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Waterville Family Practice
Some frequently asked questions about Waterville Family Practice:
How do I communicate with my care team?
During office hours, please call and ask to speak to or leave a message for your provider’s medical assistant. Alternatively, you can send an email via the patient portal.
How do I sign up for a patient portal account?
Please call our office to get a login or ask at your next visit.
What do I do if I need medical help after hours?
There is always a provider available on call for emergencies. Call the operator switchboard at 872-1000 to have the provider on call paged.
How do I know if I need to go to the emergency room?
During office hours, please contact us in the case of an acute illness; we will review your symptoms with you on the phone and decide if you need to go to the emergency room for emergent care or if you should come to our office to see a provider. We generally have openings for acute care daily and we strive to have patients seen in as timely a manner as possible. There are certain conditions such as severe orthopedic injuries, actively bleeding lacerations and cardiac and pulmonary emergencies that would be best cared for in the emergency room. Unfortunately we do not have walk in services so it is best to call ahead if you believe you need to be seen immediately. We feel it is important to honor scheduled appointments whenever possible and avoid last minute cancellations on our part.
What if I need to cancel an appointment?
We ask that you let us know as soon as possible if you need to cancel an appointment. Some of our providers have a waiting list of patients waiting to see them and the sooner we know that we have an extra opening the better we can accommodate those patients. We do have a $25 "no show" fee for appointments that are missed without calling ahead to cancel or reschedule within an hour of the appointment time. This fee will sometimes be waived for circumstances beyond a patient's control that led to a missed appointment.
How soon will I be seen?
For a new problem or significant worsening of a chronic issue, you should be offered an appointment within 1-2 days of your call. We can not guarantee that you will be seen within two days by your own provider, but whoever you see will communicate directly with your provider if they feel she should be informed about any new or worsening symptoms.
How do I have blood tests done?
If your provider has ordered blood work for you, you can walk in any weekday for this . We open for blood work at 7:15 am and can usually accommodate blood draws any time after that hour. Please remember that our medical assistants are asked to prioritize placing patients who have scheduled appointments first before doing walk in visits, so you may be asked to wait on a busy day. If you are pressed for time, it is best to call ahead to find out what the wait might be like. Generally first thing in the morning is the least busy time although this is not always the case.
How do I get a referral to a specialist?
If you have already discussed a referral with your provider, you can contact Tami Allard to coordinate an appointment. If you have not discussed this with your doctor or PA, you should make an appointment to discuss this with her.
Who do I speak to about a billing question?
Toria and Denise handle all billing questions; you may speak with either of them.
Who do I speak with if I want to provide feedback (positive or negative) about my care?
It is best to speak with your provider about any feedback or call to speak with Jan Bureau, our practice manager.
Can my records be shared with anyone outside of the office without my knowledge?
No. You must give written permission for us to share medical information with other medical offices, lawyers, law enforcement, or family members.
Click here to view our HIPAA Policies: Waterville Family Practice HIPAA Policies
Frequently asked Vaccination questions
Do we recommend the Covid booster?
Yes! If it has been more than a year since your last booster and more than 3 months since your last Covid infection, we recommend the new booster. We do NOT have the booster in our office. We recommend getting it at any local pharmacy who has the "new" booster (fall 2023). You do NOT need a prescription.
Do we recommend the RSV vaccine?
Yes. For certain high risk populations: patients over the age of 65 years and those with chronic respiratory diseases or immune suppression.
We do NOT have this vaccine in the office. We can send a prescription to most local pharmacies for it.
Who should get pneumonia vaccines?
We recommend that all patients receive one Prevnar 20 pneumonia vaccination after turning 65 years old and then one Pneumovax 23 pneumonia vaccine the following year. If you are over 65 and have not received either of these vaccines, please talk with your provider about a "catch up" schedule. You do NOT need a pneumonia vaccine every year like the flu vaccine.
Some patients under the age of 65 should be vaccinated for pneumonia. Patients with chronic lung disease, chronic liver or kidney disease or chronic immune suppression should be considered for pneumonia vaccination prior to 65 years of age.
Do you recommend the Shingrix vaccine?
The Shingrix vaccine is a 2 shot series for those who are susceptible to shingles. Shingles is a reactivation of the chicken pox virus that can appear later in life. It causes a painful rash and sometimes months to years of pain in the area where the rash was. People over the age of 50 are more likely to experience severe symptoms from Shingles and the CDC recommends vaccination for those who have had the chicken pox virus and are over the age of 50. Not all insurances cover the Shingrix vaccine and we recommend calling your insurance company to ask about this if you are over the age of 50. We do not carry the Shingrix vaccine in the clinic, but can send a prescription to a pharmacy for it. Doses should be 2-6 months apart and confer lifelong immunity (you don't repeat the series again after the 2 shots).