Frequently Asked Questions

• How do I get Refills on my medicines?
• What should I Bring to my next visit?
• What if I need to reach you After Hours?
• What Insurance Plans do you accept?
• How do I get Test Results?
• What are your policies on Antibiotic Use?
• What are your policies on Narcotics and Controlled Substances?
• What if I have to go to the Hospital?
• What is Open Access scheduling?
• Living Wills and Powers of Attorney
• May I use Email to communicate with you?
• What is an Electronic Medical Record?

Refills / Top

• Refill requests should be made to your pharmacist, who will then contact us for authorization.
• Often we have given you just enough medicine to last until we needed to see you again. Therefore, when you are down to your last refill, please consider calling for a follow-up appointment.
• We ask that you only call after hours for refills if it is a true emergency.

Bring to Each Visit / Top

• Insurance cards
• Picture ID
• Medication list
• Power of Attorney
• Living Will

After-Hours Coverage / Top

• I am now sharing call with a group of other physicians within the Jewish Hospital & St. Mary's HeathCare organization.
• CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY if you are faced with a medical emergency.
• We do not prescribe antibiotics, narcotics or nerve pills after hours.
• A physician is always on call, and we DO answer our calls after-hours. If you have not heard back from us within 30 minutes, please call our answering service again.

Test Results / Top

Our staff will contact you as soon as possible with test results. If you have not heard from us within a week of your test, please feel free to call us for your results.

In addition to the tried-and-true methods of phone and return appointment, patients may receive NORMAL test results by Email. This is often more convenient for both of us.

Antibiotic Use / Top

We share the broader medical community's concerns about the growing problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Click here for an informative discussion of the problem from the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Most bugs that infect your eyes, nose, throat, large airways and bowels are viruses. Here's a copy of our Viral Prescription for your use at home.

We ask your cooperation and trust when we choose to watch infections we believe to be viral.

Narcotics & Controlled Substances / Top

All patients requiring long term use of either narcotics or controlled anti-anxiety medications will be required to complete a Controlled Substances Contract with their primary care doctor, requiring:

1. All medications will be taken precisely as directed
2. Under no circumstances will early refills be given
3. No controlled prescriptions will be refilled after hours
4. The patient will receive prescriptions for controlled substances only from their primary care doctor
5. Patients may be asked to submit to testing or blood or urine

Hospitals / Top

We have partnered with in-patient hospital specialists at Jewish Hospital & St. Mary's HealthCare, as well as all other area hospitals, to provide you the best possible care.

When you go to an emergency room, just let the ER doctors know that you are a patient at Highlands Family Medicine. In the event that you require hospitalization, you will usually be admitted by your specialist, for instance your cardiologist in the case of a cardiac emergency. Your in-patient treatment may also be coordinated by a physician that specializes in hospital care, known as a Hospitalist. Your specialists and the hospitalist will work closely with us to give you the best care possible.

We will always be just a phone call away, and encourage you to contact us for any reason while in the hospital. We will have access to the tests, lab results, and dictated notes during your visit. At the same time, using our electronic medical record, your providers at the hospital will have access to your clinic chart.

Open Access / Top

We are dedicated to open access scheduling in our office, whose goal is to assure you an appointment with your doctor the day you want it.

Living Will & Power of Attorney / Top

We want to help patients with end-of-life questions, and recognize that these are issues best addressed while the "sun is shinning." Be sure we know in detail your wishes by providing us with copies of any directives you have made.

• All such documents require notarization, which can be obtained free-of-charge here in our office.
• A Medical Power of Attorney and an Advanced Directive for can be found here for downloading and printing.

Electronic Medical Records or EMR / Top

Highlands Family Medicine is a "paperless" office, using state-of-the-art computers to:

• Track your health care needs,
• Improve communication,
• Reduce errors.

Our electronic medical record, Alteer, is a national leader in bringing the power of computing to medicine. Alteer allows us secure access to your medical records 24 hours a day, to help provide comprehensive health care, as well as to efficiently coordinate the care given you by specialists and hospitals.