Office Policies
Thank you for choosing Lafayette Pediatrics and Internal Medicine for your healthcare needs. We look forward to a long and healthy relationship. Please read the following policies.
- No Show/Cancellations – we require 24 hours notice for cancellations of scheduled appointments. Each appointment time is reserved for only one patient and if you do not use your time without giving us adequate notice, then we may not be able to see all the patients that need to be seen. Therefore, if you do not show up for your appointment, or fail to give us adequate notice, then you may be assessed a $50 fee that is not payable by insurance.
- After Hours – We provide continuous after hours care for questions that might arise after normal business hours. To access after-hours care – please call our normal office phone and listen to the prompts. We offer a nurse line which can answer most questions. Also, our providers are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to answer questions the nurse line cannot. Our providers are happy to take your calls at any time of day or night, but please be respectful of their time with their family and only call if you believe it is necessary.
- Payment – Copays and self-pay payments are due at the time of service. If you have additional responsibilities for payment, you will be billed with the remaining balance. Payment is due upon receipt. If you believe there is an error in billing, please contact us. You may pay by mailing a check, calling with a credit card number, paying online on our website or stopping by to pay.
- Walk-in Appointments – All visits are by appointment and we do not take walk-in patients. If you need to be seen urgently, please call us and we will do our best to get you in to see the provider promptly.
- Prescription Refills – Refills for prescriptions are completed during office hours only. Please contact your local pharmacy directly to ask for a refill. They will contact us if an additional prescription is required. Please allow 3 days for completion of your refill. Scheduled medications require a hand written prescription and must be hand delivered by the patient to the pharmacy. Refills are provided for existing patients only.
- Other Prescriptions – In general, prescriptions for new medications (including antibiotics) are not given without an appointment. If you feel you need a new prescription, please contact us to arrange a visit.
- Orders and Tests – All labs, tests, orders and patient reported decision making tools are ordered according to patient specific care plans and needs determined by your provider. Not all recommended tests are covered by your insurance and charges may apply toward your deductible. We use Quest Diagnostics for all lab tests (gynecological tests are processed through Unipath). If Quest is out of network, additional charges may apply. Your Explanation of Benefits from your insurance provider may state a different amount owed than actual amount due. Please wait for your bill before calling Quest to inquire about charges. If you have questions or concerns about this process please inquire prior to any tests being performed.
- Forms – Our staff will fill out forms necessary for Daycare, School, Camp, Work, FMLA and disability as needed. Please allow us 3 days to complete paperwork. We do not charge a fee for most paperwork, however, if the time required to complete the paperwork is exceptionally long, a small fee may be assessed. Please fill out all applicable information to help expedite this process.
- Telephone Calls – Phone calls will be answered in order of urgency. During office hours, we generally return phone calls within 30 minutes. If you feel your call is critical, please let us know and we will get staff on the phone immediately. If we have not returned your call within an hour, please call us back.
- Language Needs–If you prefer an interpreter, please let our staff know and one will be provided for you.
- Communication-We provide free aids and services to people with disabilities to communicate effectively with us, such as qualified sign language interpreters or written information in other formats (large print, audio, accessible electronic formats, other formats).
- Discrimination– Lafayette Pediatrics and Internal Medicine complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.