Patient Guide

Welcome

Patient Guide

What to Expect and What to Bring to the Appointment

What to Expect

When you arrive at our office for your appointment, please report to the reception desk. Sign in while we make a copy of your insurance card and have a seat in our lobby while we study your completed information forms, films, reports, and doctor's office notes. For your benefit and ours, it is necessary to keep the front desk staff informed at all times of any changes in address, phone numbers, or insurance coverage.

Because we sincerely value your time, we strive to stay on schedule so you can see your neurosurgeon within minutes of your arrival. However, sometimes appointment schedules change due to an emergency or prolonged surgery that requires the surgeon's continued presence. Circumstances like these occasionally cause all or part of the day's appointments to be rescheduled. At times, the physician will elect to see patients that day at a later time. If you are unable to wait, we will be happy to reschedule your appointment to the earliest time available. Barring any unpredictable circumstances, you will be taken to a patient room promptly.

You may speak with a doctor's secretary, nurse, or physician's assistant regarding your condition, prior tests and treatment. It is important to be as informative and honest as possible. The support staff works directly with your neurosurgeon to provide you with high quality care. The information you give will be relayed to the doctor to diagnose and treat your condition.

The examination is based upon your symptoms, test results, records, and the information you have provided. It is vital that you let your neurosurgeon know your concerns. Too many times a patient leaves a physician's office with unanswered questions. We want you to fully understand your condition.

After the doctor reviews your information and completes the examination, he/she may decide you need more testing. The doctor's support staff will give you information about the test and schedule it for you. We will also call your insurance company to verify authorization, if necessary. It is a good idea for you to call your insurance company prior to the test to verify their authorization. You will have to return to the office for an explanation of your test results and your treatment plan.

Learn about conditions commonly treated by Raleigh Neurosurgical Clinic physicians.

What to Bring to the Appointment
To receive the most comprehensive treatment available, it is important for you to bring us several pieces of information:

Patient Information Forms - Be sure to bring your completed patient information forms. Completing these forms prior to your appointment date gives you the time to gather necessary information and makes your wait to see the doctor shorter. If you do not receive these forms in the mail prior to your visit, make arrangements to arrive 15 minutes early so that we can make sure your chart is complete.

Medications - Please bring all of the medications that you are currently taking. It is vital for us to know exactly what you are taking, how often, its strength, and the physician who prescribed it. The pharmacy bottles will provide us with all of this information.

Diagnostic Studies - Diagnostic studies are essential to a complete examination. If you have had an MRI, CT, Myelogram, Arteriogram, or plain x-ray completed in the last five years, bring the films and reports with you. It is usually necessary to contact the location where the tests were completed. Ask them to ready your studies (both films and reports) for you to pick up. It is a good idea to pick up your studies prior to the date of your appointment. DO NOT depend on a doctor's office, courier service, or testing center, to send them.

Diagnostic Tests - Other diagnostic tests, such as blood work, EMG, Nerve Conduction Study, etc., do not use films. But, the results are equally important. If you have had a recent test in these areas, please bring those reports with you as well.

Medical Records - Have you seen another physician regarding the same condition? If so, it is important that you bring all pertinent medical records with you. It is particularly helpful for you to bring doctor's notes regarding medications, treatments, physical therapy, test results, etc. If you would like the doctor's office to fax the notes to us, our fax number is (919) 783-7778. Ask them to include on the cover sheet your name, the date of your upcoming appointment, and the name of the physician you will be seeing.

Learn about insurance and financial policies.