Services
Finding a Doctor
Finding the right physician is an important, yet sometimes challenging decision. Look for a physician whom you can communicate with, who takes time to listen and fully understands your health care needs. Review the physicianss credentials including education, residency and board certification. Find a physician office that is convenient to your home, place of employment or children's school and has hours that meet your needs. Look for a physician who is affiliated with a major medical center. Your healthcare needs can change overnight. You never know when you will need sophisticated care in areas such as cardiac, orthopaedics or neurology.
Things to consider
- Do you prefer a large practice with many doctors or a smaller practice with one or two providers?
- Do the office hours meet your needs (weekends, evenings, etec)?
- Do you prefer your family doctor to be an internist of a family practitioner?
- Do you prefer a pediatrician or a family practitioner for your children's care?
- Do you prefer a male or female physician?
- What kind of health insurance will you be using?
- Do you have any special health concerns?
New Patients
Your first visit to a primary care practice will be a most important contact. This will be the time when you and your physician's partnership will be developed. At this visit, you will meet your physician and begin your association with all the members of the primary care team. Before your visit, you will need to fill out the medical history form. This will help the primary care provider to coordinate the health care needs of each patient individually.
Your Appointment
Participate in your healthcare: after all, it is your healthcare! Becoming active in your care is easy. It just takes some preparation before your visit, asking questions during your visit and taking notes for after your visit. Take notes, many patients forget their discussions with their doctor by the time they get home. Unfortunately, a forgotten bit of information or recommendation could affect your treatment. Take notes during your visit to help you remember the specific information you and your doctor discussed.
Ask questions. It is important that you understand your diagnosis, treatment and the steps you are taking to maintain and/or improve your health. Oftentimes, terminology and verbiage can be confusing and hard to understand. Feel free to ask your doctor to explain any medical terms you don't understand.
Prescription Refills
Once you have seen the doctor, repeat prescriptions can be requested in person or over the telephone during office hours. We ask that you only phone in urgent prescription requests so we can keep our phone lines open for emergencies. Please keep in mind if you phone outside the established hours, you may be asked to phone back; if you need a prescription refill, please call at least two days before the medication runs out; and there may be occasions when the doctor will want to see you before issuing a prescription.
Referrals
It usually takes some time to schedule an appointment with a specialist. Our referral coordinator will contact you with the information within 72 hours. Please remember that each specialist's office is different. Depending on the severity of the condition and the specialist's schedule, it could take anywhere from one week to two months. If we think your scheduled appointment is too long of a wait, we will ask our physician to call the specialist directly.
Insurance companies do not allow us to backdate referrals.
Please note, if you are a member of a health maintenance organization, you must contact our physicians before seeking services not provided through this office.
Payment
UPMC Hamot's primary care offices accept cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, Medicare and Medicaid.
For Billing Information Contact:
Regional Health Management Services
717 State Street, Lower Level
Erie, PA
Phone: 814-480-7100
Fax: 814-452-2394
Office Hours 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday - Friday
Closed: Noon - 1 p.m. (for lunch)
