ARK-LA-TEX CHILDREN'S CLINIC

In order to provide the highest quality of pediatric care, we try to work by appointment and to be on time.  However, doctors are called upon occasionally for emergency services which upset office hours.  Sometimes a patient may require more than the allotted time, causing subsequent appointments to be late. 

• Routine visits or yearly school or camp physicals should be scheduled as far in advance as possible.

• Time is set aside each day for "sick visits," so call as soon as it becomes necessary, after 8:30AM to schedule a "sick visit" that day.

• Please be on time or notify the office if you will be delayed.

• Don't ask that other children be seen along with the scheduled child, unless pre-arranged as above.  It will not be fair to patients whose appointments follow yours.  If you wish to have additional children seen, please notify the office as early as possible.

• It is helpful to write down your questions before you come and bring them with you.

• Walk-ins will be seen as time permits.  You are encouraged to call first for an appointment.

We are pleased to provide 7 days-a-week coverage for our patient. We feel it's important for kids to be seen by a pediatrician whenever possible. 

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Patients are seen on a first-come, first-serve as walk-ins (No Appointments). Certain times of year, weekends are extremely busy. Please be patient. We will see every patient that walks in before we close. You may want to have snacks or activities available in the event you have a long wait. 

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One provider will be available to see patients on the weekend. If they are not your child's regular doctor in our office, they will still have access to your child's chart. 

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Weekend Hours

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• Saturdays: 9:00 am - 11:00 am

• Sundays: 9:00 am - 11:00 am

Our doctors are always happy to meet with prospective parents prior to the delivery of their new babies.  These visits can be scheduled in advance by calling and speaking with one of our receptionists. 

If you are unable to keep a scheduled appointment, please call the office or leave a message with the answering service as far in advance as possible.  This courtesy will allow us to be of service to other patients.  Remember to cancel a previously made appointment if rescheduling. 

Please leave a call back number where you can be reached if you need a call back from the clinic or the nurse when leaving a message to cancel an appointment.

Feel free to call during clinic hours for anything that concerns you.  After clinic hours, please call only with urgent situations.  When calling after hours, our answering service will connect your to our after hours clinic nurse.  

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When leaving a message, please give the following information:

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• Name of the child, age, and date of birth

• Your name and phone number

• Whether or not this is an emergency

• When it is best to return your call

• The name and phone number of your pharmacy if you are needing a medication called in.

• The problem or complaint and any associated symptoms.

• Duration of illness or time of injury.

• Medications or "remedies" previously tried.

• Any known allergies.

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We or our nurses will return your call as soon as possible.  Please be advised that if we are having a busy day in the office, routine calls may not be returned until the lunch hour or at the end of office hours.  If you feel your child's need is URGENT and cannot wait for a call back, please notify the receptionist.  Also note that if you leave messages during the lunch hour, they will likely NOT be returned until our staff has returned from their lunch break.  If your child has an URGENT issue during lunch hours, please notify the receptionist so you can be connected to a nurse or doctor available within the clinic.  Your call will be returned.  If you do not feel your call has been returned within a reasonable amount of time, please call back.  Occasionally our phones experience technical issues, and we may not have received your call.  

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Other Advice:

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• It is best to call early in case your child needs to be seen that day.

• Remember that illnesses cannot be diagnosed over the telephone and our nurses cannot diagnose medical conditions.

•  Remember that the telephone should be used for brief discussions only.

• Call for prescription refills before you are out of medicine.  We request at least 24 hours notice.

• It is helpful to have pencil, paper, and telephone number of your pharmacy handy when calling.

• If there is ever a malfunction of telephone equipment or no answer, call the answering service directly at 677-5907.  They will contact us.

Fees and Statements:

At the completion of each visit you will be handed a route slip which indicates all services provided, fees, and all information essential to an insurance form.  We will provide a standard insurance claim form to those patients who need to file their own insurance claim.  We don't like to send bills, as the cost of paperwork and postage will naturally affect our fees; therefore, we request payment at the completion of the visit whenever possible or to be mailed in the envelope provided within 30 days.  If you are billed, there is a billing fee for each statement.  

If there is ever any problem or question about fees, payments or your account, please contact our billing office at 318-603-8082.  Ask for the Ark-La-Tex Children's Clinic billing department.  Or contact the clinic at 318-742-6710.

Health insurance is designed to help you meet the costs of medical service, but the contract is between you and the insurance company. 

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• The responsibility of payment is yours, and you are responsible for any amount not covered by your plan. 

• It is your responsibility to know the details of your insurance coverage - well visits, sick visits, immunizations, precertification requirements, deductibles, co-payments, etc. 

• You are responsible for payment of your deductible amount and for payment of any amount that the insurance does not pay or does not cover. 

• If you are on a PPO plan, HMO plan, or CHAMPUS, you must pay your co-payment amount at the time of your visit. 

• You must pay for services until your deductible is met. 

• Immunizations must be paid for at the time they are given if your insurance plan does not cover immunizations. 

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Please help us serve you better by keeping us informed of changes in your address, telephone number, and insurance coverage.  Our office will be happy to answer any questions or to help you complete your forms when there are problems.