Avista Brain & Spine Institute is committed to meeting your neurosurgical health care needs. Here are some answers to commonly asked questions:

When calling our office

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact our office. Someone will return your call as soon as possible, usually within 24 hours. Many times we return calls at the end of the day. If the matter is an emergency and cannot wait until the end of the day for a response, please let us know when you call.

Insurance referrals

Many insurance carriers require a referral from your primary care provider (PCP) before you can see a specialist such as a neurosurgeon. If referral is not in place before your visit, your insurance can refuse to pay for the visit and you would be responsible for the bill. Therefore, we ask that you check with your PCP to be sure you have a current referral in place before each appointment.

Insurance

Please bring your insurance card to each visit and let us know as soon as possible if you change insurance companies. This will help us avoid the frustration that ensues when the wrong insurance company is billed, and you get your claims denied.

Cancellation of appointments

We understand that circumstances can occur that make it necessary for you to cancel or reschedule an appointment. Please contact us at least 24 hours ahead of time if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment. We often have people we can move up in the schedule if we know there will be an opening. Should you not cancel within the 24 hour time limit, you will be billed $25. We reserve the right to not to reschedule patients who repeatedly do not come to appointments.

Due to the nature of our specialty, we occasionally have to reschedule appointments when the doctors are called away to an emergency situation. We regret this inconvenience and will make every effort to notify and reschedule your appointment as soon as possible.

Tests (x-rays, MRI's CT scans, etc.) are needed for every appointment

It is essential that your films (not just the reports) be available for the doctor to review at each office visit. We need to be able to compare your symptoms, your exam and your test results to make an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan. Unfortunately, the doctor will be unable to see you if your films are not available. Unfortunately, we do not have the space to store everyone's film at our office, so we may ask that you keep your films and bring them to each visit. The exception is if surgery is being considered; in that case we would prefer to keep your films to ensure they are available the day of surgery. Surgery would be canceled if the films were not available.

Test results

We try to call with your test results as soon as they are available and reviewed by your doctor. However, because tests are performed at many locations throughout the region, there can be a delay in the results getting back to us. If we have not called with your test results within a week of completion of your test, please call us and we will locate the results and call you as soon as possible.

Prescription refills

If you need a refill of a medication we prescribed for you, please contact your pharmacy and they will contact us. Please allow at least 24 hours for refills to be processed.

Narcotic medications

All requests for prescriptions or refills of narcotic medications (including prescription pain medications, sleeping medications, tranquilizers, etc.) must be completed during office hours. For your safety, your chart must be available for review before a narcotic medication can be prescribed or refilled. We are unable to refill or call in any narcotic prescriptions after hours or on weekends. Again, please allow at least 24 hours to process the request.

Billing

We are happy to bill your insurance for services rendered. Should you have changes in your health coverage, please notify us immediately so that accurate billing can occur.

Disability

A $10 service fee is charged for completion of any disability/comprehensive return to work forms. This fee will be collected when you pick up your completed forms. Also note that we do not do disability ratings nor do we manage patients for long-term disability.

Thank you for allowing Avista Brain & Spine Institute to assist with your health care needs. We look forward to serving you and wish you a prompt return to good health.