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HIPAA Guidelines
Due to HIPAA regulations our office requires written or verbal consent from a parent or legal
guardian to see and/or treat children under the age of 18, when coming to the office by themselves.
This also applies a patient is brought in by a grandparent or friend. Once a patient turns 18, new
patient intake sheets are filled out and signed by that patient. HIPAA guidelines direct us to have their
consent in order to release medical information, even to a parent.
Payment at Time of Service
Our office policy indicates payment for the office visit or co-pay should be paid at the time of visit.
We also ask that whoever brings the child into the office pays the co-pay. If we have to bill you for
your co-pay there will be an additional $2.00 billing service charge added to your bill.
Main Phone Line 484-4871
Our office has multiple phone lines; however, the main phone line to call for the quickest response is
484-4871. If we call you and a number other than 484-4871 comes up on your caller ID, please call us
back at the 484-4871 number. This is the only line that forwards to the answering service after-hours.
If you call back on one of the other lines after hours there will be no one to answer your call and it will
not forward to our answering service.
After Hours Services and Phone Calls
Our office offers after-hours services in the need of an emergency. Our main number (970) 484-4871
is called and the service will page the on call doctor. They will then call you to determine the next step
(treating by phone, meeting you at the office, etc.) There will be a $10.00 charge for calls made to the
doctors after regular office hours prior to 10:00pm. After 10:00pm the charge is $25.00. This charge
covers the time taken by the physician to return your call, the dictation of the call for the chart,
pharmacy calls if needed and any follow-up procedures that are required of the nurse or any other
staff member on the next working day. For long distance phone calls to a pharmacy or to you while out
of town (any time of the day) a $10.00 charge is assessed.
Nurses Voice Mail
Our nurses have voice mail and messages can be left for them throughout the day. They receive a large
number of calls every day, so please be patient when waiting for a return call. If the situation is
critical or if you need an appointment, please inform the receptionist so that it can be addressed
immediately. The nurses not only receive calls with questions from patients and parents, but calls from
labs, other offices and pharmacies for refills are also addressed. When leaving a message for the nurse
please speak clearly and be sure to leave your phone number and name and spelling of the child that
your question is in regard to. If you are calling regarding results for tests not performed in our office,
please leave the child’s name, date of test and the lab or facility it was performed at so that the nurses
can have all of the information readily available when returning your call.
Medication Refills
When leaving a message for medication refills, the nurses need the name of the child (with spelling), the
prescription medicine and the name of the pharmacy you would like the prescription called to.
Prescription refills will be called in Monday – Thursday 8:30am-4:30pm and Friday from 8:30am-11:
30am. If an ADD/ADHD, depression, or anxiety medication refill is needed, a 48-72 hour advance
notice is needed. You can call and leave a message on the nurse’s voice mail. The prescription may be
picked up from the office in 2-3 days or if a self-addressed, stamped envelope is provided the
prescription can be mailed to you.
Daycare, Camp, School and Immunization Records
Forms that need to be filled out by a nurse can be left at our office for completion and then picked up
in 2-3 days. If a self-addressed, stamped envelope is provided we will mail the form to you or the
facility. Some forms can also be faxed to the facility. We keep a master Colorado immunization card on
each patient from birth through college. We copy this master for daycare providers, preschools, schools
and camps. Parents please read the requirements for physicals on camp and sports forms. Some forms
specify that the child have a physical exam every 12 months. After the age of 5, our office recommends
a physical every other year; however if you need a form filled out and it indicates the need for a
physical exam within the last year, we cannot sign the form.
Physical Exams/Sick Appointments
Physicals (well checks) consist of a complete physical exam that includes a developmental evaluation,
measurement of height and weight, hearing and vision screen, blood pressure, scoliosis check,
neurological exam and an update of immunizations. Depending on the age of the child, we may check for
anemia and perform a urinalysis. Diet and sleep patterns are discussed, as well as in-depth discussions
regarding safety and behavioral issues. With adolescent physicals, there may be discussions regarding
high-risk behavior, sexuality, peer pressure, school related issues and depression. A physical (well
check) is required every 12 months for most daycare facilities, camps, junior high and high school sports.
Sick appointments are given a 15-minute time slot (much less than physicals). This time is set for the
doctor to examine the patient and diagnose the illness. If your child has multiple symptoms, problems
and/or concerns, please let the receptionist know when you make the appointment so the visit can be
extended. We want to make sure the doctor has enough time to address all of your concerns without
feeling rushed.
Unscheduled Visits
Our schedule is not set for walk-in appointments. Please call ahead to establish an appointment time. We
do have an unscheduled visit charge of $12.50 in addition to your co-pay. If the situation is an
emergency, we will see the patient and not charge the unscheduled visit fee. If you have an appointment
for one child and bring a sibling in and want them to also be seen at the same time without notifying the
office beforehand, there will be an additional unscheduled visit charge in addition to the co-pay for
each child.
