|
|
 |
|
Piedmont Internal Medicine - About Us
|
|
|
Piedmont Internal Medicine
Each member of our staff at Cornerstone Health Care-Piedmont Internal Medicine looks forward to providing
you and your family with quality medical care in a friendly and pleasant environment. The information presented
here is provided to help familiarize you with our practice and our policies. We are pleased that
you have chosen us as your primary care physicians and are committed to making your experience
with our practice as comfortable as possible.
Internal Medicine
Internal Medicine is a medical specialty that provides comprehensive medical care to adults and
mature adolescents. Physicians specializing in internal medicine (internists) undergo at least three years
of formal training after graduation from medical school, dealing with the diseases that manifest
themselves as "internal" organ problems. Their expertise lies in thinking out difficult diagnoses
and the internist can provide in-depth care for most of your medical needs. Should further or more
extensive evaluations be needed, the internist can act as your referral source to a subspecialist
or surgeon.
We firmly believe that the key to treatment is prevention of the disease before it begins. We devote time
to the discussion of health maintenance issues and explain our recommendations to you. We can
help you sort out the confusing language of the medical profession and guide you to make
informed decisions regarding the direction of your medical care. We consider you to be an
integral part of the treatment team and encourage you to take responsibility for your ongoing
health and well-being. We are your first stop in comprehensive medical care and your guide to
lifelong health.
Appointments
Our office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, by appointment only. It is important
when you call to schedule your appointment that you let us know the nature of the problem and its
urgency. If you feel the problem is an emergency, we request that you PLEASE call the office
before coming in. We do keep openings in our schedule and find that this procedure allows us
to work in patients with acute symptoms or rapidly developing medical problems more quickly.
As a courtesy to our other patients, we ask that you call us if you will be late or unable
to make your appointment. If you must cancel, we request at least 24 hours notice so that we may
give your appointment to another patient.
New Patients
We request that all new patients schedule a complete physical as soon as possible so that we may
establish a baseline record of their health. This gives us the chance to get to know you personally
and allows us to evaluate or discover any problems or concerns with which you may or may not be
aware, or have addressed in the past with other physicians.
Patient Services
Telephone calls to our office are prioritized in order of medical urgency. Please let us know if
you require emergency care so that we may direct you immediately to our physician or the hospital.
Our staff is trained to answer many of your questions and consults with our doctors on each call. Our
physicians review their messages throughout the day and may request that our clinical staff return
your call. Phone calls and requests are also returned in priority fashion.
If you need a prescription refill during office hours, we ask that you contact your pharmacist
who will notify our office. This process allows our doctor and the pharmacist to review and
complete your request more efficiently.
On Site Services
We are equipped to do exercise treadmill (stress) testing, Holter monitoring, minor skin surgeries,
upper endoscopy, colonoscopy/sigmoidoscopy (with and without biopsy or polypectomy), ambulatory blood pressure
monitoring and pulmonary function testing in our office.
Laboratory Tests
For your convenience, we provide drawing of blood (phlebotomy) right in our office. This is a service
no longer provided by many doctors' offices and will save you time and travel. We are also
equipped to do routine urinalyses and fingersticks for blood sugar.
Hospitalization
Our job is to do our best to keep you out of the hospital. We try to maintain office efficiency and
quality care. If however, you require hospitalization, you will be admitted to High Point Regional Hospital by a Cornerstone Inpatient Physician
(hospitalist) or a subspecialist, depending on your needs. A hospital internist is an internal
medicine physician who specializes in the management of patients in the hospital. Our
practice, a part of Cornerstone Health Care, has arrangements with the Cornerstone Hospitalists
to see our patients while in the hospital. The hospitalists are in contact with us during
your stay and they will return you to our care once you are discharged. This provides
excellent continuity of care and no gaps in the quality of services provided to you during those
critical times.
Fees and Insurance
Our office is a participating provider with most major health insurance plans. Our office staff
will be able to tell you if your plan is accepted by our practice. Please be sure to bring your
insurance card with you for each visit. Your "co-pay" and portion of the bill not covered by your
health insurance are expected to be paid at the time of service.
If your primary health insurance is Medicare, please be aware that some secondary insurance
policies do not cover your deductible. We suggest that you carefully review your insurance policies
to determine what benefits (lab tests, screening procedures) are covered. Your insurance policy
is a contract between you and your insurance company. It is the responsibility of you and your insurance
company to pay your medical bills. As a courtesy to our patients, we file claims to insurance
companies and provide them with the information necessary to determine benefits. Your insurance
deductible must be met and paid for at the beginning of each year before your insurance coverage
will come into effect.
At the completion of your visit, you can request an itemized bill showing the fees for the day, as
well as any prior balance. The cost of your visit is determined by the time spent with you, the
complexity of your condition, and any diagnostic tests necessary to care for you. We request that you
keep your balance current and that any unpaid balances be satisfied before the next scheduled appointment.
This will help to keep our fees at a just and reasonable level. If you have any questions concerning your
bill, please call Cornerstone Financial Services at 802-2000, or our office at 474-1995.
We Value our Patients
We truly enjoy what we do and appreciate our relationships with our patients. We take pride in our
practice and in being internists, and we want to give every patient the finest medical care available.
We welcome any thought, concern, or suggestion to help improve our practice. We hope that our
relationship with you is one that is long-lasting, special, and pleasant.
|
|
|
 |
