Happy New Year 2014, New Policies
Dear Patients,
Happy New Year to Everyone. I hope 2014 is off to a good start for you and your family. On a personal note, I got married this past November and start off 2014 as a happily married woman! Personal goals including adding Pilates and Yoga to my exercise regimen.
Professional goals for my practice for 2014 include providing you with the very best medical care I can for headaches and mood issues. In order to provide you with quality care, I have decided to not sign any insurance contracts. My practice will continue to be fee-for-service. We will, however, continue to bill your insurance as a courtesy.
For existing patients, we now offer Saturday hours and phone visits. We also have “emergency” slots to better accommodate patients who need timely care.
I want my practice to be “predictably consistent” for patients so certain practice policies will be strictly enforced in 2014. These policies include:
Late Policy
There is a 10 minute grace period. If you anticipate arriving more than 10 minutes late, please call first to see if we can accommodate you. In some cases, we may need to reschedule your appointment.
Prescription Requests
Allow 3 business days for prescription refills. Ask the pharmacy to fax the request to us. In most cases, we will handle the refill electronically. It is very important we have your preferred and correct pharmacy phone number and fax number in our system.
Prior Authorization Requests
Allow 2 weeks for processing all prior authorization requests. Options while waiting include switching to the generic alternative covered by your insurance or paying out of pocket for a 2 week supply. Note: If the prior authorization is for Botox, it can take up to 6 weeks.
Botox
Dr. Hutchinson is a certified Botox injector for chronic migraine. The response rate is 85-90% in our practice. Make an appointment to see if Botox right for you. Visit our websitewww.ocmigraine.org for additional information about Botox for chronic migraine.
New Procedures
New nerve block type procedures and non-invasive stimulators may be treatment options in the future for frequent headache sufferers. Dr. Hutchinson is researching which new procedure options would be the best to start incorporating into her practice.
Emails
Allow 5 business days for response to emails. Remember that email is NOT for prescription issues or to make an appointment or for urgent issues. Email is for non-urgent follow-up questions or for providing a progress report to Dr. Hutchinson.
Urgent Issues
Call our office 949-861-8717 for urgent needs. My staff will help you with making an appointment, coordinating refills, and asking Dr. Hutchinson how to handle your need if of a serious nature. Electronic messages may be put in for Dr. Hutchinson to review and handle as she has time in her schedule.
I look forward to working with you to live a life as free of headache and mood issues as possible. See you soon for your next visit.
Hoping for an excellent 2014 for you,
Sincerely,
Susan Hutchinson, MD Director-Orange County Migraine & Headache Center