Our Policies

During normal business hours (7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. M-Thur, 7:00 to 2:00 on Friday.) your call will be answered and directed to the appropriate personnel to deal with your questions or problems.

Since your provider sees a lot of patients, your calls may not be answered immediately. If you have an urgent need, please be specific so that your message can be returned as soon as possible.

After normal business hours and on weekends all messages are recorded and retrieved on the next business day. You may reach your doctor anytime by calling 910-577-2345. In the event of a life-threatening emergency please call 911 or go to the Emergency Room.

Our fee is based on the time we spend with you during your visit, the complexity of your medical condition, and any treatment we provide. But proper attention to your care also requires that we spend additional time beyond that which we spend with you in the office. Such time may be used to:

Create or maintain your permanent medical record.
Review, interpret, and document all lab test results and communicate those results-orally or in writing-to you.
Review current X-ray or scan reports, compare them with reports of previous scans, and, when the studies are abnormal, consult with the radiologist.
Prepare, mail or electronically send consultation reports.
Consult via phone about your case with referring or consulting physicians and other health care providers.
Prepare referral letters to additional specialists, as needed.
Prepare patient educational materials.
Conduct medical research relevant to your case.
Communicate with pharmacies about your prescriptions.
Complete insurance applications and claim forms.
Conduct utilization review negotiations with hospitals and insurance companies.
Review and manage hospital records.
Draft letters of necessity to obtain medical services, instruments, or prescriptions that you need.
Arrange for hospital admissions and follow-up consultations with nurses, attending physicians, and house staff.
Draft reports and forms, including home health care orders and nursing facility orders.

All these activities add to our cost of doing business. Still, we are committed to providing you the best possible care at the lowest cost. We hope this explanation of our fees has been helpful. With you, our patient, we look forward to a lasting and healthy relationship.

Waiting Room
Please check in with the receptionist when you arrive. You may have a friend/family member come with you for your procedure. Due to limited parking and sitting space we ask that you only come with one family or friend. Please arrange for someone to care for your children while you’re at our surgery center. We appreciate your understanding with this policy. Please do not bring food into the waiting room. Smoking is not permitted anywhere in our building.

Telephone
We encourage you to call with any questions you may have concerning your medical care. If your call concerns an emergency, the doctor will be contacted at once. Otherwise, your call will be answered at the earliest opportunity. Please note that most phone calls are answered in the late morning and late afternoon, after all waiting patients have been seen.

Cancellations
If you are unable to keep your appointment, we request that you inform us at least 72 hours before procedure date. This will allow us to give the appointment to another patient. You will incur a charge if your appointment is not cancelled on time. Clinic visit should be canceled 48 hours or longer before your appointment.

Lab/Pathology Results
If we take any samples from your stomach or intestines, the results will be discussed with you at your next appointment. We will contact you immediately if your results require urgent action. You may also receive your results via your patient portal. Be sure to sign up for the patient portal.

Emergency Care
Our physicians are available continuously for emergencies. Should you have a medical emergency, we will do our best to respond to your problem promptly. In the event of a serious emergency, you should go immediately to the nearest hospital emergency room, and ask them to contact your doctor. In a less serious situation, call the office and you will be contacted as soon as possible. If you have any doubt about the seriousness of the emergency, it is best to go directly to the emergency room.

After Hours Care
Should you need to speak with the doctor after regular office hours, call the telephone number on your discharge sheet.

Fees & Insurance
Payment for endoscopy services, including any co-payment, is due at the time of or before the surgery visit. Please remember that the responsibility for the payment of medical bills rests with you, the patient. Medical insurance is a method for reimbursing the patient for medical expenses. As such, the agreement for insurance payment is between the patient and his insurance company. Insurance companies are under no obligation to send payment to the doctor. In most cases, the endoscopy center will gladly file with your insurance company. Whether your insurance company pays all, only a portion, or nothing on your bill is a matter between you and your insurance company. We cannot influence an insurance company’s policies regarding the extent or amount of payment. You are responsible for any portion of the bill not covered by insurance. In the event of financial hardship, contact our office manager to make specific arrangements for payment. Please note that the bill for testing biopsy samples is separate from your doctors’ endoscopy fee. You will also receive a separate bill from Carolina Anesthesia for providing your sedation during the procedure.