Appointment Confirmations, No Shows and Late Arrivals
Over the past few years we have had an overwhelmingly number of no shows and patients late for
appointments. Not showing for an appointment prevents us from scheduling other patients. Being late
for an office visit causes the provider to be behind in his or her schedule and delays the visit for other
patients who arrive on time. With consideration for our other patients, a client who is 15 minutes late
will need to reschedule their appointment. Additionally, a missed appointment charge will be incurred.
Our office is now requiring at least 24 hours notice for cancellation of any well care or medication
follow-ups. We also require 2 hours prior notice for cancellation of any other appointment. If we are
not given the appropriate cancellation notice or an appointment is missed, the charge will be $35 for
well care and $25 for all other visits. These charges will NOT be billed to your insurance. Our office
confirms appointments the day prior to the appointment. This is provided as a courtesy to our clients.
It is your responsibility to remember your appointment. If an appointment is missed 3 times you will
be asked to transfer care to another practice. To cancel an appointment, please call (970) 484-4871.
Forms That Need To Be Filled Out By A Nurse Or Doctor:
When you have forms (this includes camp, school, day care and immunization forms) that need to be
filled out by a doctor or nurse, they need to be left at the office and you may pick them up in 2-3 days
or you can leave a self-addressed, stamped envelope. We keep a master Colorado Immunization card for
each patient from birth through college. We copy this master for day cares, preschools and camps.
Nurses Charges:
Please be advised that when bringing a child in for a recheck, hospital follow-up, vision screening,
hearing screening or for a weight check; there will be a charge/copay assessed. This is due to the fact
that each visit must be dictated in the chart, even by the nurse. Stricter guidelines in the medical field
have made this much more prevalent than in the past.
Referrals:
Many insurance companies require a referral from your primary care physician before a specialist may
see you. Many times we can treat the problem, thus saving your additional time. Once you have been
referred to a specialist by our office, call that specialist, set up an appointment time, then call us
promptly with that date and the specialist's name. It is important that this sequence be kept.
Late to Appointments:
If you are 15 minutes late, we may have to reschedule your appointment so that we can stay on-time
with our patients who have arrived on-time.
Due to HIPAA regulations our office requires written or verbal consent from a parent or legal
guardian to see and/or treat children under the age of 18, when coming to the office by themselves.
This also applies a patient is brought in by a grandparent or friend. Once a patient turns 18, new
patient intake sheets are filled out and signed by that patient. HIPAA guidelines direct us to have their
consent in order to release medical information, even to a parent.
Payment at Time of Service
Our office policy indicates payment for the office visit or co-pay should be paid at the time of visit.
We also ask that whoever brings the child into the office pays the co-pay. If we have to bill you for
your co-pay there will be an additional $2.00 billing service charge added to your bill.
Main Phone Line 484-4871
Our office has multiple phone lines; however, the main phone line to call for the quickest response is
484-4871. If we call you and a number other than 484-4871 comes up on your caller ID, please call us
back at the 484-4871 number. This is the only line that forwards to the answering service after-hours.
If you call back on one of the other lines after hours there will be no one to answer your call and it will
not forward to our answering service.
After Hours Services and Phone Calls
Our office offers after-hours services in the need of an emergency. Our main number (970) 484-4871
is called and the service will page the on call doctor. They will then call you to determine the next step
(treating by phone, meeting you at the office, etc.) There will be a $10.00 charge for calls made to the
doctors after regular office hours prior to 10:00pm. After 10:00pm the charge is $25.00. This charge
covers the time taken by the physician to return your call, the dictation of the call for the chart,
pharmacy calls if needed and any follow-up procedures that are required of the nurse or any other
staff member on the next working day. For long distance phone calls to a pharmacy or to you while out
of town (any time of the day) a $10.00 charge is assessed.
Nurses Voice Mail
Our nurses have voice mail and messages can be left for them throughout the day. They receive a large
number of calls every day, so please be patient when waiting for a return call. If the situation is
critical or if you need an appointment, please inform the receptionist so that it can be addressed
immediately. The nurses not only receive calls with questions from patients and parents, but calls from
labs, other offices and pharmacies for refills are also addressed. When leaving a message for the nurse
please speak clearly and be sure to leave your phone number and name and spelling of the child that
your question is in regard to. If you are calling regarding results for tests not performed in our office,
please leave the child’s name, date of test and the lab or facility it was performed at so that the nurses
can have all of the information readily available when returning your call.
