GENERAL INFORMATION AND PATIENT GUIDELINES
Welcome to Ophthalmic Consultants Northwest. Our staff is made up of professionals who work together to bring you the highest quality ophthalmic care. This information is provided to answer questions most frequently asked by patients. If you have any questions on this information, please contact our information desk at 206.812.2990.
Our office staff will need to make a copy of your insurance information and photo identification. We will ask for this information at each visit. If you cannot provide current insurance information and we cannot verify coverage, you may need to reschedule your appointment or make payment in full for that day’s services.
At every visit, it is important that you provide an up-to-date list of all medications you are taking, including any over-the-counter medication, vitamins or herbal supplements. This will help your providers decide upon the best treatment options and watch for any interactions. Please list the amount of the medication you are taking (the dosage) and how often you are taking it.
Registration Packet
At your first appointment, or if you have not been in the office within the last 12 months, you will be asked to complete a patient information form and patient history and physical form. This information assists your physician in your care, therefore complete and accurate information is important. If you are unable to download and complete our registration packet, please come to your appointment 20 minutes early to allow time to complete all required forms.
Office Hours and Making an Appointment
Seattle: Office hours are from 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday through Friday. To schedule an appointment please call 206.812.2990
Tacoma: Office hours are from 9:00am to 5:00pm Tuesdays only. To schedule an appointment please call 206.812.2990
Your appointment schedule may vary depending on the doctor’s hospital rounds and surgery schedule. We believe that everyone’s time is valuable and in the event of a delay, we will do our best to notify you in advance. Please notify us as soon as possible in the event you need to reschedule your appointment. If you need to be seen immediately, we will do our best to accommodate you. Follow-up appointments should be made when you check out.
Self-Referrals
If your insurance carrier allows self-referrals, you may contact OCN directly without a referral from another doctor.
Physician-Referrals
If you insurance carrier requires primary care physician referrals, please contact your PCP prior to scheduling your appointment to obtain authorization.
Canceling an Appointment
Cancellations should be made at least 24 hours prior to your scheduled appointment time. If you know you will not be able to keep your appointment, please contact our office as soon as possible. If you cancel or fail to show for three consecutive appointments, we reserve the right to not reschedule your appointment.
Office Location
Seattle: 1221 Madison Street, Suite #1420
Arnold Medical Pavilion
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 386.2516
Billing and Insurance Information
In general, fees charged in this office are reasonable and customary and are comparable with those charged in other ophthalmic practices in our region. As a courtesy, we do submit insurance claims for our patients, however we will not re-bill for denied claims due to incorrect insurance information obtained by the patient. It is important that you have your correct insurance information at the time of your appointment and to notify our staff if your insurance coverage changes anytime during your care at OCN. We participate with most insurance plans; however, it is the patient’s responsibility to ensure proper authorization and physician participation before making an appointment. We recommend patients to read their policy book or call their insurance company to learn about benefits and coverage of their policy. Patients are expected to pay all co-pays, co-insurance and deductibles at the time of service. Monthly statements are mailed to each patient with patient balance due expected within 30 days. Our business office experts will be happy to assist you with any questions regarding services provided at our clinics. The business office can be reached at 206.812.0707 Monday thru Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Payment Policy
It is our payment policy to collect the appropriate payment due from the patient at the time services are rendered. This may only be your co-payment, deductible and/or co-insurance, but we do require payment at the time of your visit. We accept all major credit cards. If you are unable to make your payment at the time of service, you appointment will be rescheduled.
No Insurance or Failure to Provide Insurance Information
You must bring a current insurance card to each appointment. Unfortunately, we cannot accept written information. If you do not have insurance or do not have a current copy of your insurance card, you will be required to pay a $200 fee for services upon checking in [This fee may not cover all services performed during your visit. Any charges over and above the $200 will be billed to you]. If you have insurance this fee may be refunded when you provide us with your insurance card. If you provide us with the incorrect insurance information at the time of your visit and the claim is denied, all services will be billed to you, the patient, and payment will be due upon receipt. Our office will not re-bill insurance after initial claim submission.
