ABOUT YOUR HERNIA SURGERY
Hernia Specialists employs the da Vinci® robot to complete most surgeries. The process is latest, the fastest, and most effective hernia surgery process. You can read more information about these procedures by clicking here.
GENERAL INFO
When To Arrive
When you arrive at the office, our receptionist will make a copy of your insurance card(s) and have you fill out an information form and a personal health history form. These questions are a necessary part of the examination and evaluation process. Using these forms, your surgeon will obtain essential information about your current problem and previous history. This information also enables our business office staff to complete insurance claims on your behalf. All information in your record is strictly confidential and will not be released without your approval.
Prescriptions & Refills
Prescriptions and refills are only issued during office hours. Please have your pharmacy number available at the time you call our office.
Telephone Calls
When you call the office and cannot get through to your Physician or his assistant, we request your patience. It is the policy of our practice not to interrupt our Physicians or their assistants while they are attending to a patient. Quality patient care requires the undivided attention of our medical staff. Your call will be returned as soon as possible. Non-emergent telephone calls and requests for results are returned at the end of office hours.
Appointments
By necessity, our surgeons must work by appointment. Unfortunately, patients do not become ill on schedule. Surgical schedules do not always flow smoothly and emergencies happen, therefore delays and changes in schedules are occasionally unavoidable. A sincere attempt is made to conform to schedule. Appointments are scheduled Monday through Friday from 9am until 4pm.
Emergencies
A surgeon is always on-call for emergencies. If you have an emergency, call our office at 770-696-3586. Our staff is available Monday through Friday from 8:30am – 4:30pm. After hours, the answering service can assist you.
Test Results
It is important that our patients are well informed and obtain the results of any tests that have been performed. Pathology and cytology tests typically take 5 to 7 working days, depending on the laboratory used by your insurance carrier. Please call our office 7 days after your specimen is sent to the laboratory.
Surgeon Qualifications
A fully-trained surgeon is a physician who, after medical school, has gone through many years of training in an accredited residency program to learn the specialized skills of a surgeon. An excellent indicator of a surgeon’s competence is certification by a national surgical board approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties. All board-certified surgeons have satisfactorily completed an approved residency training program and have passed a rigorous specialty examination. The letters FACS (Fellow of the American College of Surgeons) after a surgeon’s name are a further indication of a physician’s qualifications. Surgeon’s who have become Fellows of the College have passed a comprehensive evaluation of their surgical training and skills; they also have demonstrated their commitment to high standards of ethical conduct. This evaluation is conducted according to national standards that were established to ensure that patients receive the best possible surgical care.
PAYMENT INFORMATION
If you are a member of an HMO or PPO which requires a referral, please bring a copy of the referral to the office. Otherwise, it is your responsibility to see that a referral reaches this office prior to your visit if your plan requires a referral. You will be required to pay for any co-pay, deductible or non-covered services at the time of your visit.