Being a Compliant Patient

When patients come to Florida Surgical Clinic they usually have a specific problem. In order to figure out how to fix that problem, we need to learn about our patient. As physicians, we have the unique privilege of learning everything about a patient. There are many aspects of a patient’s life that may not seem relevant to the patient but are extremely important to the physician. One example is over the counter medications and supplements. Some patients don’t consider these medications a significant part of their medical record. However, supplements and over the counter medications can cause an increase in bleeding and can have multiple dangerous interactions with prescribed medications and medications used for anesthesia.

It can be very difficult for patients to remember all their medical problems, medications, and previous procedures. We recommend every patient carry a list of their current medications with doses. In addition to this, it is extremely helpful if patients bring their most recent physician note or history and physical from their primary care physician. Ideally, patients can enter this information on our patient portal which will then automatically populate in their chart. However, if this isn’t possible, a recent history and physical will help the physician and the front office staff place this information in the chart in a timely fashion so the physician can have more time to spend communicating with patients.

At Florida Surgical Clinic we understand that emergencies happen at all times of the day and night. If a patient is having a true emergency such as active bleeding, heart attack, or stroke that patient or patient’s family should call 911. However, sometimes patients have problems that are best handled during that day or the following day. For instance, the DEA no longer allows physicians to call in narcotic prescriptions. At Florida Surgical Clinic, patients who call at night or on the weekend for refills of pain medications will not be able to get their medication as all pain medications require an in office visit as well as a script from their physician to the patient’s pharmacy of choice.

During normal business hours, we have staff available to help patients with any issues. While someone is always on call for the practice, if a patient has a concerning wound or increase in pain, the options available at night are limited and often result in the patient being referred to the emergency room. However, if the patient calls the office during normal business hours, he or she can often be seen in the office that day or the following day. When a patient is seen in clinic for an acute issue the patient will avoid a trip to the emergency room, costly co-payments, and potentially seeing a physician unfamiliar with that patient’s particular issues. We strongly urge patients to call with potential issues during normal business hours, rather than waiting until late evening so we can better care for our patients.

Finally, we want to make sure that every patient seen at Florida Surgical Clinic gets the time and attention he or she deserves. In order to best serve all of our patients, we ask that new patients arrive 30 minutes early to fill out paper work and work with our patient portal. We ask returning patients to arrive 15 minutes early to verify information and obtain vital signs so the physician can start the appointment on time. If you know you will be late or need to reschedule, please call the office as soon as you are aware so we can better serve you.

Lastly, we humbly thank you for choosing and entrusting Florida Surgical Clinic with your care and/or the care of your loved one.

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Being a Compliant Patient

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