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How long does it take for me to get in to see a provider? We make every effort to get our sick patients in to see a provider as soon as possible. Toward that goal, we are able to get you a same day appointment with one of our providers in most cases. If you call late in the day, we may have to make your appointment the following morning. For all routine visits, we are able to offer you the next available office visit. If I come earlier than my scheduled appointment time, can I get in to see the doctor earlier? We cannot guarantee you will get in any earlier simply because we see all scheduled patients first. However, we may occasionally have a cancellation or a no-show, which may allow the provider to work you in earlier than your scheduled time. We will first get a little patient information and history from you, and then check with our providers to see which of them are accepting new patients at that time. Once you have been accepted as a new patient, we will schedule you at the first available appointment time with your new provider. If you have an acute problem (something that needs to be addressed that day), we will get you in with the first available provider, usually that same day, and then you can see your primary doctor at your next visit. We have a walk-in clinic available Monday through Friday. We have a specific provider assigned to each day that would be happy to see you on a first come, first served basis. Do I have to sign in every time I come in for an appointment? Yes. By signing in, this alerts the front desk that you are here, and they will then notify your provider's nurse. If you fail to sign in, we have no way of knowing that you are here for your appointment. How long will I have to wait to see the doctor after signing in? We do our absolute best to make sure you get in to see your provider at the time of your scheduled appointment. Occasionally, however, there are circumstances that may arise, such as an emergency at the hospital, that may cause your provider to be running behind schedule. We will, however, make every effort to get you in as quickly as possible. If you feel you have waited longer than necessary, please feel free to check with the front desk. Are all these people that are signed in ahead of me? No-we have one sign in sheet for 12 providers so, in most cases, most of those who are signed in ahead of you will be seeing a different provider. What do I do if I need a refill on a medication I take every day? Your provider will give you enough refills on your medication to last until your next appointment for a recheck. Some medications require lab tests for refills, so an office visit is necessary in order to refill this kind of medication. All you have to do is call our office a few days before you are out of medication (be sure to check your bottle to see if you have any additional refills available), and we will let you know if an appointment will be necessary. What about a medication I only take occasionally? Some medications you take only as needed can be refilled over the phone. Contact the office several days prior to when you will need a refill, and we will check with your provider to see if an appointment is necessary. Can you just call me in a prescription without an appointment? We typically do not call in medications, simply because it is hard to make an accurate diagnosis over the phone. Call the office and we'd be happy to make an appointment for you. If you are needing a refill, please call us and we will let you know if an appointment is necessary. Where do I pick up my samples and/or written prescriptions? You can just come to the front desk and our friendly staff will be happy to get those for you. We are able to run most labs here in the office, and get your results directly to your provider. It takes us at least an hour (sometimes longer, depending on what labs you are having done) to get the results of your labwork. We try to allow plenty of time for the lab to get your results to your provider, so he/she can discuss those with you at your appointment. We can also schedule lab work one day, and have you return to see the doctor another day, if it is more convenient for you. If your lab results are not available at the time of your visit, our staff will call you within one week with the results. If we are unable to reach you by phone, we may send you a card notifying you of the results. If you have not heard from us within one week, feel free to call our office to inquire about your results. How do I get a referral to a specialist? Whenever we schedule you an appointment with a specialist, we will provide you with the name, address, and phone number of that specialist. If a prior authorization is required from your insurance company, we will provide that to you also. If I have to be admitted to the hospital, which one are your physicians affiliated with? All of our physicians are affiliated with Harrisburg Medical Center. PA stands for Physician's Assistant. PA's practice medicine under the guidance or supervision of a licensed physician. They can perform routine examinations, conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, and prescribe most medications. PA's have several years of training after college, and are required to log 100 hours of continuing education every two years. They must also pass a recertification exam every 6 years. We have two physician assistants at our Harrisburg office, Curt Morris and Jennifer Price. NP stands for Nurse Practitioner. A nurse practitioner is a nurse that has acquired expert knowledge in a specialty, such as pediatrics, women's health, family practice, etc. They obtain this knowledge by advanced education, such as a masters degree program in nursing, and clinical experience in their specialized area of study. We have five nurse practitioners at our Harrisburg office: Sherry Livingston, specializing in pediatrics, Debbie Davis, specializing in women's health and Elizabeth Eversmann, Wes Henson, and Megan Hoffman, specializing in family practice. Elizabeth and Megan also see patients at Sloan Medical Clinic in Carrier Mills. How do I get in contact with someone in an emergency? During office hours, which are 8:00 am-8:00 pm Monday-Thursday, 8:00 am-5:00 pm Friday, and 8:00 am-4:00 pm on Saturday, call the office and we will contact your provider. If it is after office hours, call Harrisburg Medical Center at 253-7671 and they will contact the physician on call. Who do I call if I have a question about my bill? The business office can be reached at 618-252-8625 x 332. Can I walk in and pay my bill? Yes, you most certainly can. Just come to the front desk and let them know what you need to do, and they will direct you to the right place. You can also pay your bill over the phone by using your credit card. Just call 618-252-8625 and ask for the cashiers. We will gladly bill any insurance. However, we may not be considered a "preferred provider" on your particular plan, which means your insurance may not pay the full amount. You can contact your insurance company (the number should be on the back of your card) to inquire about your specific benefits. Why do you make a copy of my insurance card at every visit? We verify your coverage at every visit because it helps to eliminate billing problems later on. Many times, we may not have seen you in some time, and your insurance company may have changed. You may not be aware that we do not have the correct insurance information on file. We do this with your best interest in mind, because if we did not verify your coverage, you would be responsible for the bill if there were to be a problem with your insurance. Do I need to bring my old records with me when I come to my first appointment? For the most part, old records are not necessary for the first visit, but they are good to have if you are a patient with a complicated medical history or condition. Can I walk in and get copies of my medical records? We would prefer that you call ahead, simply because it allows us time to get them ready so you don't have to wait. In most cases, we can have them ready for you the following day. However, if you do walk in and request copies of your records, we will do our best to get them copied for you as quickly as possible. Do you have any female providers? Yes, at our Harrisburg office we have six female providers. We have four female nurse practitioners; Sherry Livingston, specializing in pediatrics, Debbie Davis, specializing in women's health, and Elizabeth Eversmann and Megan Hoffman, specializing in Family Practice. We have a female PA, Jennifer Price, and a female MD, Laura Winkleman. Elizabeth and Megan also see patients in our Carrier Mills office. How can I be sure of total patient confidentiality? We take patient confidentiality very seriously at Primary Care Group. All of our employees are required to sign a patient confidentiality agreement regarding the care of your personal medical information. We have a form that you sign at your first visit that states how we are allowed to disclose, or give out, your protected health information. Please feel free to call the office if you have any questions. 
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