Waiting Time
At OCN, we realize your time is valuable and that every patient, and their condition, is unique with different needs which may require more time than planned. Therefore, we will make every effort to provide you with the highest quality care and to minimize your waiting time. In the event of a delay or unforeseen emergency we will notify you and give you an option to reschedule. As this is a surgical practice, there may be times that a surgery may take longer than expected which may cause a delay in clinic time. Every effort will be made to accommodate for this. We will do our best to notify you if/when this occurs
Your Medical Records (Privacy and Safeguards)
We want you to know that we are committed to doing our best to safeguard the accuracy and security of your health information. Because of many new rules in place, there may be times we ask you to fill out acknowledgements that you haven’t had to fill out in the past. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause you, and thank you for your patience and understanding as we work together to keep your information safe and secure.
Please refer to our Privacy Notice which will provide the details of when we can and cannot release your information according to HIPAA. When requesting copies of your medical records, we ask that you please allow a minimum of three business days to prepare your request for pick-up. For your convenience, you may call and place your request by calling 206.812.2990
Filling Your Prescriptions
All new prescriptions are given to the patient at the time of the appointment. If you need a refill on your prescription, please call during the office hours of 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday thru Friday by dialing 206.812.2993. It is OCN’s general policy not to refill lost or stolen prescriptions or fill any requests made after office hours.
To facilitate efficient handling, please provide the following information at the time
of the request:
1) Your full name and date of birth
2) The name of medication(s) you need refilled (including strength)
3) The pharmacy you use (name and phone number)
4) A number where you can be reached
We will contact you to inform you if your prescription will not be called in or if we have further questions regarding your condition. Otherwise the prescription will be called in within 48 hours. You will want to check with your pharmacy after 5:30 PM. Certain prescriptions are available by written refills only and will require you to pick up the prescription. At times, a refill may not be given if the patient has not had a visit within the past three months, therefore you may be asked to make an appointment prior to receiving your prescription.
Telephone Calls and Medical Questions
Each physician has a dedicated clinical team to assist in providing your care. When you call with a routine medical question or request, the receptionist will connect you with the clinical team. Except in emergencies, our physicians or clinical teams do not accept calls while they are in clinic with patients. If you call when your team is in clinic the receptionist will send an electronic phone message to the clinical team or you will be directed to the appropriate department to leave a message to be returned by the clinical staff. The team will respond to your call either between patients (time permitted) or at the end of clinic (around lunch time or at the end of the day).
Request for Completion of Forms
It is OCN’s policy to timely fulfill patient requests for completion of forms. There is a 5 business day turnaround on forms needing completion. Also, a charge of $10 per form (unless WC or Family Medical Leave). Forms will not be released to the clinical staff for completion until the $10 fee has been paid.
Emergencies (Outside of Office Hours)
A physician is on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to handle emergencies. If you are hurt or have a problem that necessitates seeing a physician, please call our office number at (206) 386.2516 and the answering service will page the physician on-call. We encourage you to call during office hours so that you have a better chance of reaching your regular physician and he/she will have your medical records available. If you believe the emergency is serious or life threatening go directly to an emergency department for immediate care or call 911
Surgery
If you should require surgery, your clinical team will assist you in obtaining any pre-authorization your insurance carrier may require. It is your responsibility to obtain your private insurance pre-authorization or second opinion requirements. We will be pleased to assist you as needed. Please understand that while your insurance company may only allow what they consider usual and customary fees – the patient is responsible for the patient responsibility balance. In case you have no insurance, a down payment will be required prior to scheduling surgery and our billing department will assist you in setting up a payment plan. Our financial policy will answer any questions you may have regarding your account. The billing department can be reached by calling 206.812.0707
In addition to oral instructions, your physician’s clinical team will provide you with a surgery packet including instructions for pre-testing, day of surgery and post-surgery instructions. Every effort will be made to keep your surgery on schedule; however, we are dependent on the surgical facility to ensure we have the facilities and staff available to conduct your surgery. In rare cases your surgery may need to be cancelled but you will be informed as to the reason of cancellation and to reschedule your surgery.
