Dear Patient,
Welcome and thank you for choosing Dr. Rodriguez for your treatment. This letter is to explain our office policies and procedures to ensure that you receive the best care and treatment as possible. If you have any questions regarding these policies, please feel free to ask any of the staff for assistance. If you have any suggestions that may assist you or future patients with their treatment in our office, please bring them to the attention of the office manager. Good luck with your treatment.
Office Hours: Our office is open from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM on Monday thru Thursday and from 8:30AM to 12:00PM on Fridays. We close the office from 12:00 to 1:00 for the lunch hour. Appointments are scheduled until 3:30PM in the afternoon. Patients are seen on the weekend only during treatments. No routine visits will be scheduled on the weekend.
Phone Calls: Our telephone is answered by an automated system to give you, the patient, the fastest access to our staff. There are options for appointment scheduling, billing/insurance and the nurses. All staff has voice mail availability if they are unable to answer their phone. The nurses will answer the phone unless they are assisting the physician or on the phone with another patient. All patients who call the office before 2:00PM will receive a call on the same day. Telephone calls after 2:00PM may not be returned until the next business day. The nurse's voicemail is available 24 hours should you want to call and leave your message after hours. The voice mail will be accessed the next business day. The voice mail messages are not accessed on the weekend, however you may leave a message for Monday morning. Our IVF nurse is on call every evening and weekend until 10:00PM for urgent calls. The nurse will not be paged after 10:00PM. There is a physician on call 24 hours for medical emergencies.
Email: Our office has a convenient email system for patients who prefer to correspond via the Internet. If you would like to correspond via the Internet, you will need to sign a release and give our office your email address. To reach our staff you may email the nurses at ajrnurse@texasivf.com or the billing/insurance office at ajrinsurance@texasivf.com . The general office email is ajrodriguez@texasivf.com . Emails will not be checked during the evening or weekend. If you send an email during the evening, you will receive a response on the next business day.
Children: In consideration of all patients, we must ask that children not accompany you to office visits, consultation or office procedures. We will be happy to make special time arrangements for patients to bring in their “miracles” as the entire staff looks forward to these visits. Again, we must be sensitive to all of our patient's feelings and needs and appreciate your cooperation in this matter.
Prescriptions: Dr. Rodriguez will approve prescription refills during office hours only. Birth control pills and routine prescriptions must be called to the office before 2:00PM or they may not be approved until the next business day. Be sure and call in for your prescription before you are completely out of medication. Infertility medications will be called in as necessary during your treatment.
Daily lab results during treatment: Once you have started fertility medications you will be seen for blood tests and sonograms. On these days, you will receive a phone call from an IVF nurse with results and instructions. Customarily blood results are in our office by 3:00PM, however, Dr. Rodriguez will need to review all test results and give instructions so it may be later when you receive a phone call. If you are expecting results and have not heard from the nurse by 6:00PM, you may page the nurse on call at 972-566-8420.
Medications: It is very important during your treatment with Dr. Rodriguez that he keeps a complete and accurate medical history. If you are taking any medications including prescription medications, over the counter medications, herbal medications or any diet medications, please be sure and notify the office. Before taking any new medications, please check with our office.
Confidentiality: Our office is dedicated to maintaining our patient's confidence. To this end, we will not release any information without a patient's written consent. If you would like us to discuss your treatment or results with your spouse, please be sure and sign the spousal consent. I am afraid we are unable to discuss treatment with other family members such as mothers or sisters.
Missed and cancelled appointments: If you are unable to make a scheduled appointment, please cancel with our office with at least 24 hours notice. This gives our office the opportunity to offer that appointment time to another patient. Missed appointments or appointments cancelled with less than 24 hours notice will be billed $60.00. This fee is not covered by insurance.
Insurance: Dr. Rodriguez is contracted with most major insurance companies. Our office will file for all covered procedures on any plan that Dr. Rodriguez is contracted with. If Dr. Rodriguez is not contracted with your insurance company, you may have what is called “out of network benefits” that will cover a lower portion of our fees. Be sure and discuss your insurance plan with Rona' regarding your out-of-pocket expenses. Unless we have written verification of Infertility coverage, you will be required to pay all Infertility procedures/treatments at the time of service. For written verification you may send a predetermination letter to your insurance company or bring in a copy of your individual plan. If insurance has not paid a claim in 90 days, it will become the responsibility of the insured. You are the insured and a consumer and have the right and authority to contact your insurance company and appeal denials. Sometimes a complaint from the actual insured will move the payment process along more expediently. You may contact our billing/insurance office for any assistance or questions you may have in appealing an insurance claim. Complaints made against an insurance company may be forwarded to the Texas Department of Insurance at PO Box 149104, Austin, Texas 78714-9104 or called at 1-800-578-4677.
Payment: If Dr. Rodriguez is contracted with your insurance company and your visit is a covered expense, you will be required to pay your copay before leaving the office. Once insurance has paid its portion, you will be required to pay any additional patient owed portion within 30 days. No new treatment will be started if there is a patient balance. If your visit is not covered by insurance, you will be required to pay in full before leaving the office. Our office does not make payment plans. All fees are due and payable on the date of service. If you have a question about fees, please call our billing/insurance office for assistance.
