The Day of Your Visit
As part of our 4-part series on Navigating Open Enrollment, we’ve covered Step One: Finding Your Healthcare Provider and what to do Step Two: Before Your Visit. Now, we’ll cover what to do the day of your visit.
If you are a new patient, we recommend arriving at least 20 minutes early to verify any paperwork, insurance, and contact information required for your visit. Each office may have a different policy, so be sure to familiarize yourself with what’s needed to ensure a smooth check-in process on the day of your visit. For new patients at Southwest Orlando Family Medicine, we have an easy-to-use Patient Portal where patients can obtain their necessary documents and records in advance of their visit. Once you arrive at our office, it’s as simple as checking in on one of our kiosks to get your appointment started.
Once you’ve checked in, you’ll be directed into an exam room where one of our Medical Assistants will welcome you, take your vitals (your pulse, temperature, and blood pressure) and learn more about the reason for your visit. When your Medical Assistant has gathered all of the information for your visit, you’ll be ready to see your Clinician. Each of our exam rooms has specially equipped tablets that patients can use to learn more about common illnesses, health conditions, and healthy habits. Once your Clinician arrives, you’ll have time to review with them the reason for your visit and any questions or concerns you may have. It’s always a good idea to have your top two or three concerns prepared. It helps to write them down, or even make a note in your phone, so you don’t forget during your appointment.
Exams and physical check-ups are an important part of your visit, but so are conversations about what’s new in your diet, work life, home life, and more. Spending time talking you’re your Clinician helps them to anticipate and suggest preventative healthcare recommendations for patients who may be experiencing a discomfort due to diet, higher than average levels of stress due to work, or concerns regarding a patient’s family history. It’s important to be completely honest with your Clinician, so they can take the best care of you.
After your appointment, you’ll stop by again at the Front Office on your way out to review your visit and exam costs, depending on your health insurance provider. Our Front Office is more than happy to review this with you, but it’s always a good idea to know your insurance coverage by referring to your Summary of Benefits, Evidence of Coverage, and other materials provided. We understand that temporary financial problems may affect timely payment for some patients, and we offer payment plans to help alleviate the immediate financial burden. You can learn more about our Financial Policy and Payment Plans on our website, under Billing Information.
After your visit, you can message your Clinician directly with follow-up questions through the Patient Portal or Healow App, as well review your current medications and prescription requests, educational resources, and your personal health records from any previous appointments.
Congratulations! You’ve had your first visit with your Primary Care Provider. What’s next? We’ll go into detail about what happens after your visit and ways to stay committed to your healthcare goals. Ready to book an appointment with us? You can Book An Appointment with us today.
Sources: NYTimes.com, CareSync.com