Patient Guide

• Becoming a Patient
• Preparing For Your Appointment
• Your Medical Information
• Billing Information
• Patient Rights and Responsibilities
• Patient Forms

Preparing For Your Appointment

We are very happy that you have entrusted Northland Community Health Center with your healthcare needs! To assist us in providing the highest quality of care, we ask you to help with the following:

Be on Time: Please arrive 15 minutes prior to scheduled appointment time to complete required paperwork. Check in with the reception staff as soon as you arrive. This will allow time to complete required paperwork if needed.

Please bring your current legal photo ID and current insurance card to ALL of your appointments.

If you are more than 10 minutes late for your appointment, you may have to wait until the Provider is finished with other patients who already had appointments at the time you arrived. Please be patient and understand that it is possible that we may have to reschedule your appointment.

Walk-in appointments: We strive to work all walk-in patients into the provider schedule. However, on rare occasions, we may not be able to. If we are unable to see you that day, we will schedule you on the next available appoint time. If you are very ill, the provider will make a determination t o see you, schedule you the next available appointment, or recommend that you go to the nearest Emergency Room.

Translation: If you need someone to translate for you, we will provide a translator either in person or via a telephone translator service.

Bring your current Medications: Please bring the bottles of ALL your current medications that you are taking to your appointment. Even if the bottles are empty.

Make a List: Your Provider will have time to take care of two or three things during your visit. The best way to be prepared is to have a list of what you want to talk about during your visit, bring it with you, and bring that up first with your provider.

Records from your last Medical Provider: If you have records, copies of lab tests or x-rays, or any other information from another medical care provider, please bring it with you. If you do not have this information, you may be asked to sign a Medical Record Release form for us to get your medical information from the other medical care provider.

X-Rays and Specialty Care: Your Medical Provider will decide if you need any x-rays or if you need to see a specialist for any of your health concerns. If this is necessary, the Provider will initiate the referral. This may take up to four weeks depending on how urgent the referral is. Please be patient and make sure we have your current phone number at all times.

Lab Work: There are many times that your Provider will request you to have lab work done. It is important that you follow any directions the Provider gives you, such as not eating before the test.

After you get the lab work done, your Provider will tell you how often you need to repeat it, if necessary. You may not have to do any more lab work, or you might have to get more lab work on a regular basis. Your Provider will tell you when it is best for you to get more lab work.

Prescriptions: Your Medical provider will give you medicines that you need to treat your health issues or to keep you healthy.

If the medicine is not covered by your insurance program, the Provider will send a referral to our RX Assist, to determine if there is a way for you to get the medicine at a reduced cost or even for free.

If you qualify for Northland Community Health Center’s discount program, you will be able to participate in the 340b Pharmacy program that reduces the cost of your medicine.

Pain Medicine: Your Provider may give you medicine to help you manage pain. As with all medicines, you must follow the instructions on the bottle that tells you how many pills to take, and how often to take them. If you lose your pain medicine, it may not be replaced. You may be asked to sign a Pain Management Contract when you are prescribed pain medicine.

Follow-up Appointments: Your medical provider will tell you when to reschedule a follow-up appointment. You can make a follow-up appointment before you leave the clinic.

Refills: If your medical provider gives you a prescription and you need a refill, you do not always need to make an appointment to request a refill. You can ask the pharmacy to send a refill request to us. Please allow 72 hours for your refill request to be completed.

Children: The safety of your children is very important to us. Please keep your children with you at all times and do not let them play or walk around the clinic without you. Children under 18 cannot be seen at our clinics without a parent or legal guardian. The ONLY exception to this is for Family Planning Services.

Restrooms: All sites have restrooms available for your convenience. Please notify any of our staff members if the restrooms are not clean.

Patient Isolation: If you or your child has a rash or a cough, please tell the reception staff immediately. You may be asked to wait in a different room or asked to wear a mask. If you or your child has a cough, you may be asked to wear a mask. This is for both your protection, and/or your child’s, as well as for the protection of others, not to single you out in any way.

Pet Policy: Pets are not allowed in any of our clinic sites; therefore please leave your pets at home. Services animals needed by individuals with disabilities are allowed in the clinic.