Frequently Asked Questions
We believe that good communication is an
essential part of a Family Practice and we hope this information guide
will be useful as we work together to meet your health care needs.
We
value and treat each of you as partners in your health care.
Why choose Packard Community Clinic?
In today's world of rushed and impersonal
medical
care,
PCC is a refreshing change. We are a family practice dedicated to
meeting your health care needs as well as those of your family, across
the entire span of life. Children, adults and the elderly are all
treated with professional skill provided in a caring and compassionate
manner.
When you come to PCC, you will see doctors,
nurse
practitioners and physician assistants who believe in treating the
whole person and not just an illness. Health maintenance, disease
prevention and total wellness of the mind, body and spirit are as
important to us as caring for the medical condition or illness that
brings you to us.
Our services go well beyond the one-to-one
acute
care
our providers give for your current illness or condition. PCC also
offers counseling, support groups, classes and referral to outside
agencies or specialists. Our goal is to make services available that
respond to the variety of needs of Washtenaw area residents, including
persons in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti who might otherwise be unable to
afford a full range of medical and health care.
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To schedule an appointment
When you become our patient at PCC, you can
either
choose one specific provider that you want to see each time you have an
appointment or you can see different providers as part of a team
approach. Either way, you will receive the best care we can offer.
To
make an
appointment,
please call 734.971.1073.
Whenever possible, you need to call ahead to
schedule an appointment at PCC.
Our telephones can be very busy. If our
receptionist is
unable to answer personally, please listen carefully to our message and
choose the option that best fits the reason for your call. Our staff
will try to respond quickly to your needs.
If you want to become a patient of Packard
Community Clinic:
- Call and speak to our receptionist.
- Tell her you wish to become a patient
here.
- Tell her if you are feeling ill or want
an
appointment for a physical exam.
- If you are feeling ill, you will be
scheduled
for our earliest available appointment.
- If you want to have a physical exam, you
will
be scheduled for our next available physical exam appointment.
If you or your child is feeling ill:
- Call and speak to our receptionist.
- Tell her you are our patient at PCC.
- Describe your problem.
- You will either be given the earliest
available
appointment,
usually that day, or talk in further detail with one of our nurses who
may be able to help you over the phone and save you a trip to the
office.
If you or your child needs a regular checkup
or
physical exam:
- Call and speak with our receptionist.
- Tell her you are our patient at PCC.
- You will be scheduled for an appointment.
Packard Community Clinic is not a walk-in
clinic.
So, if
you come to the office without calling ahead, we will try to see you on
a first available basis. Unless your problem is an emergency, you may
have to wait until our patients who have appointments are seen.
If you have questions about you or your
family
member's
medical condition, treatment, medications or general health - CALL US!!
Our staff is happy to answer your questions by phone.
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What to expect on your first visit
On the day of your appointment:
- Plan to arrive promptly at the time you
are
scheduled. If you
are significantly late, you will either be asked to reschedule or wait
until your provider has seen his/her other patients and can fit you in.
- If you received forms to complete in the
mail,
bring them with you.
- Don't forget to bring:
- Your insurance card
- All medications you are now taking
(or your
child, if the appointment is for him/her)
- The name and address of your previous
doctor
- If the appointment is for your child
-
his/her immunization record
- Check in at the front desk. You will be
greeted
and asked to sign in.
- You may be asked to complete some forms,
especially if you
did not receive them in the mail. If you need any assistance, be sure
to tell the receptionist. We are happy to help you.
- A nurse or medical assistant will call
your
name and get you settled in an exam room.
- After you see your provider, you will
need to
stop at the
checkout window. There, future appointments and referrals to other
providers or services will be scheduled and billing arrangements will
be made.
- We make every effort to keep the office
running
on schedule.
So we ask for your patience when emergencies or surgery cause us to be
late. If we encounter long or unusual delays, we will try to let you
know so that you can adjust your schedule.
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Cancellations
Your appointment time has been set aside
especially for
you. If you cannot keep
this appointment, it is important that you call
us to cancel at least 24 hours ahead, or as soon as
possible so we can
provide care for someone else in that time slot. Repeated missed
appointments, especially without calling to cancel, can seriously
effect both your health and your relationship with your health care
provider.
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If you
have an emergency
We give priority to
emergencies
so help us prepare by calling first if you can.
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How to reach your doctor
As our patient at PCC, you will always be
able to
reach a doctor.
- If you know you need to speak with your
particular doctor,
try to call during our normal office hours (Monday to Friday 8am-5pm)
at 734.971.1073
- If a medical problem arises after office
hours,
on weekends
or holidays, a doctor is always available on call. This may be your
personal PCC doctor or another member of a team of doctors (including
our PCC doctors) that cooperate to provide care for patients outside
regular office hours. This "on call" doctor will be able to assist you
with any medical problems you may have.
- The phone number to use on evenings,
weekends
or holidays is 734.572.7267
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Prescription refills
If you are taking prescription medication on
an
ongoing
basis for an illness or medical condition such as high blood pressure
or diabetes:
- We will want to see you every 2-4 months
to
monitor your
health and check how well the type and dose of medication is working
for you.
- Our policy is to provide a prescription
for the
medication that can be refilled for the 2-4 months between your
appointments.
- Make sure that you schedule your next
appointment every time you come in for a checkup so you will not run
out of medication.
- If you are unable to make an appointment
before
your last
dose of medication is gone, call us and we will contact the pharmacy of
your choice with a short refill order that will last until your
appointment.
- If you are traveling, make sure you take
enough
medication to last for the entire time you are away.
- Always keep a list of your current
medications
and their prescription numbers with you in your wallet or purse.
If you are taking a prescription medication
for an
acute
illness or infection, follow the instructions given to you by your
health care provider.
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It
is very important that you do not stop taking your medication without
your doctor's order to do so!
Our payment policy
Because PCC is committed to providing high
quality
medical care to all our patients, regardless of their ability to pay,
it is important that you understand how our clinic works financially.
PCC is similar in many ways to any medical practice. It is not a free
clinic.
If you are insured
(this includes private insurances, HMO's, Medicare and Medicaid):
- Be sure to bring your insurance card to
your
appointment so that our staff can determine what coverage you are
entitled to.
- PCC will bill your insurance carrier in
the
usual manner.
- You will be asked to provide any copay or
fees
that are not covered by your particular insurance plan.
- If you are using major medical insurance,
you
will
need to pay us at the time of your visit since your insurance check
will be sent directly to you.
- Remember that coverage for some
medications or
procedures that are treatment options for your medical condition or
illness may not be included in your insurance plan. It will be up to
you to decide if you want to pay for these uncovered treatments out of
pocket or choose an option that your insurance will cover.
If you are uninsured
you are also welcome at PCC. No one is refused medical care here
because of a lack of insurance.
- It is our policy to evaluate, carefully
and
respectfully,
each of our patient's ability to contribute financially to his or her
medical care based on documentation of need. This is done using a
reasonable and flexible sliding fee scale. Through this process, we are
able to make sure that each patient is charged a fair fee that falls
within his or her ability to pay.
- We ask for payment
at the
time of service unless other arrangements have been made in advance.
We are happy to answer any questions you may
have
about our sliding fee scale payment plan or insurance coverage.
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How to make a referral to us
In most instances consumers who wish to
become
patients
at Packard Community Clinic just need to call and schedule an
appointment. If you are a caregiver or helping agent for a patient who
is not able to make this call, please feel free to act as an advocate
for this patient. Call the clinic at 971-1073 and make an appointment
for this patient.
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