| Pediatric Associates of Fort Collins |
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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 to a patient brought in by a grandparent or friend. Once a patient turns 18, new
patient intake sheets are filled out and signed by the patient. HIPAA guidelines mandate we must have
their consent in order to release their medical information, even to a parent.
Payment at Time of Service
Our office requires payment for the office visit or co-pay be paid at the time of the visit. We also ask
that the person bringing the child to the office pay the co-pay. If we have to bill you for your co-pay
there will be an additional $10.00 billing service charge.
Main Phone Line 970-484-4871
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. If you call back on one of the other lines after hours there may 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 case of an emergency. Our main number 970/484-4871 is
called and the on-call doctor will be paged. 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 $14.00. 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. 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's first AND last
name. 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, Sports Forms 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. 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 unless your
child has had a complete physical exam within that time period.
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 $15.00 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 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 overwhelming 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. In consideration of our other patients, a client who is late may 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
appointments. One hour is required for cancellation of any other appointment. If we are not given the
appropriate cancellation notice or an appointment is missed, the charge will be $50.00 for well care
and $25 for all other appointments and $10.00 for nurse 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.
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.
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.
Policies and Procedures