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How do I schedule an appointment?
back to top How do I schedule an appointment? We are developing online software so you can schedule your own appointments. Until then, Teri Geisler or Dr. Kelly Rothe is available to assist you in making an appointment by phone or fax. When you call, we will ask you a few questions regarding your medical needs. This is to help us schedule the appropriate amount of time with the doctor. Giving thorough information when making the appointment may help you avoid having to schedule another appointment at a later time to address additional needs. Please have your insurance information available when you are calling to schedule your appointment. We rarely run behind, so please arrive on time. If you arrive fifteen minutes late for a regularly scheduled appointment or five minutes late for a procedure you may be asked to reschedule at the physician's discretion. If you must cancel an appointment, please call us as soon as you become aware that you are unable to keep it, your time can then be given to another patient. back to top What if I have an Emergency or need care After Hours? Emergencies should be handled in accordance with the guidelines provided by your insurance company. In the event of a life or limb-threatening emergency, you should call 911 and/or go to the nearest hospital emergency room and have them notify your family physician upon your arrival. In the case of an urgent situation that is not life or limb-threatening, please contact our main number, 828.273.2889, for further instructions. After-hours, week end and holiday coverage is available by calling our answering service at Spruce Pine Hospital, number (828)765-4201. The operator will receive your call and page the doctor on call if you have a medical need that cannot wait until the next business day. Urgent Care is available at the Main Office on a walk-in basis only during the following hours: Monday-Friday 8 am – 5pm. Please note that lab results and prescription refills are not available through the clinic or by telephone during evening and weekend hours. back to top We realize that at times our patients have urgent needs that will not allow them to wait several days for an appointment. When these needs arise, please call our appointment line at our main location at 828.273.2889, and we will make every effort to get you in the same day. We leave fifteen minutes prior to each hour for emergencies, so if necessary you may walk-in at 7:45, 8:45 etc excepting 2:45 as we are out of the office at this time. back to top How do I request a Prescription refill? We ask that you contact your pharmacy if you need to transfer a prescription from one pharmacy to another or if you need a refill on a routine medication, even if the label reads, “0 refills” or “Doctor must authorize.” The pharmacy will call or fax our office for authorization. Please follow up with your pharmacy to check the status of your refill request. Our office will process pharmacy requests every hour Monday - Thursday, 9 am through 4 pm. We advise that you plan 5 days in advance to request your refill in order to allow adequate processing time. If your last office visit was more than six months ago or if we have not previously diagnosed your condition, you may be asked to schedule an office visit. Refills are not processed through the clinic nor by the doctor on call during evenings and weekends. back to top How can I receive a copy of my medical records? Our Medical Records department can be reached at 828.273.2889 to request copies of medical records. Records may be transferred to another physician's office or hospital as a complimentary service. We must have a signed release before releasing patient records, which you can copy from the Privacy Statement, sign and send or fax to our office. Please allow 48-72 hours processing time. back to top What is your financial policy? We strive to keep our fees fair and competitive with our community. Cash, check, and most major credit cards are accepted as payment for services. We participate with many insurance plans including Medicare and Medicaid. Co-pays, co-insurance, and deductibles are due at the time of service. If we are a participating provider with your insurance company, we will file your insurance claims and accept payments from your insurance company. In order to provide this service, we will need to verify health insurance coverage with the following information:
We ask that you present your current insurance card at each visit. In order to avoid billing problems, it is vital that you provide us with updated information as the changes occur. There may be times when the patient will be asked to file his/her own insurance claims or to follow up personally with the insurance company. If the insurance has not paid within 60 days, the outstanding balance will be considered patient responsibility and payment will be due at that time. New patients are required to pay the first visit in full at the time of service unless we are able to verify insurance eligibility and benefits before your appointment. A refund will be issued if the insurance pays for the visit. Non-insured patients will be asked to pay the balance in full as services are rendered or to make payment arrangements with the Business Office, 828.273.2889, before receiving care. We do offer a prompt pay 25% discount for non-insured patients. At Mountain Medical Arts, PLLC, we endeavor to provide to our patients the best possible medical care. In return, we expect our patients to meet their financial obligations. Patients who do not make prior payment arrangements and keep them may be asked to seek care elsewhere. We value each one of our patients, and we simply ask that our patients value our services enough to fulfill their financial responsibility. back to top What if I have a question about my account? If you have questions regarding your account with Mountain Medical Arts, PLLC, you may call our Business Office at 828.273.2889, Monday through Friday between 9 am and 4 pm. We ask that you inform us as soon as you experience any changes in your insurance coverage, address, telephone numbers, or family member/dependent status. This will help us avoid unnecessary problems or delays on your account. back to top What are my patient Rights and Responsibilities?
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