Patient FAQ's
Patient FAQ's
WHAT IF I AM HAVING A MEDICAL EMERGENCY OR NEED CARE AFTER HOURS?
Call 911 immediately if you are having a life-threatening emergency. Do not call your provider first. Make a follow-up call with your provider within 24 hours of your emergency or when your health allows For non-life threatening urgent medical care after hours and on weekends, patients of VPMC can call and leave a message; you will receive a call back from the staff as soon as possible.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT DURING MY FIRST APPOINTMENT? HOW LONG IS IT?
You can expect your first visit to be at least 60 minutes long which will include a comprehensive assessment of the factors like physical, emotional, mental, relational, as well as other areas, like sleep, stress management, nutrition and exercise. We will also address any specific health concerns you may have. We also believe patients can participate in care planning and can help define their health goals.
HOW OFTEN WILL WE MEET?
You can meet with us annually for your comprehensive physical, or you may have more frequent visits based on your needs or general sickness.
WHAT IF I HAVE A CHRONIC MEDICAL CONDITION?
The primary care team will address your condition, seeing you as frequently as necessary, referring you to outside specialists as appropriate, while closely coordinating all of your care.
WILL BASIC MEDICAL PROCEDURES LIKE PAP SMEARS OR BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENINGS BE AVAILABLE?
Yes
CAN I GET SAME DAY APPOINTMENTS IF I AM SICK?
Yes. We offer same-day appointments as needed.
DO YOU HAVE EXTENDED HOURS?
Yes. The clinic will eventually be open after normal business hours on Thursdays, several Saturdays each month. On Thursday we will be open from 12 pm to 8 pm, and on Saturdays from 8 am to 2 pm.
CAN I COMMUNICATE WITH MY DOCTOR AND MAKE APPOINTMENTS ONLINE?
Yes, you can book appointments online by visiting our website http://www.virginiaprimarycare.com.
WHAT IF I ALREADY HAVE A PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN BUT WISH TO TRANSFER CARE TO VPMC?
Yes, please contact us first to ensure we accept your insurance. We will work on transferring your health records from your previous provider.
HOW DOES PRIMARY CARE CONNECT TO THE SPECIALITY PRACTICE?
We will coordinate your care with specialists for in-depth assessment and/or treatment.
WILL INSURANCE COVER MY HEALTH CARE IN VPMC?
If you have any insurance other than HMO or Kaiser, we can bill your insurer for services in the primary care clinic. If you have an HMO plan or Kaiser Insurance, we are considered out of network. In that case, you can participate as a self-pay patient.
HOW CAN I MAKE AN APPOINTMENT?
Current and New Patients can establish medical appointments by calling us or online.Please call for routine appointments with as much advance notice as possible. Although we will make same-day appointments for urgent care, it is always best to call ahead and let us know you are coming in.
HOW DO I PREPARE FOR MY APPOINTMENT?
There are several things you can do to better prepare yourself for a visit with your doctor. Being prepared prior to the appointment will allow you to get the most out of the short time that you and your doctor have together. Fill out the forms from our patient center, ensure get the insurance card, we will make your visit very smooth.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I NEED TO CANCEL MY APPOINTMENT?
If you are unable to keep a scheduled appointment, we ask that you call office at least 24 hours in advance to cancel the appointment and make up a date to reschedule your visit.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I MISS MY APPOINTMENT?
We ask that you make every effort to keep your appointment. When you schedule an appointment, our staff prepares your health records for your visit and reserves time for you to be seen by the provider. We ask that you call the clinic as soon as you know you will not be able to keep your appointment so we can reschedule your visit and free up your appointment time for another patient to be seen.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I AM LATE MY APPOINTMENT?
Please call to let us know you are going to be late for your appointment. Because many patients are scheduled in a day, we are only able to wait a short time before the next patient is due to be seen by the provider. If you are more than 20 minutes late for your appointment, we may need to ask you to reschedule your appointment.