Medication Refills
When leaving a message for medication refills, the nurses need the name of the child (with spelling), the
prescription medicine and the name of the pharmacy you would like the prescription called to.
Prescription refills will be called in Monday – Thursday 8:30am-4:30pm and Friday from 8:30am-11:
30am. If an ADD/ADHD, depression, or anxiety medication refill is needed, a 48-72 hour advance
notice is needed. You can call and leave a message on the nurse’s voice mail. The prescription may be
picked up from the office in 2-3 days or if a self-addressed, stamped envelope is provided the
prescription can be mailed to you.
Daycare, Camp, School and Immunization Records
Forms that need to be filled out by a nurse can be left at our office for completion and then picked up
in 2-3 days. If a self-addressed, stamped envelope is provided we will mail the form to you or the
facility. Some forms can also be faxed to the facility. We keep a master Colorado immunization card on
each patient from birth through college. We copy this master for daycare providers, preschools, schools
and camps. Parents please read the requirements for physicals on camp and sports forms. Some forms
specify that the child have a physical exam every 12 months. After the age of 5, our office recommends
a physical every other year; however if you need a form filled out and it indicates the need for a
physical exam within the last year, we cannot sign the form.
Physical Exams/Sick Appointments
Physicals (well checks) consist of a complete physical exam that includes a developmental evaluation,
measurement of height and weight, hearing and vision screen, blood pressure, scoliosis check,
neurological exam and an update of immunizations. Depending on the age of the child, we may check for
anemia and perform a urinalysis. Diet and sleep patterns are discussed, as well as in-depth discussions
regarding safety and behavioral issues. With adolescent physicals, there may be discussions regarding
high-risk behavior, sexuality, peer pressure, school related issues and depression. A physical (well
check) is required every 12 months for most daycare facilities, camps, junior high and high school sports.
Sick appointments are given a 15-minute time slot (much less than physicals). This time is set for the
doctor to examine the patient and diagnose the illness. If your child has multiple symptoms, problems
and/or concerns, please let the receptionist know when you make the appointment so the visit can be
extended. We want to make sure the doctor has enough time to address all of your concerns without
feeling rushed.
Unscheduled Visits
Our schedule is not set for walk-in appointments. Please call ahead to establish an appointment time. We
do have an unscheduled visit charge of $12.50 in addition to your co-pay. If the situation is an
emergency, we will see the patient and not charge the unscheduled visit fee. If you have an appointment
for one child and bring a sibling in and want them to also be seen at the same time without notifying the
office beforehand, there will be an additional unscheduled visit charge in addition to the co-pay for
each child.
Appointment Confirmations, No Shows and Late Arrivals
Over the past few years we have had an overwhelmingly number of no shows and patients late for
appointments. Not showing for an appointment prevents us from scheduling other patients. Being late
for an office visit causes the provider to be behind in his or her schedule and delays the visit for other
patients who arrive on time. With consideration for our other patients, a client who is 15 minutes late
will need to reschedule their appointment. Additionally, a missed appointment charge will be incurred.
Our office is now requiring at least 24 hours notice for cancellation of any well care or medication
follow-ups. We also require 2 hours prior notice for cancellation of any other appointment. If we are
not given the appropriate cancellation notice or an appointment is missed, the charge will be $35 for
well care and $25 for all other visits. These charges will NOT be billed to your insurance. Our office
confirms appointments the day prior to the appointment. This is provided as a courtesy to our clients.
It is your responsibility to remember your appointment. If an appointment is missed 3 times you will
be asked to transfer care to another practice. To cancel an appointment, please call (970) 484-4871.
Forms That Need To Be Filled Out By A Nurse Or Doctor:
When you have forms (this includes camp, school, day care and immunization forms) that need to be
filled out by a doctor or nurse, they need to be left at the office and you may pick them up in 2-3 days
or you can leave a self-addressed, stamped envelope. We keep a master Colorado Immunization card for
each patient from birth through college. We copy this master for day cares, preschools and camps.
Nurses Charges:
Please be advised that when bringing a child in for a recheck, hospital follow-up, vision screening,
hearing screening or for a weight check; there will be a charge/copay assessed. This is due to the fact
that each visit must be dictated in the chart, even by the nurse. Stricter guidelines in the medical field
have made this much more prevalent than in the past.
Referrals:
Many insurance companies require a referral from your primary care physician before a specialist may
see you. Many times we can treat the problem, thus saving your additional time. Once you have been
referred to a specialist by our office, call that specialist, set up an appointment time, then call us
promptly with that date and the specialist's name. It is important that this sequence be kept.
Late to Appointments:
If you are 15 minutes late, we may have to reschedule your appointment so that we can stay on-time
with our patients who have arrived on-time.
Policies and Procedures