Information for Patients

Our Policies & Guidelines

Family Medical Associates of Raleigh
3500 Bush Street
Suite #103
Raleigh, NC 27609

Telephone: (919) 875-8150
Fax Number: (919) 875-9577

Website: http://www.fmaraleigh.com
General Email: info@fmaraleigh.com

Office Hours
Our office is open Monday - Friday, 7:45 am - 5:00 pm. We are closed on Wednesdays from 12:00 pm until 1:30 pm.

After Hours
Our answering service receives calls daily from 12:00-1:30 pm and from 5:00 pm - 8:00 am, as well as on holidays. We share after-hours emergency coverage with Dr. Richard Adelman, Dr. Joseph Carr, Dr. Patsy Daniels, Dr. Carson Rounds and Dr. Thomas Weber. You may call our main number and follow the prompts. The answering service is responsible for paging the physician on call.

Appointment Scheduling & No-Show Policy
We will try our best to schedule your appointment at the most convenient time possible. If you need to be seen the same day, we will work you in with an available provider and, if possible, your primary provider. As a courtesy, we attempt to contact every patient to remind them of their appointment; however, it is the responsibility of the patient to arrive for their appointment on time. Cancellations must be received 24 hours in advance. Patients who do not contact us prior to their appointment will receive a no-show charge. This fee can range from $30-$75, depending on the appointment type. Patients with frequently missed appointments will only be provided same-day appointments.

Insurance and Demographic Information
We must verify your insurance card and demographic information at each visit. This ensures that we process accurate billing for you and your insurance company. If you do not have your insurance card available at the time of the visit, we may ask that you reschedule your appointment until you can present your card. Please refer to our list of accepted insurances.

Copays and Collections
Copays, coinsurances and deductibles are due at the time of service. Payment is required for past-due balances prior to your next visit. You may be asked to reschedule your appointment if you are unable to make payment. We accept cash, checks and credit/debit cards. There is a $30 fee for returned checks. Accounts that are unpaid after 90 days are turned over to a collections agency. An additional $30 fee is added to account balances once they are turned to collections.

Prescription Refills
Refills must be requested through your pharmacy. Refill and sample requests will be completed within 48 business hours. All other clinical calls will be handled by your provider or their nursing assistant within 24 business hours. In order to expedite your requests, it is important that you provide complete information when leaving a message.

Laboratory Services
We contract with Spectrum Laboratory for some of our lab services. You may receive a bill from us, as well as a bill from Spectrum Laboratory. If you have a question regarding your bill, please call the number listed on your bill. Please communicate with your provider if you have any questions about your lab tests. Laboratory and all other test results may take up to one week. Your provider will contact you by telephone or by mail with your results once we receive them.

Clinical Research
Our physicians participate in several clinical research studies, which you may be eligible to participate in. Please ask for our research coordinator if you are interested in learning more.

Requests for Medical Records
We will release copies of a patient's medical records with written patient authorization. We outsource record copying to Smart Document Solutions, Inc. They charge the standard legal fee for copies. You will not be charged a fee for records requested by a physician to whom you have been referred. You can download our Medical Records Request Form here.

Referrals
A referral from your provider may be made to an outside specialist. Most referral requests must be approved by your primary care provider, and may require a scheduled office visit. If your insurance does not require an authorization for your referral, you should contact the specialty office directly for an appointment. If your insurance does require approval, we will coordinate the appointment for you within 48 business hours.

Completion of Forms
Disability, employer, FMLA, insurance forms, or any other paperwork that requires your provider's input, can be very time consuming for both you and your provider. Please be sure to complete all required information prior to submission to your provider. You may be asked to schedule an appointment with your provider to review the requested information.

HIPAA
The federal government requires us to share our Privacy Notice, which is posted at the front desk and throughout our practice. Please review the Privacy Notice, which explains policy on sharing patient information for treatment and billing issues.

Policy to Treat Minors
We abide by North Carolina law regarding the treatment of minors. Please ask for a copy of our policy.

Termination from our Practice
Our office values its patient relationships and wants to protect patients' rights. We will only terminate patient relationships with cause and after careful consideration. Reasons for termination include: repeatedly not showing for scheduled appointments; not complying with recommended medical care; being hostile or abusive to staff; or not paying bills in a timely manner.

Last update: 10/15/2007