GENERAL QUESTIONS
Can I choose my own caregiver?
If you are a gynecology patient, you may select your own physician, and can expect to be treated by that physician most of the time. Your medical record will be available to all of the doctors and nurses in the group, however, so that if an emergency arises which makes your own doctor unavailable, another member of our staff can take care of you. If you prefer to be seen by a nurse midwife or nurse practitioner for routine care, you may request that caregiver when you call for your appointment
Obstetrical patients may see the physician of their choice during pregnancy. If your doctor is unavailable due to emergency, we will do our best to schedule you with another caregiver of your choosing. Obstetrical patients who choose to be delivered by a nurse midwife will be seen by all the nurse midwives during the course of pregnancy and will meet with a physician at least once.
Babies generally don’t share their arrival plans with us in advance and many are born at night and on weekends. As a group each midwife and physician takes his or her turn providing coverage during these time periods. If you go into labor at night or over a weekend, the hospital will contact the midwife or physician on call from OB-GYN Associates and they will provide you care. It is for this reason that you may with to meet with each midwife and/or doctor at least once during your pregnancy.
What are the office hours and how do I schedule appointments?
Appointments for annual exams, routine problems and follow-ups are available Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM. You may schedule a visit to the office by calling 607.266.7800 during those hours.
We try to see all patients on an appointment basis and we request that you call well in advance so that we can reserve time for you. If you are unable to keep an appointment, we would appreciate at least 24 hours notice. This courtesy will allow us to schedule another patient who has been waiting to see a caregiver. We will also do our very best to honor scheduled appointments, however in this instance when a patient emergency cause a delay, we will inform you.
What do I do in an emergency?
If an emergency medical situation arises during office hours, call us at 607. 266.7800. Your call will be put straight through to a member of our nursing, midwife or physician staff, whoever is immediately available.
At night or during the weekend, call 607. 266.7800 and our answering service will contact the midwife or doctor on call. He or she will call you back and instruct you where to meet if immediate treatment is necessary.
Will the providers accept telephone calls during office hours?
The midwives and doctors generally do not have sufficient time to receive telephone calls during office hours. By minimizing disruptions to the appointments scheduled, your waiting time in the office is reduced and they have more time to see patients needing immediate care.
If you are calling about a problem which you think requires attention the same day, please give our receptionist concise information about the nature of the problem. A midwife or member of our nursing staff will return your call. That person will then consult with your physician as soon as he or she is available. This triage system allows us to both attend to the patients in our office and respond to your concerns. The doctor will return your call if needed, or see you in the office.
Can I renew prescriptions by phone?
Routine prescriptions and authorizations for renewals should be requested by calling 607.216.0097. When calling for a prescription renewal please have the name and phone number of your pharmacy, name and dosage of the prescription you are requesting, and a phone number where you can be reached if we should have any questions. Controlled substances (those containing narcotic components) require an office visit and cannot be renewed over the phone. We urge you to discuss all medications with your physician during your annual checkup.
How do I pay my bill?
We make every effort to keep down the cost of your medical care. You can help us by paying for your visit before you leave the office. This will help to minimize our billing costs, which can be quite considerable. If you are having financial difficulties, we are most willing to make special financial arrangements with you. Please ask to speak with our billing department privately or they can be reached directly by calling 607.216.0096.
You are responsible for deductibles and co-pays. For surgical procedures and deliveries, our office will submit all billing claim forms to your insurance carrier for you whether we participate or not.
Please remember that insurance is considered reimbursing you, the patient, for fees paid to your physician and is not a substitute for payment. Some companies pay fixed allowances for certain procedures and others pay a percentage of the charge. It is your responsibility to pay any deductible amount, co-insurance or other balance not paid by your insurance company.
We know insurance matters can be confusing. If you have questions, we will do our best to answer them. Those we can’t help you with should be referred to your insurance company.