Office Policy & Procedures

FHMS Office Policies

You can schedule an appointment by calling one of our offices, using your patient portal or using our real-time online scheduling tool.
When you’re sick, a call to the office early in the day will help us schedule you for a same-day visit. Our phone staff is available everyday from 8:00am until 5:00pm to answer your questions.
If your address, phone number, or insurance has changed, please let us know while scheduling your appointment so that we can have the most up-to-date record for you.

Please check in using a patient registration kiosk available in the waiting room of all FHMS office locations.

Plan to arrive 15 min before your appointment time to complete your registration, insurance information, medical history and preventative care measures.
Please bring your insurance cards and a valid photo ID to your appointment.
Self-pay patients (those with no insurance); please be prepared to pay for your visit at the time of service.
Please be courteous. We ask that you do not bring food or drinks into the waiting room. Once you are in the exam room, please turn off your cell phone for the duration of your appointment.

We kindly request that you give us 24 hours advanced notice.
A $25.00 fee will be charged for each no show.
For Worker's Compensation and Motor Vehicle Accident patients, documentation of any missed appointments is forwarded to your Case Manager.
Please call us as soon as you know you won't be able to make your appointment. Calling the day before will help us to make that appointment available to someone who may need urgent or sick care.
If you are a new patient and you do not show up for 2 consecutive appointments, and you do not call to cancel, you will receive a call from our patient coordinator and a letter, which also will be sent to your insurance company, notifying you of your termination from the practice.
If you no show four appointments within a 12 month period of time, without calling to cancel, you will receive a letter, which also will be sent to your insurance company, notifying you of your termination from the practice.

Did you know you can sign up for appointment reminder calls, emails and text messages?
If you agree to one or all of the above methods, we will send you an appointment reminder call 3 days prior to your appointment, email 2 days prior to your appointment and a text message the day before your appointment.
When you receive the appointment reminder call or email, you will have the option to confirm or request to reschedule your appointment.
If you request to reschedule your appointment, a receptionist will contact you the next business day to reschedule your appointment without you having to call the office.
When you receive a text message reminder, you will need to contact our office directly to cancel or reschedule your appointment.

Did you know that a Provider is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?
When you need medical attention after hours, call our office before going to the Emergency Room or Urgent Care. We may be able to assist you right over the phone.
When you call our office after hours, you will be directed to our answering service. The representative will take your call and forward your message to the on-call provider.
If you are experiencing a medical emergency or you believe you are experiencing a life threatening situation, call 911 immediately, or go to the emergency department of your nearest hospital.
If your urgent medical need is not life threatening, and it is during normal business hours, please call the office. We will help you determine the best plan of care.

We know that you want to know the results of your lab tests and other diagnostic testing as soon as you can.
When your test results are returned to the office, they are first reviewed by your doctor or provider. As soon as they are available our nursing staff will notify you or your results either by phone or letter.
Depending on the test that has been ordered, we may not receive the results for up to two weeks. Please do not call to request test results for a minimum of 72-hours unless otherwise instructed.
You may be asked to call the office and schedule a follow-up appointment with your doctor to discuss the test results and follow-up plan, if necessary.

When you need a general prescription filled, contact your pharmacy or use your patient portal to request a medication refill.
The pharmacy will notify your provider through a secure electronic prescription refill system called E-Rx.
If you need a refill for a controlled medication, please call the office to schedule an appointment. We are no longer able to refill controlled substance medications over the phone.

Our referrals team will assist you in scheduling an appointment.
Our referrals team is dedicated to helping patients find the right specialist. There are many things to consider – your doctor’s special orders, whether the specialist participates with your insurance company, and getting an appointment scheduled as soon as possible.
If you have questions about a referral made by your doctor, you can reach the referrals team at (716) 338-0022, option 5.

We are happy to help you when we have advance notice.
We are happy to accept medically related forms that require your doctor’s signature.
First, fill out all of the information about the patient, like your name, address, date of birth, social security number, and employer. Make sure to sign your name if the form requires it.
Then give the form to the receptionists at the front desk. They will forward your form to our Administrative Assistant, who will then route it to your Provider.
We cannot complete forms for pick up on the same day. We will return the form to you within 7 to 10 business days.

You may request a copy of your medical record.
When patients are referred to a specialist or other facility for follow-up care, a complimentary copy of the medical record is forwarded to the doctor.
Sometimes, our patients will need a copy of their medical record in order to transfer to another doctor. A records release form must be filled out in order for our records department to transfer your records to another doctor.
Our patients may request a copy of their medical record for themselves, an insurance application or legal representation. The patient, insurer, or legal counsel will be billed at $0.75 per page.

Convenient, fast and easy! In the office, by phone, by mail, or online using your patient portal.
Payment for your visit is due at the time of service. You may have a co-pay, co-insurance, or deductible that will be due at the time of your visit.
Please note that all balances that remain unpaid (60) days from the date such balance is due will incur up to a $15 finance charge. Balances that are left unpaid after (120) days from the date such balance is due may be turned over to a collection agency.
Our knowledgeable and experienced billing department is ready to help you with payment and insurance related questions.
They are available Monday through Friday, 8:00am until 4:30pm. Please call (716) 338-0022 and select option 3 to speak to a Billing Representative.