Patients’ Rights & Responsibilities

Practice Philosophy and Goals:

• Prevent or slow progression of kidney disease.
• Reduce medical care costs for kidney patients.
• Provide education from reputable sources of knowledge.
• Empower patients to retain control over their health care. 
• Patients’ kidney care needs are The Practice priority (physician, staff, and ancillary services)

Patients’ Rights:

• To be treated with respect and compassion in person and on the phone
• To be offered an appointment within 7-10 days of requesting one.
• Every effort will be made to offer walk-in appointments if available.
• To be seen by the physician on scheduled appointment day without delay, to the best of our ability. Occasional schedule delays may be inevitable if we are caring for another patient who needs extra attention for an urgent medical condition.
• To have reasonable time with the physician to explain your symptoms and be examined thoroughly.
• To have time to ask questions about your medical condition.
• To receive a clear plan of care (sent to patient portal or printed) for the medical condition being addressed at each office visit.
• Communication with primary care physician and other specialists for coordinated medical care.
• Receive assistance with medical insurance inquiries pertaining to office visits.
• Reduce prescribed and over the counter medications to the minimum needed for health needs.
• Confirm with insurances prescription medication coverage to the best of our ability; suggest generic medication alternatives if available.
• Reduce lab tests and imaging to the minimum required to make a diagnosis and monitor treatment.
• Coordinate referral to other specialists with your primary care physician, based on insurance coverage, and the earliest available appointment, as urgency of medical condition dictates. 

Patients’ Responsibilities

• Provide accurate medical history (to the best of your abilities).
• Authorize release of information to obtain medical records from other providers / facilities, to be able to review at least 48 hours prior to the appointment.
• Provide names and accurate phone numbers (or addresses) of medical facilities / providers, in order to contact them to obtain medical records.
  Alternatively, patients can obtain copies of their medical records and forward to the office in ample time to be reviewed prior to the appointment (optimally 48 hours or more).
• Attend appointments on time. Please arrive in the office 15 – 30 minutes before the scheduled appointment time with insurance cards and a picture ID.
• If late arrival delays the scheduled appointment, it may be necessary to reschedule the visit. 
• Call to cancel an appointment if unable to attend (at least 48 hours before appointment) rather than “no show”.
• Follow recommendations offered by physician (diet, medications, life style modifications, etc). 
• Ask questions about recommendations that are not clear. 
• Ask questions about the medical condition(s) that is being addressed in the office visit.