NEW PATIENTS:
When you or your referring doctor call to schedule your first appointment, you will be directed to our New Patient Coordinator. She is available Monday through Friday from 9:00 - 5:00. If she is assisting another patient you may leave a voice message and your call will be returned as soon as possible. Because this is a specialty office, most patients will be referred from another physician such as a Primary Care Physician or another specialist. Our New Patient Coordinator will need to know your referring doctor, the reason for your referral (diagnosis), demographic and insurance information. We will assist you in gathering your medical records for your first appointment and in obtaining an authorization for your visit if needed. After your appointment has been scheduled a map to the office and your new patient paperwork will be mailed to your home. Completing your paperwork prior to your scheduled appointment will help prevent any delays at your scheduled appointment time. After your appointment, the doctor will notify your referring physician of his findings and the results of any tests that are performed.

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TELEPHONE AND AFTER-HOURS CALLS:
When calling our facility during normal office hours, our switchboard operator or one of our front office personnel will greet you. We have multiple incoming lines that are always answered by a live person and not a recording. The operator will determine the nature of your call and transfer you to the appropriate person. Because most patients object to having their doctor visit interrupted by telephone calls, it is essential that our staff handle most calls. 

The nurses do utilize their voice mail. If you call to speak to a nurse, all non-urgent phone calls will be directed to their voice mail. This is because they are administering chemotherapy and providing patient education and support. There is a nurse assigned each day to retrieve and return voice mail messages. Problems such as unexpected bleeding or persistent temperature elevations over 100F should be reported as soon as possible. In the event of an emergency, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Our personnel are trained to answer pertinent questions and they will arrange for you to talk with or see a doctor if needed.

We do have an answering service to take your call after normal office hours. They will forward all messages to the physician on call. Your call will be returned at the doctor's earliest opportunity.

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APPOINTMENTS:
Your return appointment will most often be scheduled for you before you leave the office. However, there may be times when you need to call to make or reschedule an appointment. Just call the office and ask for appointments and you will be transferred to an available scheduler. If a scheduler is not available at the time of your call you may need to leave a voice mail message and one of them will call you back as soon as possible. All schedulers can make appointments for either office. If cancellation or rescheduling is necessary, a telephone call at least 24 hours in advance would be appreciated.

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SECRETARIES:
Each of our secretaries works exclusively with an assigned physician and that doctor's respective patients. The secretaries are instrumental in helping to coordinate your care. They work hard to build a good rapport with their patients and provide ' an essential link between you and your physician. Your doctor's secretary will assist you in coordinating appointments with other specialists and scheduling diagnostic imaging or outside testing. They will also obtain the appropriate authorizations required by your insurance company. Another important service provided by the secretaries is to copy and fax your records as needed, and assist in completing disability and insurance forms.

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NURSING:
We have a staff of oncology registered nurses with special training and extensive experience in the care of patients with cancer and related diseases. In addition to expertise in administering chemotherapy, our nurses provide education regarding your treatment, potential side effects and appropriate interventions. Another valuable resource is the chemotherapy education class that our Nurse Manager teaches each month. This class is available to the patient as well as family members and friends and is a great informational opportunity. 

The nurses do utilize their voice mail. If you call to speak to a nurse, all non-urgent phone calls will be directed to their voice mail. This is because they are administering chemotherapy and providing patient education and support. There is a nurse assigned each day to retrieve and return voice mail messages. Problems such as unexpected bleeding or persistent temperature elevations over 100F should be reported as soon as possible. In the event of an emergency please, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Our nurses are trained to answer pertinent questions and they will arrange for you to talk with or see a doctor if needed.

The nurses handle all prescription and refill requests. We ask that all requests for prescriptions and refills are done during normal office hours. We are unable to refill prescriptions at night or on weekends, since your medical records are not readily available to the doctor on call. If it has been more than one year since you last saw your doctor you will need to make an appointment to be seen before a prescription or refill can be approved.

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INSURANCE AND BILLING DEPARTMENT:
Our billing office is located in the Orlando office. Our billing personnel are available to help you with any questions or problems either in person or over the phone, Monday through Friday between 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. We are providers for Medicare, Medicaid, and most commercial insurance. If you are not sure if we participate with your insurance, please call and speak to someone in the billing department and they will be happy to find out for you. We ask that you bring your insurance information with you to your first visit. If you are an established patient with an insurance change please notify our office at your soonest convenience and bring your new insurance card with you to your next appointment. If your insurance company requires you to have an authorization for your visit, our referral coordinators will request this for you and will notify you in advance if there is any problem. We will file your insurance for you including any secondary insurance.

Health insurance is designed to help you meet the cost of medical services, but there may be a portion of your charges that your insurance company assigns to your responsibility. We must collect co-payments at the time of your office visit. Because we accept assignment for Medicare and many other insurance companies, we will bill them first, but you will be responsible for any portion not covered by your insurance company. For your convenience we are now equipped to accept Visa, MasterCard, and Debit cards. We will send you a statement each month for any balances that are your responsibility. 

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CHEMOTHERAPY TREATMENT:
We have a staff of nurses with special training and extensive experience in the care of patients with cancer and related diseases.  In addition to expertise in administering chemotherapy, our nurses are highly trained and experienced in the important roles of patient and family education, counseling, and emotional support.

During your treatment, family members may be asked to remain in our waiting area to ensure all patients comfort and privacy.

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PRESCRIPTIONS AND RENEWALS:
All prescriptions and authorizations for renewals should be requested during normal office hours. We are unable to refill prescriptions at night or on weekends, since your medical records are not readily available to our doctor on call.  In general, we will not approve refills if it has been more than one year since your last visit.

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HELP US TO HELP YOU:
Our office is dedicated to offering you comprehensive, expert, and sensitive care.  In addition to treating you illness, we have pamphlets to help you understand your medical problems and treatment.

If you have any comments on the health care given to you by our staff, we would appreciate hearing from you.  Our goal is to serve you with the finest medical care possible.

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Thank you, for your interest in our practice. Our office is dedicated to offering you comprehensive, expert and sensitive care. Please contact our office if you have any questions that are not answered by the above information. If you are an established patient with any comments on the care given to you by our staff, we would appreciate hearing from you.