Scheduling an Appointment
To book an appointment with us, you can either use our convenient online scheduling system on our website or contact our office directly by phone. Our practitioners have specific availability, so we encourage scheduling in advance to secure your preferred time slot.
Before Your Appointment
After scheduling your appointment, please complete the necessary paperwork and set up your login details for the ChARM EHR Patient Portal. The intake forms and consent documents will be sent electronically with your appointment confirmation.
Completing this step, which takes approximately 30-45 minutes, helps us better understand your health background, allowing us to provide a tailored and effective approach to your care. We kindly request that these forms be completed 48 hours before your initial visit.
What to Expect as a New Patient
Initial (new patient) and regular follow-up appointments are primarily focused on reviewing and analyzing your health history and current health concerns. The initial appointment does not include bloodwork, specialty tests, and other diagnostic services.
Patients are welcome to bring any recent labs or imaging results, which we can review during the appointment. However, please understand that treatment typically begins after a comprehensive case review in the second appointment.
At NES™, when you establish a new physician patient relationship, we require that you fully review the new patient forms in detail and ask as many questions you may have.
Respecting Time and Managing Expectations
At Natural Endocrinology Specialists™ (NES), we deeply value the time and well-being of both our patients and our doctors. We strive to ensure that each appointment is conducted in a timely manner, with ample time dedicated to understanding and addressing your health concerns. However, we also recognize that unforeseen circumstances may occasionally affect appointment schedules.
When the Doctor is Running Late
While we do our absolute best to keep to the scheduled times, there may be instances when our doctor is delayed due to the complexity of care needed by another patient. If the doctor is running more than 30 minutes behind your scheduled time, rest assured that we will still provide the full, dedicated appointment time you deserve. We appreciate your understanding and patience in such instances and will make every effort to stay on time.
When the Patient is Late
We ask that you respect the time reserved for your care by arriving on time for your appointment. If you are late, we will still do our best to accommodate your visit; however, the time you are late will be deducted from the total appointment duration. This ensures that we can remain respectful of the schedule for all patients. For example, if you are 15 minutes late for a 60-minute appointment, your session will be 45 minutes instead of the full hour.
Commitment to Your Health
We understand that scheduling medical appointments can be a challenge, but we strongly encourage you to prioritize the time dedicated to your health. When booking an appointment, please plan to allow 1-2 hours to ensure your visit is thorough and unhurried. This flexibility gives us the opportunity to provide the highest quality care while accommodating any unexpected delays that may arise.
We appreciate your partnership in helping us maintain an efficient and respectful schedule for everyone. If you need to reschedule or have any concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.
Initial Consultation
Your first consultation with NES™ is a comprehensive 60-minute session to establish a strong therapeutic relationship and understand your health history in-depth. During this visit, your practitioner will perform a thorough evaluation, including a timeline of your health concerns and a physical examination. Lab work may be ordered to assist in diagnosing and developing your personalized treatment plan.
Follow-Up Appointments
The initial follow-up appointment is dedicated to reviewing your lab results and discussing any questions you might have. A detailed treatment plan tailored to address your specific health concerns will be provided. While we typically conduct follow-up appointments in person, we offer the flexibility of phone or video consultations as needed.
For ongoing care, follow-up appointment frequency will be tailored to each patient's needs, generally occurring every 4-6 weeks initially and then extending as you move into a maintenance phase.
Prescription and Medication Refills
At NES™, ensuring the safety and proper monitoring of prescriptions is a top priority. To facilitate this, we dispense medications with the maximum number of refills permissible until a follow-up visit is required. We advise scheduling an appointment during the last month of your current refill cycle to prevent any disruptions in your medication regimen. It is important to note that medications that have exhausted their refills will not be renewed until an appropriate follow-up visit, often including lab work, has been completed.
To streamline the process, we kindly request that you give us a 72-hour notice for any prescription refill requests. This lead time helps us ensure that your medication management is handled efficiently and effectively, maintaining the continuity of your care without interruption.
Important Notice: Controlled Substances
Natural Endocrinology Specialists™ has updated our policy and will no longer prescribe or refill certain medications, including some controlled substances. We are committed to helping you find safe and effective alternatives and may refer you to your primary care doctor for management. Please schedule an appointment to discuss your treatment plan and explore other options.
International Supplement Shipments
At Natural Endocrinology Specialists™, we do not ship supplements or health-related products to destinations outside of the United States. This policy ensures compliance with international regulations and helps avoid potential shipping delays or issues that could impact product quality and timely delivery.
We appreciate your understanding. If you have any questions or need assistance with your treatment plan, please don't hesitate to contact our office to explore alternative solutions.
