Becoming Our Patient
Click Here for New Patient Registration Form. Press PRINT, complete the brief form, and bring it with you on your first arranged appointment.
To schedule your first appointment, please contact us at 941-351-2020
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FAQ’s
What are the steps to become a new patient?
- 1) Complete the printed New Patient Registration form.
- 2) Make an appointment.
- 3) Come in for your appointment and bring along your patient information forms. Call 24 hours ahead if you need to reschedule.
Why is a full physical exam within the next 30 days after becoming a patient necessary?
The current standard is a full physical annually. Family Medicine is a medical specialty devoted to comprehensive health care and a form of primary care across all sexes, ages, diseases and parts of the body. It emphasizes disease, prevention and health promotion and provides personal, complete, and continuing care for the individual.
A physical is a particularly important for patients with medical conditions that encompass multiple organ systems and require prolonged treatment and monitoring, i.e. diabetes and hypertension.
Yearly Physicals are required for all patients regardless of age. In addition, if you are over the age of 65; Medicare requires a minimum of 2 visits per year.
What if I’m already seeing a specialist and I want to continue seeing that specialist?
We firmly believe in the need for continuity of care. Whenever it is our decision to make, we will support your continuing to see your current specialist. However, the terms of your current insurance may direct which specialists in their network you may see. If such is the case, then this issue must be between you and your insurance company.
What if I have an emergency or a problem after hours?
If you are bleeding or having chest pains, or having symptoms you suspect are life-threatening please go immediately to the closest emergency room. Emergency Room! Otherwise call our regular office number (941-351-2020) and the 24 hr live answering services will contact the doctor and your call will be returned, shortly.
Which hospitals are you affiliated with?
Our physicians are members of Lakewood Ranch Medical Center and Manatee Memorial Hospital with designated representative coordinator-case-manager-physicians at Doctor’s Hospital, Blake Medical Center, Lakewood Ranch Medical Center and Manatee Memorial.
Since 1996, un the U.S., Canada and other countries, representative physicians with a primary practice at the hospital regularly meet and treat you in the ER or when you are admitted. Known as Hospitalist, now one of the fastest growing fields in medicine, and as transition coordinator, and case manager they communicate with your primary physician, and handle your care during your time in the hospital (although your primary doctor may also visit you).
Since the hospital is the primary site of their practice, they are able to spend more time with patients than a regular physician making daily rounds.
Research shows this reduces the length of stay, treatment costs, hospital acquired diseases, and improves the overall efficiency optimizing the care of hospitalized patients.