Office Guidelines

The health & safety of our patients & staff is our highest priority. Below are a few of the ways we have ensured safe office visits for everyone.

• Spaced seating in all patient areas
• Finger covers for check-in kiosks & hand sanitizer in lobby
• Masks & facial coverings required for all physicians, staff, and patients
• Thorough room sanitization between every patient
• Sanitization of common areas and touchpoints throughout the day

Our clinic staff returns most calls at lunch and before leaving for the day. All calls made before 3:00 P.M. will be returned the same day, calls made after 3:00 P.M. may not be returned until the following business day. Should your call require immediate attention, it would be best to make an appointment. Our providers are busy seeing patients in clinic, if you wish to speak directly to the physician or nurse practitioner, you will need to make an appointment. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911.

If you have any paperwork (such as FMLA, disability, etc.) that needs to be signed and completed by the physician you will need to make an appointment and bring the forms into the office. Should you need a wellness form filled out after a recent visit, you may fax it to us at 205-592-3427 or bring the form into the office and leave it with the front desk for the physician to review. After review, the staff will contact you to let you know if it could be completed or if you will need to make an appointment.

If you are out of refills for your medication and are due for an appointment, you must come in and see the physician to get a new prescription. If you have recently been seen in the office and your medication was not renewed at that time, you may leave a voicemail for the staff or request a refill on our patient portal. We do not refill controlled medications without an appointment.

All online requests will be answered within one business day of submission. You can request and reschedule your appointments online as well as ask nurse questions and request prescription refills. With prescription refills please note that the doctor puts a certain number of refills on each prescription so if your pharmacy says you are out of refills you may need to make an appointment to see the physician before they will give more refills. Please remember, if you have an emergency, it is best to call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

If you need an insurance referral to see a specialist please request it at least seventy two (72) hours before each appointment with your specialist, so we will have adequate time to obtain it. Doing so will ensure your referral is up to date and that your visit will be covered. We cannot do retro referrals. It is the patient’s responsibility to obtain and confirm your referral. Please double check with the nursing staff before you leave about your referral.

Insurance Cards: We now ask to see your insurance cards each time you come in. We MUST HAVE copies of all your active insurance cards. Please notify us of any change in your insurance, address, place of employment, phone number, etc. in writing when you arrive and BEFORE you see your physician or have any testing.

Insurance /Account Balances: Co-payments, deductibles and account balances are due before each visit. Please be aware that many insurance companies charge a percentage copayment for procedures and that you may have a copayment for an office visit and only 80/20 coverage on other services. Knowing what your insurance company covers is your responsibility. If you are not covered by medical insurance, full payment is due at the time of each visit or service.

There will be a $25 charge for all returned checks. Returned check amount and fee will need to be paid by cash or credit card.

We maintain your records for 7 years after your last date of service; then they are destroyed. If you need a copy of your medical records, please fill our our Request for Medical Records form.

Due to the large number of medical records requested, it could take up to 30 days and you will be charged for the service unless the records are being sent to another physician. Your rights may be viewed online at the Alabama Department of Health and Human Resources.

Patients should call to cancel or reschedule appointments at least 24 hours prior to the appointment time. Constant rescheduling or cancellations could result in termination from our practice due to non-compliance of physician instructions.

Please contact our office at (205) 595 -5504 no later than 12:00 noon the previous business day prior to the test to cancel or reschedule. A $100.00 fee will be assessed to any patient that fails to appear for their appointment or does not give a 24-hour appointment cancellation notice for any reason. These charges are not billable to insurance and will ultimately be the responsibility of the patient. All no-show charges will need to be paid in full before your next appointment with the provider.