Thank you.
Our office staff will need to make a copy of your insurance information and photo identification. We will ask for this information at each visit. If you cannot provide current insurance information and we cannot verify coverage, you may need to reschedule your appointment or make payment in full for that day’s services.
At every visit, it is important that you provide an up-to-date list of all medications you are taking, including any over-the-counter medication, vitamins or herbal supplements. This will help your providers decide upon the best treatment options and watch for any interactions. Please list the amount of the medication you are taking (the dosage) and how often you are taking it.
Registration Packet
At your first appointment, or if you have not been in the office within the last 12 months, you will be asked to complete a patient information form and patient history and physical form. This information assists your physician in your care, therefore complete and accurate information is important. If you are unable to download and complete our registration packet, please come to your appointment 20 minutes early to allow time to complete all required forms.
Office Hours and Making an Appointment
Seattle: Office hours are from 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday through Friday. To schedule an appointment please call 206.812.2990
Tacoma: Office hours are from 9:00am to 5:00pm Tuesdays only. To schedule an appointment please call 206.812.2990
Your appointment schedule may vary depending on the doctor’s hospital rounds and surgery schedule. We believe that everyone’s time is valuable and in the event of a delay, we will do our best to notify you in advance. Please notify us as soon as possible in the event you need to reschedule your appointment. If you need to be seen immediately, we will do our best to accommodate you. Follow-up appointments should be made when you check out.
Self-Referrals
If your insurance carrier allows self-referrals, you may contact OCN directly without a referral from another doctor.
Physician-Referrals
If you insurance carrier requires primary care physician referrals, please contact your PCP prior to scheduling your appointment to obtain authorization.
Canceling an Appointment
Cancellations should be made at least 24 hours prior to your scheduled appointment time. If you know you will not be able to keep your appointment, please contact our office as soon as possible. If you cancel or fail to show for three consecutive appointments, we reserve the right to not reschedule your appointment.
Office Location
Seattle: 1221 Madison Street, Suite #1420
Arnold Medical Pavilion
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 386.2516
Billing and Insurance Information
In general, fees charged in this office are reasonable and customary and are comparable with those charged in other ophthalmic practices in our region. As a courtesy, we do submit insurance claims for our patients, however we will not re-bill for denied claims due to incorrect insurance information obtained by the patient. It is important that you have your correct insurance information at the time of your appointment and to notify our staff if your insurance coverage changes anytime during your care at OCN. We participate with most insurance plans; however, it is the patient’s responsibility to ensure proper authorization and physician participation before making an appointment. We recommend patients to read their policy book or call their insurance company to learn about benefits and coverage of their policy. Patients are expected to pay all co-pays, co-insurance and deductibles at the time of service. Monthly statements are mailed to each patient with patient balance due expected within 30 days. Our business office experts will be happy to assist you with any questions regarding services provided at our clinics. The business office can be reached at 206.812.0707 Monday thru Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Payment Policy
It is our payment policy to collect the appropriate payment due from the patient at the time services are rendered. This may only be your co-payment, deductible and/or co-insurance, but we do require payment at the time of your visit. We accept all major credit cards. If you are unable to make your payment at the time of service, you appointment will be rescheduled.
No Insurance or Failure to Provide Insurance Information
You must bring a current insurance card to each appointment. Unfortunately, we cannot accept written information. If you do not have insurance or do not have a current copy of your insurance card, you will be required to pay a $200 fee for services upon checking in [This fee may not cover all services performed during your visit. Any charges over and above the $200 will be billed to you]. If you have insurance this fee may be refunded when you provide us with your insurance card. If you provide us with the incorrect insurance information at the time of your visit and the claim is denied, all services will be billed to you, the patient, and payment will be due upon receipt. Our office will not re-bill insurance after initial claim submission.
