Authorizations for Office Visits
After your appointment is scheduled, a representative from TBJ will phone your insurance company to verify eligibility, benefit type, co-payment amount, deductibles and referral requirements. This is done 3-5 days prior to your appointment. Although we make every effort to obtain authorization for your visit, many insurance companies require the patient to acquire an authorization from their primary care physician prior to the appointment. You must contact your primary care physician at least 3 days prior to your visit at TBJ to ensure they have forwarded your authorization. If you arrive for your appointment without an authorization, we may be required to reschedule your appointment. Authorization for Diagnostic Therapy Services
This department handles authorizations for all tests requested by the physicians. These include MRI and bone scans, among others. Each insurance company has its own rules regarding authorizing outside services. A representative from TBJ will call the insurance company, the primary care physician (PCP) or the Worker's Compensation Adjuster to obtain authorization for testing or therapy. Once authorization is obtained, the representative will call the patient to schedule the test. If you have any questions regarding your testing or equipment, call (918) 392-1400 press "0" and ask the operator to connect you to the proper department. Checking In
When you arrive for your office visit, a TBJ receptionist will make photocopies of your insurance card and a photo I.D. They will verify with you that all information in the computer is accurate. They will then have you complete any necessary information forms. They will also collect your co-payment. Please remember to bring any x-rays that have been taken. Most of our physicians will not be able to see you without your films.
Delays
The nature of our practice is to give every patient the utmost in comprehensive care and service. At times your physician may need to spend a little more time with a patient than anticipated to fully evaluate the patient and offer the most comprehensive course of treatment. Additionally, because our physicians are specialists and provide " on call" service at the ST. John Medical Center it is possible for your physicians to be called out for emergency surgery during clinic hours. For these reasons, please excuse any delays you may experience in wait time for your appointment. we are proud of the outstanding professional level of our physicians and we appreciate your patience should our physicians' clinics run late. There might be a possiblility that you might be rescheduled. We will give you the same careful attention as soon as possible. Treatment of Minors
A parent or legal guardian must accompany new patients under the age of 18 at their initial visit. The parent or legal guardian may designate someone to accompany an existing patient during follow-up visits if it is specified on a Minor's Consent for Treatment form. This form can be obtained at the check-in area. Prescriptions
Any questions regarding prescription refills can be addressed by contacting your physician's secretary during the normal business hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Prescription refills are not considered an emergency, and it is TBJ's policy not to phone in refills after hours. We must be notified 3 days prior to running out of your medication. Should You Need Surgery
Please listen carefully to the instructions given to you by your physician and his or her assistants. They will give you information regarding your pre-operative testing and admission for surgery. If you have any additional questions regarding your surgery, contact your physician's medical assistant.
Our surgery Pre-certification Department verifies insurance coverage and obtains authorization for surgeries where required by the insurance company. This department can be reached at (918) 392-1400.In addition, prior to surgery, someone will contact you if it is determined you owe a co-pay or co-insurance. These will need to be paid prior to the date of surgery or the surgery may need to be rescheduled. Surgical Assists
In almost every surgery there is a need for an assistant. Sometimes the hospital will provide an assistant to a physician in the operating room. Most of the surgeries performed by our physicians are complex in nature and require more than one pair of hands. Our physicians work in teams with either Fellows (physicians who are receiving additional training in a subspecialty), Physician Assistants, or Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners. Because these teams work together everyday, they are highly specialized and experienced in the procedures they perform. We feel this specialization results in better patient outcomes. We therefore prefer to use our own assistants. All surgery charges will be billed to your insurance carrier. However, your insurance may not cover the surgical assist fees. Please understand that should your insurance deny payment on a surgical assist, you will be held responsible for the unpaid balance. After Hours Care
Tulsa Bone & Joint Associates hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. In case of a non-life threatening medical emergency, an established patient may call (918) 392-1400 and speak with our answering service. The physician on-call will be notified as appropriate. Medical Records
All medical records are stored at our main office. Any questions regarding medical records, such as disability forms, insurance forms, and copies of medical records, may be addressed by calling our main number at (918) 392-1400. Processing requests takes approximately 10 working days. Please note there is a fee for some services. Ask for a Medical Records Information Sheet at the front desk of any of our offices. Payments
It is our policy, with few exceptions, to bill your insurance company for you. However, you are responsible for any unmet deductibles, co-insurance or non-covered benefits that may occur. Also, co-payments are due at the time of service for each visit. The front desk personnel will collect co-pays at the time of registration prior to seeing the physician. TBJ files your claims with your insurance company as a service to you. However, if payment is not received from your insurance within 60 days, a statement may be generated to you. Workers Compensation
Tulsa Bone & Joint Associates has a Workers' Compensation Department to assist you, your employer, case manager and adjuster during the care for your Work Comp injury. If you have any questions regarding Work Comp, please call our main number at (918) 392-1400. Customer Service
The mission of Tulsa Bone & Joint is to offer the finest orthopaedic care available, while exceeding the patient's expectations of service for their entire experience with TBJ. We hope your encounter with Tulsa Bone & Joint is a pleasant one.
Thank You!
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