FOR PATIENTS

PREPARING FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT

Appointments

We encourage patients to schedule appointments in advance of the same day. To schedule an appointment please call our main number: (706) 322-9599.

3 days (72 hours) prior to your appointment we will send you an electronic message (email, text, or both) to confirm your appointment.  If your appointment is not confirmed we will then attempt to call you 2 days (48 hours) prior to your appointment to confirm.  Failure to confirm after the 48- hour notification will result in your appointment being canceled and given to another patient.

Effective January 1, 2020

3 días (72 horas) antes de su cita, le enviaremos un mensaje electrónico (correo electrónico, mensaje de texto o ambos) para confirmar su cita. Si su cita no se confirma, intentaremos llamarlo 2 días (48 horas) antes de su cita para confirmar. Si no se confirma después de la notificación de 48 horas, se cancelará su cita y se la dará a otro paciente.

Efectivo el 1 de enero de 2020


If we are unable to reach you, your appointment may be subject to being rescheduled.

Dr.Gill
Dr. Cobb

Walk-Ins – “Same-Day Appointments”

We encourage our patients to schedule their appointments in advance, but there are a limited number of open slots for “same-day” appointments. These slots are filled based on “severity of illness,” as follows:

Patients cannot be scheduled for same-day appointment slots before the day of the appointment. No same-day appointment will be scheduled before the start of business that day (generally not before 8 am). This will give every patient equal opportunity.

Same-day appointments are considered either “routine” or “urgent”. The Clinical Coordinator or designee will triage all patients presenting for a same-day appointment. He/she will use sound clinical judgment to determine whether the requested same-day appointment is “routine” or “urgent” and have the patient placed on the schedule accordingly.

It is always the goal at VHcS to schedule patients with their Primary Care Physician (PCP). If your PCP does not have any available “same-day” slots, you may be asked if you would like to be seen by another provider.

Patient No Show Policy

It is the patient’s responsibility to contact Valley Healthcare 24 hours prior to their scheduled appointment if the patient can’t make the appointment. If the patient fails to notify Valley Healthcare they will be considered a “no show”. If the patient doesn’t show for their scheduled appointment twice they may not be able to schedule any future appointments in advance.

Es responsabilidad del paciente comunicarse con Valley Healthcare 24 horas antes de su cita programada si el paciente no puede hacer la cita. Si el paciente no notifica a Valley Healthcare, se los considerará “no presentados”. Si el paciente no se presenta a su cita programada dos veces, es posible que no pueda programar citas futuras con anticipación.

Privacy

We are required by applicable federal and state law to maintain the privacy of your health information. Patient information shall not be released or divulged to anyone without written authorization signed by the patient or legal guardian, except as required by law.

Insurance Coverage and Fees

Valley Healthcare System is supported in part by grants from the Department of Health and Human Services-Health Resource and Services Administration.

Most public and private insurance programs are accepted. Co-payments are collected at the time you check in for your appointment. Insurance cards must be presented at each appointment. In the event you fail to notify us about other health insurance, or changes to your insurance, you will be personally responsible for the fees incurred for that date of service. Insurance companies do not have a time limit for retrieving money paid for claims in which they are not the primary insurance carrier.

NO PERSON IS DENIED SERVICES BECAUSE OF THEIR INABILITY TO PAY

Sliding Fee Discount Program

The Sliding Fee Discount Program (SFDP) assures patients have access to all services offered by VHcS without regard for a patient’s ability to pay. The only determining factors of the SFDP are family size and income under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ annual Federal Poverty Guidelines. Anyone may apply for the Sliding Fee Discount Program. Intake Specialists are available to assist you in determining your eligibility.

patient3