Office Hours and Appointments

Our office hours are 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., or otherwise by appointment. Visits with the physician are by appointment only. Referrals from your primary care doctor are not required, but you must have a primary care provider who will be responsible for your overall care.

Appointments can be obtained or changed by calling (870) 236-2364 during office hours. The doctor is in the office during specific hours. An appointment will be made for you at the earliest opening. If you must cancel or reschedule your appointment, please let us know as soon as you can. This will allow other patients to use your appointment time.

Please bring all medications with you to each appointment. If you have had lab, X-rays, or other tests elsewhere, please arrange for us to receive a copy prior to, or at your next visit with us. If you have had recent surgery, please have the name and address of the surgeon and hospital where this took place, so that we can obtain records.

We will speak with you prior to your consultation to make arrangements regarding payment of your bill. We DO accept Medicare and Medicaid assignment, and the patient remains responsible for the co-payment, as required by law. We will file your insurance for you.

We make a sincere attempt to adhere to our appointment schedule. When emergencies arise, or when patients require more than the allotted time, we may run behind. Because medical care is unpredictable, emergencies and visits that take longer than average are common. We hope that you will be understanding, knowing that if you require extra time, or have an emergency, we will give you the same priority.

Telephone Calls

If you have any questions, or if special problems arise between visits, you may call during office hours and speak with our office staff. Please tell the receptionist the nature of your question or problem. She will refer you to the appropriate staff member to handle your call. If the problem is of a medical nature, the nurse will discuss it with the doctor, and return your call. If changes in treatment are required, or if you need to speak with the doctor, you will need to come in to see us. We cannot treat patients over the phone. If you are ill, please see us.

To protect your privacy, we cannot give the results of tests or procedures over the phone. If you need copies of your record, a request must be made in writing or in person.

Emergencies

During office hours you may call our office, and our nursing staff can direct you to the most appropriate course of action. After hours, you should go immediately to the Arkansas Methodist Hospital Emergency Room, where the physician on duty can evaluate your situation, initiate urgent treatments, and contact any other physician who may be needed to assist.

Prescriptions

It is not our practice to prescribe new medicines over the phone. Long term medications may be refilled over the phone if you remain under our active care, but only during regular office hours. Please call as early in the business day as possible to minimize any delays. We only provide prescriptions for the drugs which we prescribe for your digestive system. Your primary care doctor must give you your other prescriptions.

If new medicines or changes are required, you will likely need to come for an office visit.

Scope of Practice

In order to provide patients with the best possible care for their digestive systems, we limit our practice to treatment and prevention of diseases of the digestive system. Other medical conditions must be cared for by your primary care physician.

Some visits may be with a nurse, nurse practitioner, or physician's assistant, under the direction of the gastroenterologist. This often allows a patient to be seen more promptly. All of these visits are reviewed by the gastroenterologist, who will continue to direct the care of the patient.

Patient Responsibilities

Perhaps the most important aspect of the doctor-patient relationship is YOU! If you do not take your medicines, keep your appointments, have your tests done, and so forth, it will be difficult or impossible for us to be of any help to you. Ultimately, you are the one responsible for your health. Please help us provide you with the best care.

To accomplish this goal, keep us informed of any other doctors you may see, any treatments you undertake, any tests you undergo, or any new medicines you take. Try to follow the instructions we give you. If you have difficulty with these, let us know so that we can try a different approach.

Also, we expect you to make a good faith effort to pay your bill. If you have difficulties with the bill, let us know. We will work with you to make a plan we can both be satisfied with.

Most of all, let us know about any problems. Complaining to people outside the practice may make you feel better, but it will not alert us to your difficulty. Often there is a simple misunderstanding, which can easily be resolved. We want you to be satisfied with the care you receive through our office.

We want you to feel welcome! If any questions arise before your visit, please feel free to call the office Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Our phone number is (870) 236-2364. We look forward to seeing you.