Thank you for choosing St. Francis Center for Digestive Disorders as your healthcare provider.  We are committed to providing you with the best possible medical care for the successful treatment of your condition. Scheduling Appointments Our office hours are 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. Please contact our office at 706-320-2766 to schedule your appointment.  We will do our best to schedule your appointment as quickly as possible. After an appointment is scheduled we will mail, fax or email you the paperwork required to be completed for your appointment.  We request if possible that you return this paperwork before your scheduled appointment in order that it may be processed before your appointment.  This will help us make your initial visit go smoothly. While our staff makes every effort to stay on established schedules, there may be occasions when you have to wait due to an emergency.  We make every effort to keep these delays to a minimum. Cancellation Policy If you are unable to make an appointment, please call as soon as possible (at least 24 hours in advance) so that we can reschedule your appointment.  This provides us the opportunity to schedule another patient who is in need of medical care. New Patients Please arrive at least 20 minutes before your appointment, allowing ample time for traffic and parking.  You will need this time to complete and sign any forms, and to give our staff time to handle all the required paperwork. Please make sure that you have your current insurance card(s) and a photo I.D. (driver’s license or military I.D.) when you arrive for your appointment. Many insurance plans require a referral from a primary care physician (particularly HMO and POS plans).  We highly recommend that you check with your insurance company about your coverage before your appointment. Please make sure that a referral is sent to our office at least 48 hours in advance. Please bring to your appointment or have your Primary Care Physician fax any previous medical records, lab or x-ray results pertaining to your upcoming visit with us. Established Patients Each time you visit our office, please make sure we have the most current insurance information and demographic information (address, phone numbers, etc) Please arrive at least 15 minutes before your appointment, allowing ample time for traffic and parking.  If you are more than 30 minutes late for your appointment you may have to reschedule. Please bring to your appointment or have your Primary Care Physician fax any previous medical records, lab or x-ray results pertaining to your upcoming visit with us. Financial Policy Our office participates with a variety of insurance plans.  It is your responsibility to: • Bring your insurance card(s) to every visit • Verify with your insurance plans that our physicians are covered providers • Be prepared to pay your co-pay and/or deductible at time of service.  Payment may be made by cash, check, or credit card. (Visa/Mastercard) • For medical care not covered under your insurance, the payment will be due in full at the time of service unless prior arrangements have been made with our office. Telephone We encourage you to call with any questions you may have concerning your medical care.  Please understand that when you call, your doctor is often with a patient or performing a procedure.  We will take a message and it will be answered at the earliest opportunity.  If your call concerns an emergency, the doctor will be contacted at once. Prescriptions All prescription refills should be requested during regular office hours, when your medical record is available to the doctor.  If you would like your prescription refill telephoned or faxed to your pharmacy please call our office at 706-320-2766 and press one for the prescription line.  Please have the prescription information and required pharmacy name and street address available when you call. Please call for refills a few days before your prescription runs out rather than waiting until the last moment.  Routine prescription refills will generally be phoned in within 48 hours.  However, prescriptions for antibiotics or narcotic pain medications will not routinely be given over the telephone without a recent examination by the physician, in order to ensure that you receive medication appropriate for your condition. Telephone prescriptions for pain medications and antibiotics will not be given after office hours or on weekends. Emergency Care Our physicians are available continuously for emergencies.  Should you have a medical emergency, we will do our best to respond to your problem promptly.  In the event of a serious emergency, you should go immediately to the nearest hospital emergency room.  In a less serious situation, call the office and you will be contacted as soon as possible.  If you have any doubt about the seriousness of the emergency, it is best to go directly to the emergency room. After Hours Care Should you need to speak with the doctor after regular office hours, the answering service will forward your message to the doctor on call.