Thank you for choosing our office to meet your specialized surgical needs. Below is a guideline to help assist patients regarding what they can expect when choosing our office for their care. You are always welcome to contact us for more specific questions that may not be addressed below.
Office Visits and Patient Care:
Scheduling Appointments
We want to ensure that we are taking care of your needs in the best manner possible. Because we are a specialist practice, we’ll need to have a referral on file from your primary care physician before we are able to schedule an appointment. Unfortunately, we do not accept walk-in patients at this time. When you call to schedule an appointment, we strive to get appointments scheduled within 1-2 weeks. If it is more emergent, your physician will call for a doctor-to-doctor referral.
For new patients, please arrive 15 minutes early so that we can complete the paperwork, medical forms and records necessary for your visit. Typically, new patient visits are scheduled for 30-40 minutes. Follow-up visits, including post-op care, are typically 15 minutes. To your first appointment, you will need to bring:
- A photo ID
- Insurance cards
- Check, cash or credit card to take care of any co-pay, co-insurance or deductible that your insurance requires.
- New patient paperwork downloaded from our website and completed. Otherwise, paperwork may be filled out at the time of appointment.
Cancelled/missed appointments
We understand that sometimes, things come up. If you will not be able to keep a scheduled appointment, please notify our office as soon as possible. If, by chance, you forget your appointment and do not call to cancel within 12 hours of appointment time more than once, we may elect to charge you a missed appointment fee. Missed appointment fees can be up to $50 for office visits, up to $200 for procedures or surgeries. If you miss or are late for multiple scheduled appointments without notice, our physicians may elect to release you from the practice.
Preparing to see the doctor – what you can expect
Depending on your visit type, administrative tasks may take 15-30 minutes. If you arrive 10 minutes or more beyond your scheduled appointment time, you may be asked to reschedule your appointment for another day. Please call us at 360-733-0070 if you anticipate being late so that we may assist you in the best possible manner.
Your first visit
Your first visit with one of our surgeons typically is a consultation designed to go over your medical history and tests, review how the problem affects you, and examine you to gather necessary information that will help to decide next steps together. Sometimes, we may need more information such as additional tests or discussions with your PCP to be sure that all of the medical issues have been considered and addressed.
Results
We will contact you by phone once we have test or lab results and will discuss together how to proceed. If you have signed up for our patient portal, you may also always access your results by logging into your secure patient portal account, at http://parkwaygeneralsurgeons.followmyhealth.com/ .
Your privacy and how we protect it
Your personal health information is very important to us. We respect your privacy and take every step necessary to ensure that it’s protected. Our office is HIPAA compliant certified through HIPAA One. We will not share any medical or personal information about you with anyone without your consent. A perpetual authorization form is completed at registration that allows you to designate who you give permission for your information to be shared with (a spouse, child, parent, etc). We’re happy to answer any questions you may have about how we safeguard your private health information.
Office Delays
Sometimes, for reasons beyond their control, our surgeons may run behind schedule or be called away for emergent care. Physicians, office and surgical emergencies impact schedules and often result in unpredictable waiting periods. We hope you know that our surgeons will provide you with the same “be there the moment you need it” care should you ever need it. We make every effort to maintain our schedule and minimize any inconvenience to you. However, if a delay occurs, we will inform you as soon as possible and will gladly reschedule your appointment if you prefer not to wait. We understand that your time is valuable and appreciate your understanding.
Prescription Refills
Prescription refills are considered during office hours only. This is the only way that Parkway General Surgeons/Parkway Surgical Center will refill medications other than at an office visit. Once your refill request is approved, it will be authorized and processed within 48 hours. Please be sure to monitor your presecriptions to allow us time to refill accordingly. Parkway Surgical Center patients can request a refill through your patient portal account at http://parkwaygeneralsurgeons.followmyhealth.com/
Follow My Health Patient Portal
Join the new generation of patients taking a more active role in managing your health and wellness. Patients have the ability to manage and view personal medical records, send and receive secure messages, view current invoices, request a prescription refill, and pay their bill online. We encourage you to register with http://parkwaygeneralsurgeons.followmyhealth.com/.You are able to get 24/7 online access from any computer, smartphone or tablet. To get started, please ask any of the staff at Parkway General Surgeons for an invitation to the patient portal.
Questions/Concerns/Complaints/Grievances
Our staff and physicians at Parkway General Surgeons/Parkway Surgical Center are dedicated to the delivery of quality health care and patient satisfaction. However, we recognize that concerns may arise. If you feel that an issue or concern has arisen with no satisfactory resolution, please ask to speak with the Practice Manager and every effort will be made to resolve your concerns. You also have the right to notify any of the state or federal regulatory agencies governing healthcare organizations.