General Policies
Our office hours are Monday - Thursday 7am-6pm and Friday 9am-1pm (phones are answered until 4pm on Fridays). Please schedule appointments by calling our office at 233-3376.
Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment time so that all paperwork can be filled out and get you checked in on time. Or you can just arrive at your appointment time if you have downloaded the forms and filled them out ahead of time.
Please give 24 hour notice for cancellations. A $25 cancellation fee ($50 for surgical appointments) will be charged if a 24 hour notice is not given. We have many patients who need that appointment and a cancellation list full of people who would like that appointment.
Late arrivals may require rescheduling. There will not be a cancellation fee for late arrivals unless it is more that 30 minutes after a scheduled appointment.
Please bring a photo ID and insurance card to your appointment. We also need the social security number of the guarantor so that we can file the insurance claim. Failure to provide this information will require payment for the full cost of the appointment and any procedures performed that day at the time of service.
Co-pays are taken prior at the time of service and any outstanding balances must be paid prior to follow-up visits unless it is a medical emergency.
Minors seeing us at their first visit must be accompanied by their legal guardian. After the first visit, a parental waiver must be signed if we are to see a child without their guardian present.
If you are transferring your care from another physician to our practice, please get your medical records faxed to our office prior to your visit. This will prevent any confusion regarding previous treatments.
All patients that have biopsy results performed are called back within one week of the biopsy. If a patient has not heard from us within one week, please call the office and request your results. Lab results are not routinely called back, unless a result is abnormal.
Prescriptions will be filled during normal business hours. Please leave a message for our medical assistants and they will return your call by the end of the following business day.
Our providers are only available during normal business hours. If you are having a medical emergency please go the the ER at Gulf Coast Medical Center or Bay Medical Center. If it is a skin problem, Dr. Ward is on staff and can be called if the ER is not able to handle the problem.
