Understanding Our Policies
Appointment Scheduling Family
Health Care Center reserves a number of same day
appointments for urgent health care problems. Acute illnesses with
high fevers and/or vomiting will be scheduled the same day in
all high-risk patient groups (young children, older
seniors or patients with conditions like cancer or diabetes).
Injuries at home or at work needing immediate care will also be
seen on the same day. We ask that those patients with
routine appointments (physicals, pap smears, well baby checks
and medication refills) try to call several weeks in
advance for an appointment. We want your wait to be as short
as possible when you visit our office, if we overbook our
appointments this will not happen. There are times when our staffing is
low due to vacation or illness and the capacity of patients seen must be
reduced. Remember we want to provide quality health care without rushing
patients in and out.
Emergencies
Emergency problems require patients to be seen on short notice. The
provider will decide with the nurse and receptionist about the best way to
handle the emergency so that prolonged waiting delays for others in the
waiting room can be avoided.
The Day of Your
Appointment Please
bring all your current medications with you every time you visit the
office. Include over the counter medications, supplements and vitamins
that you take. This will help your provider avoid prescribing medications
that could harm you or interact with other pills you take.
Prescription
Refills
To assure
we provide quality health care, chronic illnesses
such as
high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, depression,
and other
disorders must be reassessed at least every three
to six
months. This policy is for the patient’s safety.
Information about medications and treatment is constantly
being
updated, new treatments are being discovered,
medications can have side effects that need to be monitored
and
diseases advance or improve to the point that dosages
of
medications need to be adjusted. If your condition is stable
when you
visit the office you will be issued a prescription with
enough
refills to last you till it is time for your next
appointment. Your provider will try to schedule your follow up appointment
the day you are seen in the office. If you do not have a scheduled follow
up then please call our office when your prescription bottle states “No
Refills”.
Sample Medication
Pharmaceutical companies provide us with a limited amount of samples.
These medications are designed to be given to patients when they first
start a new medication to make sure they tolerate the medication and it
produces the desired effect. We also will distribute some samples for
brief time periods to patients in financial need to hold them over until
financial help can be arranged. We cannot fill patient’s prescriptions
with sample medications every month, as we are not given that much
medication. Patients that know their financial needs are ongoing should
contact Med Connections at 764-8196 for assistance as soon as possible.
Payment In an
effort at cost containment, it is the policy of FHCC to receive payment at
the time services are provided. Please come prepared to pay your
co-payment at the time of the visit. We accept VISA and Master Card for
your convenience. Family Health Care Center participates in many area
insurance programs, including Medicare and Amerigroup. We are a Blue Cross
Preferred Provider and United Health Care provider for both GSU and State
Health employees. Please call (912)489-4090 for an updated list of
participating insurance programs.
Family Health Care works with East
Georgia Regional Hospital to take care of emergencies that occur after
normal operating hours. Problems such as a suspected heart attack need to
go directly to the emergency room or call 911. A physician will be
available at all times (including nights, weekends, and holidays) for
emergencies. This service is strictly for emergencies or urgent needs, and
not for routine or minor problems which can be handled during office
hours. If an emergency occurs after hours, please have paper, pencil, and
pharmacy phone number available. If your call involves a medication,
please know the name of the medication.
Additionally, we ask that you please update your contact information at
every visit. All patients should have several “non-blocked” phone numbers
listed as well as an emergency friend or relative listed. Our staff must
have a way to contact you with important lab results and appointment
information. Please bring current insurance information with you at every
visit so your charges can be properly processed and billing.
