Office Hours:  
   The Albany Orthopedic Center is open from 8:30 A.M. until 5:30 P.M.  Monday through Friday, except holidays. Our 24-hour answering service will answer your call after regular office hours. Important messages will be relayed to the physician "on call".  The answering service is not allowed to answer medical questions, give medical advice, or make office appointments.

   Requests for prescriptions or refills can be called in any time to our medication line (229) 435-0441.  You will be asked to leave your name, date of birth, chart number, type of medication, which pharmacy you use, and a phone number at which you may be reached.  The Medication Line records your request 24 hours a day, but we only fill requests during regular office hours, Monday through Friday.

Administrator: 
  Jennie R. Bobo manages the business and staff of the Albany Orthopedic Center.  She is available to assist you with anything regarding your account or your health care with which you may need help.

Appointments

For appointments, please call (229) 435-1458 or 1-800-543--6185 during normal office hours. Our answering service cannot make appointments.  To change or cancel an appointment, please call at least 24 hours in advance so that the time reserved for you can be used for another patient.  If you fail to keep your scheduled appointment without notifying our office, we reserve the right to bill you for your scheduled time.

Your Medical Record

On Your First Visit
   On your first visit to Albany Orthopedic Center, the receptionist will ask you to complete a "Patient Information Form".  At future appointments, additional information may be necessary to update your medical record.  It is your responsibility to notify our office of any changes in your name, address, telephone number, marital status, health history or insurance information.

When Problems Arise

   The staff of Albany Orthopedic Center is committed to assist you as quickly and efficiently as possible.  Appointments will be scheduled as soon as possible based on the severity and urgency of your problem.  In some cases it may be necessary to obtain medical records, X-rays, or treatment authorization from your previous treating physicians, primary care provider, or insurance company before you can be seen in our office. 

   Routine calls for appointments, prescription refills, and minor questions can only be handled during regular office hours by our well-trained office staff.  During regular office hours our physicians are usually busy with scheduled patients.  Messages for the physicians will be answered as soon as conveniently possible, depending on the urgency of the problem.  In some cases that are not urgent, it may be several hours before the physicians can answer your call, so be sure to leave a return number where you can be reached later in the day.

   Emergency calls after regular office hours will be answered by the answering service and referred to the "on call" physician.  Keep in mind that the "on call" physician may not be familiar with your particular case, will not have access to your medical record, and may be busy in the emergency room or emergency surgery.  Please be patient and please do not call with questions that are not urgent.  The "on call" physician will answer your call as soon as possible, but he will not call in prescriptions for narcotics (pain medicine) during evening hours or on weekends.  In some cases, the "on call"  physician may ask you to go to the local Emergency Room for examination or X-ray.

Hospitalization

    The physicians of Albany Orthopedic Center will be happy to care for your surgical needs at either Palmyra Medical Centers or Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital and will try to honor your request when hospitalization or surgery is required.  In some cases, your insurance carrier or employer may require that a particular hospital be utilized.

Payment for Services

 In most instances, payment or guarantee of payment is due at the  time of service.

   We will file your insurance claim for Medicare, Medicaid, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Georgia, and those plans for which we are a participating provider.  For other types of insurance, you will be given a "super bill" suitable for you to use to file with your insurance company.  The receptionist will need to make a copy of your insurance card for your account records regardless of the type of insurance you have. Please make sure you have your insurance card with you at the time of your visit.

   Although most insurance plans cover true emergencies treated in our office, some do not cover "routine office visits".  Some insurance plans require that your primary care physician authorize our office to treat you. You are responsible for getting the authorization from your primary care physician before you can be seen in our office.  In the case of GEORGIA BETTER HEALTH CARE MEDICAID, it is our office policy that the authorization from the primary care physician be in the form of a letter that must be presented at our office before you will be seen.  Many insurance plans have deductibles and co-payments.  DEDUCTIBLES AND CO-PAYMENTS MUST BE PAID AT THE TIME OF YOUR APPOINTMENT.  Even though an insurance claim may be filed, you are ultimately responsible for payment of your entire bill. You will receive a statement each month if your account has a balance due. 

   If you have a question regarding your ACCOUNT, CALL (229) 435-3007,  or come by our office and ask to speak with our staff in the insurance/accounting department. You may also e-mail your questions. Good communications are necessary to assist you in satisfying your financial responsibilities. We are always willing to work with you regarding your account.  If there is a failure to meet your obligations within an acceptable time frame, your account will be processed by a designated credit and collections agency. 

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