General Patient Information
 The following information answers our patients' most common questions,
but we always have time to deal with your personal concerns. If you don't
find your answer here, please ask.
What Kind of Care Does the Center Offer?
Our doctors specialize in orthopaedic care and rehabilitation. Orthopaedic
medicine treats diseases, disorders and injuries of muscles, bones and
joints. We deal daily with broken bones, general bone or joint diseases,
hand and foot problems, sports injuries, bone cancer, spinal disorders,
scoliosis, pediatric orthopaedic problems and many other bone/ muscle/joint
ailments.
Surgery is but one option for many orthopaedic conditions, and in this
office it is usually the last option. Depending on your diagnosis, we
may be able to use braces, casts, physical therapy or medication to treat
your condition.
Just as no two people are exactly the same, no two ailments or injuries
are alike either. For this reason we may conduct a series of tests or
x-rays before we begin treatment. Your unique condition and personal needs
always guide us in choosing methods of treatment that are right for you.
You, too, are a key player on the team that is working to make you well.
Often we find clues to peoples' ailments just by listening, so we need
to hear your questions and concerns. Ask us anything; there ARE no frivolous
questions. Experience has shown us when you take an active part in your
own diagnosis and treatment you get well faster.
About Appointments
Our appointment system is designed to shorten the amount of time you wait
to see a doctor. However, emergencies do happen. If you ever find yourself
having to wait, we hope you'll remember that some day the person needing
our immediate attention could be you. Appointments are made during our
regular office hours, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. For
after-hours emergencies, just call our regular telephone number and our
24-hour answering service will help you reach the doctor on call. If
you have to cancel your appointment for any reason, please let us know
as far in advance as you can. Your courtesy may free up that time and
help another patient.
Personal History
Our personal history paper work will have questions about your ailment, your general
health, etc. Some questions will be personal but every question is important
and helps our doctor help you. Anything you tell us is strictly confidential
and will be released only with your approval.
Evaluation Only
If you were referred for "evaluation only" or "IME only"
by another doctor, an insurance company, or an attorney, please be aware
that this is the only service our doctor can provide. We are not authorized
to give treatment or prescriptions to an "evaluation only" patient.
Evaluation & Treatment
Insurance carriers insist that "evaluation and treatment" or
"IME and treatment" must be authorized before any treatment
begins. If you were referred to us for evaluation and treatment by an
insurance company or attorney, your OOC doctor will examine you and schedule
or conduct necessary tests. He will then make a preliminary diagnosis
and begin a treatment program that is right for you.
Smoking
This is a non-smoking office and building. Tobacco smoke has been proven
to harm the smoker and "secondhand smoke" will harm others.
Hospitals/Emergency Care
If you have a life-threatening emergency, always dial 911 first. One of
our doctors is always available for urgent orthopaedic problems. When
the office is closed, call the Lucerne Medical Plaza office number, 407-254-2500,
and our answering service will reach the doctor on call. Our doctors respond
to emergencies at the following area hospitals.
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Florida Hospital South
(N. Orange Ave.)
Emergencies 407-896-6611
407-897-1940 |
Sand Lake Hospital
Emergencies 407-351-8500
407-351-8550 |
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Orlando Regional
Health Care System
Emergencies 407-841-5111
407-841-5210 |
South Seminole Hospital
Emergencies 407-767-1200
407-767-5853 |
Prescription Refills
Please don't wait until you run out of medicine to call for a refill.
In fact, call at least two days ahead. In order to protect you, your doctor
must review your medical file before renewing a prescription. Our doctors
rotate between several locations - the local hospitals and our four offices. It could be 24 hours after you call before
your doctor can review your file. The files are reviewed and prescriptions
are called to pharmacies at the end of office hours after all patients
have been seen.
About Narcotics
By law, doctors cannot order refills for narcotics over the phone. A written
prescription is required. You must obtain your refill prescription in
person or by mail, and take it to your pharmacist to have it filled.
