Patient Care

Office Policies

Our mission is to improve the health and quality of life of our patients by empowering them and their families to manage their chronic illnesses as effectively and safely as possible. In order to provide the best service, we have established specific office policies. Please review these policies carefully, and let us know if you have any questions or concerns regarding the information provided.

Office Hours

Office hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. We offer to patients who require, due to work or family constraints, certain extended hours. Some days we schedule our first patient as early as 8:00 a.m., and other days we remain open as late as 7:00 p.m. for our last patient appointment. Please contact our office to schedule a time that works best for you.

Scheduling Appointments

Patients can schedule appointments by calling between 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Please communicate any medical urgency when calling. It is best to schedule follow-up appointments when leaving the office.

(908) 273-8300

New Patients

First-time patients are asked to print out and complete all forms in the New Patient Packet prior to your visit. If you are not able to complete the forms ahead of time, you are asked to arrive approximately 30 minutes before your appointment to complete the forms in the office.

As part of your first visit, you will be offered the opportunity to join our patient portal. A member of our staff can enroll you, allowing you to manage your healthcare information online.

What to Bring to your First Appointment

It is helpful to have available the following with you for your appointment:

• License or photo ID
• Insurance card
• List of all current medications, vitamins, and dosages
• Name, address, and telephone number of referring physician
• Copies of pertinent medical records and scans
• A referral, if required by your insurance
• Your payment or insurance co-payment

During follow-up visits, please mention any changes regarding your personal information, contact information, insurance information, or health history to office staff upon your arrival.

Methods of Payment

Payment is expected at the time of service with cash or personal check. We also accept most credit cards. We will submit insurance forms as required. Because we see many patients with many different types of insurance coverage, it is critical that you understand your own policy and clarify any questions directly with your insurance company prior to your visit.

If your insurance plan requires that you have a referral from your Primary Care Physician (PCP) you should have this when you schedule your appointment, and you must bring the referral with you to the appointment.

In the event of financial hardship, please communicate this to our office so that some arrangements can be made to guarantee important medical care.

Test Results

For testing performed at an outside facility, please do not assume that we have received reports unless you are notified. Generally, you can expect notification of results after two weeks—and you should call if two weeks have passed without notification.

Emergency Calls

Potentially dangerous endocrine situations sometimes arise that require urgent or emergent intervention. You are encouraged to call our office at (908) 273-8300 as soon as such problems arise. Specifically, diabetic patients should call when high sugars are accompanied by moderate urine ketones (on Keto-Diastix^®), or when hypoglycemia (less than 60 mg/dL) is occurring without obvious cause. For a life-threatening emergency, dial 911.

Prescriptions Renewals

In an effort to maximize patient safety and to minimize errors, we have evolved the following practice guidelines regarding prescription renewals:

• Medications are generally renewed electronically at the time of visit with the physician.
• Enough medication is prescribed to last until the next recommended visit or laboratory surveillance.
• Phone renewals are discouraged – e-scripts are more efficient, secure, and accurate.
• Recommended follow-up visits and/or surveillance labs are necessary for proper therapy.

Thyroid Prescriptions

There is a brand discount for Synthroid and Tirosint at select mail order pharmacies, which may be less expensive than getting a prior authorization. The Dr. can send the Rx to a specialty pharmacy and they will contact you about options.

Question: What if I want to switch to cheaper generic?

Answer: Endocrinologists generally want you to stay on the same brand you have been on - as it can be very important to maintain stability.

Question: What is the name of the specialty pharmacy?

Answer: The last we heard was Highland Pharmacy for Tirosint and Eagle Pharmacy for Synthroid.

Question: How much will it cost at the specialty pharmacy?

Answer: That depends on your insurance plan. You must speak with the pharmacy.

Insulin Prescriptions

To help speed the process, the Dr. can send "substitutions allowed" for your insulin UNLESS you are aware of a brand you must avoid.

Question: Can’t I just decrease or stop insulin while I wait?

Answer: At NO point should you simply stop insulin, decrease the dose, or ration insulin, as this is potentially medically harmful and could be life-threatening.