Commonly Asked Questions

Is the office accepting new patients?  Yes, the office is currently accepting new patients for most insurances.  Currently, the office is not accepting new patients with Keystone Mercy Health Plan or Health Partners insurance. To register with the office as a new patient complete the forms found in the new patients section. 

What should I bring to my visit?  There are several items that you should bring with you to each and every visit.  These include a valid medical insurance card, co-pay, all current medications, and any forms that need to be completed.

What methods of payment does the office accept?  Acceptable methods of payment include cash, credit or debit card.

How does the new Text/Voicemail service work? This service has been created to provide patients an alternative method to contact the office for non-urgent issues during normal business hours. Although text messages can be submitted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, any text message submitted after 4:30 pm on Monday through Friday may not be replied to until 1-2 business days later. It is not intended to allow patients to communicate immediately with the office outside of normal business hours (9 AM - 4 PM). Therefore, this service is not intended to act as an emergency service when prompt medical attention is needed. In those instances, call 911 or immediately go to the nearest emergency room. This service is ideal for patients who would like to request a referral, non-urgent appointment or prescription, need a call back from the office, or in regards to any other non-urgent issue. When using the text/voicemail service, please follow the instructions provided at the beginning of the call.

What should I do if I can't make my appointment or will be late for my appointment?  If you cannot keep your appointment please cancel your appointment. You can cancel appointments by calling the office directly, sending a text message, leaving a voicemail, or online through our website.  If you will be late for your appointment please call the office.  For detailed information regarding scheduling or canceling appointments visit our Office Policy page.

If I present to the office without a scheduled appointment can I be seen?  The office operates with an appointment only policy.  Patients who do present to the office without an appointment are likely to be asked to schedule an appointment at a later date.  However, occasionally there is an available opening allowing for a walk-in appointment to be accommodated.  Patients would be best served to call prior to coming to the office.  

When I am sick why won't my doctor call in a prescription to my pharmacy without seeing me in the office first?  When you are not feeling well, we understand you would prefer to have a prescription called in over the phone, without the need for an appointment.  However, establishing a correct diagnose is significantly increased following an examination.  Therefore, the physicians of City Line Family Medicine prefer to perform an examination prior to prescribing therapy to insure that each patient is treated appropriately.   

When I call in for a prescription refill how much notice should I provide?  Every effort is made to have prescriptions called in the same day but this is not office policy.  Because of the large number of prescription refill requests the office receives daily, patients should allow 48 hours for prescription refills to be called or faxed to the pharmacy.  If refills are being requested for several medications you may be required to come in to the office and pick up a written prescription.

If I need a form completed by my doctor what do I need to do?  Patients should allow at least 3 business days for completion of any forms.  There is a $15 charge for the completion of each and every form that needs to be paid prior to picking up the form(s).

Is there a charge to get copies of my records?  The office currently charges a fee of $1 per page for medical record copying.  There is no charge for the transfer of records to another physician's office.

Why doesn't the website allow me to email my doctor directly?  There are many issues that need to be resolved prior to the office accepting emails directly from patients.  Some of these issues include response time and medical liability.  Physicians spend most of their day seeing patients in exam rooms and would be unable to respond to emails in a timely manner.  This is an obvious concern if an email concerned an urgent issue.  Email communications also pose difficulties for doctors to make an accurate diagnosis without the opportunity to perform an exam.  Diagnosing and treating patients is difficult enough following a thorough exam, and treating patients based on email communication would be extremely difficult and less reliable.  There is also little if any ability to restrict the types of questions being submitted to avoid the liability issue.

My surgeon told me that I need to get a pre-operative clearance from my doctor.  Does my family doctor do this?  No, patients of City Line Family Medicine are referred to a cardiologist for pre-operative clearance exams. If a surgeon requires you to get a pre-operative clearance exam call our office so we can assist you with the necessary arrangements. Most patients opt to obtain their pre-operative clearance from our on-site cardiologist Dr. Kenney.

Is it true that if I miss or fail to show up for multiple appointments I can be asked to find a new doctor?  Yes.  If you No-Show for multiple appointments your doctor may ask that you seek your medical treatment elsewhere.  However, this problem is easily solved by keeping your appointment or canceling your appointment if you cannot attend.  Please refer to the Office Policy page for more detailed information.  Termination from the practice can also result from continued failure to follow your doctor's advice.  Patient termination is completely at the discretion of your doctor and their decision is final.  Terminated patients may not switch to another physician at the office but instead must choose another medical facility to continue their medical care.  Fortunately patient termination is a very uncommon occurrence.

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