Waiting Time
At OCN, we realize your time is valuable and that every patient, and their condition, is unique with different needs which may require more time than planned. Therefore, we will make every effort to provide you with the highest quality care and to minimize your waiting time. In the event of a delay or unforeseen emergency we will notify you and give you an option to reschedule. As this is a surgical practice, there may be times that a surgery may take longer than expected which may cause a delay in clinic time. Every effort will be made to accommodate for this. We will do our best to notify you if/when this occurs
Your Medical Records (Privacy and Safeguards)
We want you to know that we are committed to doing our best to safeguard the accuracy and security of your health information. Because of many new rules in place, there may be times we ask you to fill out acknowledgements that you haven’t had to fill out in the past. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause you, and thank you for your patience and understanding as we work together to keep your information safe and secure.
Please refer to our Privacy Notice which will provide the details of when we can and cannot release your information according to HIPAA. When requesting copies of your medical records, we ask that you please allow a minimum of three business days to prepare your request for pick-up. For your convenience, you may call and place your request by calling 206.812.2990
Filling Your Prescriptions
All new prescriptions are given to the patient at the time of the appointment. If you need a refill on your prescription, please call during the office hours of 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday thru Friday by dialing 206.812.2993. It is OCN’s general policy not to refill lost or stolen prescriptions or fill any requests made after office hours.
To facilitate efficient handling, please provide the following information at the time
of the request:
1) Your full name and date of birth
2) The name of medication(s) you need refilled (including strength)
3) The pharmacy you use (name and phone number)
4) A number where you can be reached
We will contact you to inform you if your prescription will not be called in or if we have further questions regarding your condition. Otherwise the prescription will be called in within 48 hours. You will want to check with your pharmacy after 5:30 PM. Certain prescriptions are available by written refills only and will require you to pick up the prescription. At times, a refill may not be given if the patient has not had a visit within the past three months, therefore you may be asked to make an appointment prior to receiving your prescription.
Telephone Calls and Medical Questions
Each physician has a dedicated clinical team to assist in providing your care. When you call with a routine medical question or request, the receptionist will connect you with the clinical team. Except in emergencies, our physicians or clinical teams do not accept calls while they are in clinic with patients. If you call when your team is in clinic the receptionist will send an electronic phone message to the clinical team or you will be directed to the appropriate department to leave a message to be returned by the clinical staff. The team will respond to your call either between patients (time permitted) or at the end of clinic (around lunch time or at the end of the day).
Request for Completion of Forms
It is OCN’s policy to timely fulfill patient requests for completion of forms. There is a 5 business day turnaround on forms needing completion. Also, a charge of $10 per form (unless WC or Family Medical Leave). Forms will not be released to the clinical staff for completion until the $10 fee has been paid.
Emergencies (Outside of Office Hours)
A physician is on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to handle emergencies. If you are hurt or have a problem that necessitates seeing a physician, please call our office number at (206) 386.2516 and the answering service will page the physician on-call. We encourage you to call during office hours so that you have a better chance of reaching your regular physician and he/she will have your medical records available. If you believe the emergency is serious or life threatening go directly to an emergency department for immediate care or call 911
Surgery
If you should require surgery, your clinical team will assist you in obtaining any pre-authorization your insurance carrier may require. It is your responsibility to obtain your private insurance pre-authorization or second opinion requirements. We will be pleased to assist you as needed. Please understand that while your insurance company may only allow what they consider usual and customary fees – the patient is responsible for the patient responsibility balance. In case you have no insurance, a down payment will be required prior to scheduling surgery and our billing department will assist you in setting up a payment plan. Our financial policy will answer any questions you may have regarding your account. The billing department can be reached by calling 206.812.0707
In addition to oral instructions, your physician’s clinical team will provide you with a surgery packet including instructions for pre-testing, day of surgery and post-surgery instructions. Every effort will be made to keep your surgery on schedule; however, we are dependent on the surgical facility to ensure we have the facilities and staff available to conduct your surgery. In rare cases your surgery may need to be cancelled but you will be informed as to the reason of cancellation and to reschedule your surgery.
Thank you.