Fees
We work hard to make sure you receive the best orthopaedic care available,
and we also work to keep our fees as low as possible. Our fees are comparable
to other orthopaedic groups in and around Orlando. We charge a flat fee
for your office visit; then each item or service (x-rays, laboratory tests,
casts, splints, etc.) is billed separately. Estimates can be provided
for surgeries, and deposits are sometimes required. We are always willing
to discuss charges with our patients. If you need some time to pay for
our service, we are happy to help you set up an easy payment plan.
Payment
It is customary to pay for medical care the day it is received. Unless
you make prior arrangements or are covered by an HMO, PPO or Medicare
plan, you should arrange to pay at the time of each visit to our office.
For your convenience we accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, cash, or personal check.
Note: There is a $30.00 charge for any returned check.
We will be glad to work out an individual payment plan with you
if necessary, and if you request it in advance. In return, we expect you
to make regular, on-time monthly payments. We can, however, charge your
unpaid balance to your credit card at any time. We reserve the right to
charge interest on any account that is 60 days past due.
Finance
We mail statements monthly. Payments are due in our office 15 days after
you receive your statement. If you have a hardship and need more time
to pay, please speak with a financial secretary right away. We can always
work out something if you talk with us, but failure to call us could leave
us no choice but to ask for full payment of your account.
Payment plans are available to those patients that may qualify. A $15.00 late fee will be applied on missed payments.
Insurance
Private Companies. Insurance coverage is an agreement between you
and your insurance company. You expect your insurance to pay, and we expect
you to make sure we are paid. To help you collect from your insurance,
we will complete all your medical insurance claim forms and send them
in on your behalf so that your insurance company can pay us directly.
Any remaining balance that is not covered by your insurance is your responsibility.
If you and your insurance pay us more than you owe, we will send the overpayment
back to you.
Medicare. We participate in Medicare. When you receive treatment
you are responsible for your annual deductible, any items not covered,
and the 20% not paid by Medicare. We will mail you a statement each month
showing any payment activity on your account. As a Medicare patient, you
should not make payments until Medicare has considered your claim and
mailed an EOB (Explanation of Benefits) form to you. Orlando Orthopaedic Center is a non-participating provider in Medicare HMO Plans and Medicare Replacement Plans. Medicare HMO and PPO Replacement Plans are different from Medicare Supplemental Plans or GAP. If you are unsure of your plan benefits, please contact your insurance company for more information and providers covered in your plan.
HMOs and PPOs. If you are covered by an HMO or PPO, each
one has different insurance arrangements and claim procedures. Some require
deductibles and co-payments which you must pay. Our staff will work with
you to see that you receive your full benefits.
The Orlando Orthopaedic Center currently accepts
the following major insurance and HMO plans.
Disability Forms & Attorneys' Reports
You may sometimes need a document completed. An example is a disability
form. We will be happy to complete any appropriate form you bring to our
office but there is a charge to defray our administrative costs. If your
attorney needs reports or forms, we'll be happy to respond to his or her
written request, but only with your signed approval. Depending on the
request, some charges may need to be prepaid by either you or your attorney.
Important Reminder: Your attorney may have agreed to wait until
your claim is settled before receiving payment for legal assistance. We
do not provide medical care on that basis. Please see the sections titled
"Payment," "Collections," and "Insurance,"
and talk with your doctor's financial counselor about any questions you
may have.
Your Medical Records & X-rays
Your records and x-rays are kept in strict confidence as part of our permanent
file. We will release copies only if we have your written permission.
For copies of patient records or x-rays we must charge, in advance, to
cover our material costs. We prefer to mail copies of records and x-rays,
but we will give them to you in person to hand-carry if time is critical.
Please give us at least 24 hours notice prior to coming in and picking
up records or x-rays as it does take some time to get things together
for you. Use the Medical Records Request form to request your records, or call 407-849-6865.
Contacting us
Please contact our office for additional
information, or visit our survey page.
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