Laboratory Testing
We encourage our patients to be informed about what their health insurance covers regarding laboratory testing. Prepaid rates offered by labs are often a cost-effective option for those whose insurance does not cover certain tests.
Patient Portal & Communication
For direct communication with your doctor, please use the ChARM EHR Patient Portal. While we welcome non-medical inquiries through the portal, please note that any medical advice, lab orders, prescription refills, or similar requests will require a scheduled appointment.
We aim to respond to messages sent via the patient portal within 72 hours during the workweek and weekends. For phone consultations, these must be scheduled as an appointment, with a fee applied for the allocated time.
In the time between appointments, we offer the convenience of sending up to two messages in your patient portal to address any questions, seek clarification, or discuss concerns related to your treatment plan. Please be aware that after these two messages, each subsequent message will incur a fee of $25.
If you are experiencing a medical emergency or have an urgent matter, please proceed directly to the nearest emergency room (ER) or call 911. For non-emergency inquiries, we are here to assist you through the patient portal.
If you have any other questions, we are happy to help. Please feel free to contact us at any time.
Rescheduling and Cancellation Policy
At NES™, we will send out a 72-hour appointment reminder. It is the patient’s responsibility to keep track of the appointment date and time and to arrive in a timely manner. In order to provide all patients with high quality care, we require a 48-hour cancellation notice.
This reserved time has been allotted to you and if you need to change it, we would appreciate the notice so that we can better serve you and our patients receiving care. If you are 5–15 minutes late to your appointment, this time will be deducted from your allotted time of consultation as it impacts the doctor's schedule. Patients arriving more than 10 minutes late to their appointment will be subject to the providers’ decision to be seen, rescheduled or changed to a brief visit.
Patients arriving more than 20 minutes late will be subject to a rescheduled appointment. Patients who do not call or show up for the scheduled appointment will be subject to a missed appointment fee of 100% of visit. Anytime there is a no call/no show or missed appointment, this will be documented in your chart.
Numerous missed appointments can result in dismissal from the practice and/or require you to prepay for your visit. We understand that emergencies do occur and you may not be able to communicate your absence for a scheduled appointment.
Re-establishing New Patients
If a patient has not been seen for 2 years or more, they will be subject to the new patient fee.This policy ensures that we have up-to-date information and can provide the best care possible, given any changes in your health status or treatment needs.
Financial Agreement
At NES™, you will have a couple of payment options. You can either prepay for the visit online or by calling the office or pay at the time of service. We are a cash-pay practice and are not associated with any insurance companies.
Please keep in mind that our practice does not accept Medicare or supplemental Medicare plans for services. This policy applies to all our office's services, including consultations, bloodwork, imaging, and diagnostic tests. Patients are fully responsible for payment at the time of service.
We can assist you with reimbursement documents that you can submit to your insurance if needed. We cannot bill directly to any insurance company and it is your responsibility to check with your insurance provider to see if you are eligible for coverage and/or reimbursements for any visits and services you receive. If you cannot pay for the visit at the end of service, you will be sent a bill within 7 days. If you do not pay your bill within 30 days of receiving it, it will be sent to the Professional Credit Services (Collection agency) and you will be responsible for any fees incurred.
No Refund Policy for Completed Visits
At NES™ (NES), we are committed to providing high-quality care during every patient visit. Once a scheduled appointment is completed in full, we do not offer refunds. The time and expertise provided by our doctors during your appointment are dedicated to thoroughly addressing your health concerns, and we strive to offer the most comprehensive care possible during that time.
If your consultation has been conducted for the full duration of the allotted time, regardless of outcomes or treatment decisions, no refund will be issued. This policy ensures that our practitioners' time and expertise are fully respected, and reflects the value of the services provided during your visit. We encourage patients to come prepared to each appointment and engage fully in the care process to maximize the benefit of their time with our doctors.
No Refund Policy for Specialty Test Kits
All specialty test kits provided by NES™, such as Food Sensitivity Testing, Stool Tests, Saliva Tests, Galleri tests, and similar offerings, are non-refundable. These tests are not covered by insurance and necessitate upfront payment at the time of service. This policy applies to all specialty test kits we offer but is not limited to these mentioned. Purchasing a test kit indicates your commitment to follow through with the doctor's recommended course of action. We strongly encourage you to carefully consider all aspects and consult with your healthcare provider to ensure you are fully committed before making a decision or proceeding with your purchase.
Consultation Policy
To maintain high-quality care and comply with Arizona's legal standards, our Naturopathic Doctors provide advice and services exclusively during scheduled office visits. This policy ensures thorough documentation and compliance with healthcare regulations.
For any health inquiries or to discuss your treatment, please arrange a phone consultation or follow-up appointment with us. Feel free to reach out if you need to book a consultation or have questions about your care plan.
