 minutes late in seeing those who are on time for their appointments. Unfortunately, with varied medical emergencies, and tardy patients, we cannot guarantee that you will not wait more than 30 minutes. We do realize this seems one sided and appreciate your understanding.
Seasonal Patients
For our seasonal patients we really want to create a great relationship with you as well as with your out of town PCP. We ask that a copy of tests or studies performed over the summer be brought into our office and we will return the same. We do ask that your medical chart be updated on a yearly basis. Any paper copy of medical records requested will be charged $35.00. An eco friendly saver option is to have your out of town physician send us their records request form with the patient signature and we will send the records via electronic fax! You can save your green and go green!!
Making the Most of Your Appointment
Before your visit here are typical questions your provider may ask:
- Your general health, prior illnesses, surgery, injuries
- Health problems of your close relatives
- Allergies
- Medications and over the counter drugs
- Lifestyle (occupation, personal habits, activities) Write down questions of your own. You should not be embarrassed to ask your provider any question regarding your health. At your clinic visit
- Bring your prepared questions
- Be honest if you are experiencing pain. Try to describe how intense the pain is using a scale from zero to ten.
- Report any unusual symptoms.
- Ask your provider to explain anything you do not understand.
- Ask what you can expect from your treatment and how long it will take. Also ask about medications and side effects
- Please bring all medication or a complete list of current medications you are taking After your visit
- Follow your treatment plan and don’t change it on your own without good reason.
- You are in charge of your body. It is in your best interest to learn as much as you can about your condition and Internal Medicine of Yuma would like to help.
Cancellation and Courtesy
If you need to cancel an appointment, please kindly give us 24 hours notice. Missed appointments represent a cost to us, to you and to other patients who could have been seen in the time set aside for you. We reserve the right to charge for missed or late cancelled appointments. The fee for missed or late appointments is $50.00 – $75.00, if you do not give us notice of 24 hours notice. If you fail to show for 3 appointments, you will not be able to schedule with our office again unless you secure your next appointment with a 35.00 holding fee.
Telephone Service
Our medical assistants (MA’s) are trained in taking care of any phone queries you may have concerning your medical care. They are responsible for relaying information between your healthcare provider and her patients. The MA’s manage the majority of our clinically oriented phone calls, leaving time for our healthcare providers to do what they do best, seeing patients. Our office receives high volumes of calls each day, the MA’s have voice mail so that messages can be left when they are in with patients. Please leave the MA a short message with your name, date of birth, and phone number, nature of your call. All calls are prioritized. Please note that it may take up to 24 hours to receive a call back from the medical assistant if the call does not appear to be urgent. We ask that “911″ be called if there are any life threatening injuries, such as shortness of breath or chest pain.
Pharmacy Refills
Request for pharmacy refills will not be provided for patients who do not keep their follow-up appointments. Patients who are on long term therapies may need an appointment for a checkup at least annually. We ask that you give our office plenty of notice to refill your medications, at least 72 hours, longer for mail-in orders. Refills will only be handled during regular business hours. THIS MEANS NO REFILLS ON WEEKENDS! The fastest way to obtain a refill of a current medication is through the patient portal or to call your pharmacy and have them request the prescription from our office. Refills will not be allowed on most oral medications if you have not been seen in the last six (6) months. No refills on the medications will be allowed if you have not seen your provider in the last twelve (12) months.
Office Hours
Office hours are from 8am to 5pm Monday through Thursday and 8am to 12pm Friday. If you are calling for an appointment, prescription refill, or other non-urgent matters, please call during regular business hours. Our phone number is 928-329-4761 and fax number is 928-329-6742.
Financial Policy
Due to rising costs of running a healthcare office, we are doing everything possible to hold down the cost of medical care. You can help a great deal by eliminating the need for us to bill you. The following is a summary of our payment policy. ALL PAYMENTS ARE EXPECTED AT THE TIME OF SERVICE Payment is required at the time services are rendered unless other arrangements have been made in advance. This includes applicable coinsurance and co-payments for participating insurance companies and deductibles. We accept cash, personal checks, VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover cards and Debit cards. There is a service charge for returned checks of $35.00.
Insurance
Keep in mind that it is impossible for us to know the benefits and eligibility of all patients under all plans. Most insurance plans provide preventive care coverage but vary in patient responsibility. Medical Necessity may be required for benefits to apply for some insurance plans. Please review your policy or plan benefits prior to incurring any charges. We will do our best to assist you in checking benefits and eligibility, however, we cannot guarantee payment from your insurance carrier. We do file claims for participating insurance companies as a courtesy to you. If we do not receive payment from you insurance company, you will be responsible to pay the balance in full. If necessary, payment options can be made. If you require assistance or have questions about your bill, responsibility, or billing secondary insurance, feel free to contact us.