1. When you call during office hours you’ll speak directly to either my daughter Chelsea or me.  If you get voicemail it means that both of us are busy with patients, but you’ll be called back very soon.

2. When you call weekdays appointments for acute, follow-up, and preventive care will typically be available the same or next day.

3. Appointments are typically spaced out at 45-60 minute intervals so that they are on time and not rushed. This also allows me time in between office visits for telephone calls, email correspondence, prescription refill authorization, etc.

4. When you need assistance after office hours you will speak directly with me by calling my cell phone or home (my home number has never been unlisted). I have a pager as a back-up since cell phone service and voice mail is not always reliable.  I do not have an answering service, and there will not be any cross-coverage by another physician unless I am completely unavailable (ill, on an airplane, etc). I notify pat ients by email of any major changes in my schedule or availability. There is no extra charge for care that is rendered over the telephone (some medical practices charge an itemized fee for this service even though it is not typically reimbused by insurance companies).

5. Unsecure email is available for online discussion of non-urgent medical issues when appropriate, and there is no extra charge for managing a problem through email communication (some medical practices charge an itemized fee for this service even though it is not typically reimbursed by insurance companies). You will also be able to request an appointment by email.

6. When you arrive at my small-but-comfortable office you’ll find plenty of free parking right outside the front door.

7. You will spend little (if any) time in the reception room (we also call it the "no-waiting" room).

8. You will not have to discuss sensitive issues in front of others in the reception room as check-in and check-out procedures can be handled in the privacy of an exam room.

9. Exam rooms are computerized to allow us to surf the internet together to research medical issues, look up drug prices, etc.

10. You will be notified of all test results instead of “no news is good news” (no news is NO NEWS!).

11. My office is paperless using electronic medical records (EMR) and scheduling. There is no chart to lose, and prescriptions can be faxed directly from my EMR to pharmacies so that they can be filled promptly.

12. Medical forms will be filled out promptly and at no extra charge (unless an office visit is required for completion of the form).

13. Today’s work will be done today.

14. Out-of-town guests (family or friends) of practice members will be seen for urgent medical problems without being charged the practice membership fee.

15. Family of practice members will be charged at member rates for travel consultation and immunizations.

16. During your birthday week we’ll call you to schedule a health maintenance exam (if indicated) for the following week. This will benefit you by making it easy to remember when your exam is due, and it will benefit the medical practice by making sure that these exams are evenly distributed throughout the course of the year. Not everyone needs an annual physical exam or tests, so I’ll follow published evidence-based guidelines to determine what is appropriate for each pat ient.

17. On request, at the end of each calendar year we’ll send you an itemized list of all your payments to my office to assist you with your income tax preparation and documentation.

18.  I'll see you at your home or in my office after hours when medically indicated.