Primary Care Policies and New Patient Paperwork

Thank you for choosing St. Joseph’s/Candler for your primary care needs. This page is to provide information for new and existing patients regarding St. Joseph’s/Candler Primary Care policies.

Download new patient forms here.

Appointments

• Appointments are generally scheduled Monday through Friday from 8:00am – 5:00pm.
• New patients must arrive 30 minutes prior to their first appointment with completed paperwork. 
• Your insurance cards and picture ID will need to be presented each time you visit our practice to assure we have the most recent information.
• If insurance card is not provided, appointment will be handled as self-pay and payment for services will be collected prior to being seen.
• If you are a self-pay patient, payment is expected at time of visit. Patients paying out-of-pocket for services will get a 50% discount at check-out (excluding those injured due to Motor Vehicle Accidents and Worker’s Compensation). If you feel you cannot pay at time of visit, please call your doctor’s office for financial assistance or to make prior arrangements. 
• If you are late the doctor’s office reserves the right to reschedule your appointment for another day and time. 

Abercorn 912-925-3382
Bluffton 843-815-3006
Eisenhower 912-819-9100
Fleming 912-819-9501
Hinesville 912-391-1313
Islands 912-898-1122
Pembroke 912-653-2897
Pooler 912-748-1999
Rendon 912-927-0785
Richmond Hill 912-819-9601
Richmond Hill at Heartwood 912-819-9620
Ridgeland 843-726-6773
Rincon 912-826-8860
Statesboro 912-623-2391

Cancellations

If you are unable to keep an appointment, please notify the office as soon as possible, preferably 24 hours prior to the appointment. This courtesy allows us to give appointments to another patient. If you do not cancel your appointment within 24 hours of your scheduled appointment a $35 fee will be charged to your patient account balance.

No-Shows

• A ‘no-show” is someone who misses an appointment without canceling within 24 hours of their scheduled appointment time. Failure to present at the time of the schedule appointment will be recorded in the patient’s record as a “no-show”.
• If you do not show up or if you do not cancel your appointment within 24 hours of your scheduled appointment a $35.00 No Show fee will be added to your patient account balance.
• When three (3) “no-show” appointments have been documented you will receive a letter from the physician discharging you from the practice.
• We will offer 30 days of emergent care only and transfer your records when you find a new physician.

Insurance

• Due to changes in today’s healthcare, your insurance may not always pay for all services. You will be responsible for paying any claims that are not covered by your insurance. Please call your insurance prior to appointment or services to ensure what will be covered and what won’t. If you do not feel like you can pay for appointment or services, please call your doctor’s office for financial assistance.
• As a courtesy to our patients we will file your insurance claims, therefore it is your responsibility to provide our office with up to date billing information.
• Medicare
• If you have MEDICARE please familiarize yourself with the items and services for which Medicare will not pay as they do not pay for all of your health care costs.
• When you receive an item or service that is NOT a Medicare benefit, you are responsible for payment, personally or through any other insurance that you may have.
• If you have questions please ask for the NEMB form-Notice of Exclusions from Medicare Benefits. 

Co-payments

• If your insurance plan requires a co-payment, our office will request payment prior to seeing the physician and/or at the time of service.
• For your convenience, we accept cash, check and most credit cards.

Self-Pay 

• Self-pay patients are required to pay for services prior to being seen for their visit and will be balance billed for the remainder of the fees at the time of charge posting.
• For your convenience, we accept cash, check and most credit cards.
• Patients paying out-of-pocket for services will get a 50% discount at check-out (excluding persons injured in a Motor Vehicle Accident or Worker’s Compensation). If you feel you cannot pay at time of visit, please call your doctor’s office for financial assistance or make prior arrangements.

Patient Account Balance

If you have a patient account balance it must be paid in full prior to seeing the physician or service. You may call 912-819-7447 to check your account balance. If you have a balance but are unable to pay at time of appointment, please call your doctor’s office for financial assistance.
 

Prescription Refills and Samples

• You must contact your pharmacy directly for more expedient prescription refills.
• Please allow your pharmacy up to 48 hours to process your refill request. The pharmacist may need to check with your physician.
• Please do not call the nurse and leave multiple messages about your refill as this will only delay the process of completing your refill request.
• Some prescriptions cannot be refilled if you have not seen your physician within the last 6 months.
• When you are being seen by your physician, please remind him/her to refill your medications at the time of your visit.
• If you have mail away prescriptions, please allow 7-10 business days for the necessary forms to be completed. It is very important you plan ahead with mail away prescriptions to allow us adequate time to get all the paperwork completed.

Laboratory and Test Results

• You must have an appointment for laboratory test and a lab order from your physician.
• If you think you need laboratory tests performed, but you don't have a lab order, please call your doctor’s nurse.
• Your doctor must review all laboratory/tests results before they are released to the patient and filed in chart.
• Your doctor will report abnormal results or reports on special procedures or biopsies as soon as they are available. If you have not heard from us within 7-10 days, please call our office.

Referrals and Prior-Authorizations

• Most managed care plans require a patient be seen by their doctor prior to seeing a specialist.
• Referral and prior-authorization requests are handled here in the office.
• Please allow at least 7-10 business days for non-urgent requests.
• You will be notified when the request has been approved and the appointment has been made.
• Referrals will not be handled after-hours or on weekends.

Medical Records

Please note that requests for any health information cannot be processed without a signed Medical Record Release from the patient or legal representative.
A fee may be charged for this service.
This service is outsourced and processed weekly.
Please allow up to 10-14 business days for your request to be processed.

Returned Check Policy

Returned checks made payable to this office for insufficient funds, stop payments or other reason for non-payment will be assessed a $30.00 NSF fee for which the patient will be held responsible.