DO I HAVE TO BE A PATIENT OF COASTAL MEDICAL CLINIC TO DRAW LABS AT YOUR OFFICE?
No-as long as you are cash pay and have lab orders from your provider we will draw most labs. If you are
a patient of Coastal Medical Clinic, we will draw most labs ordered. If you are not a patient of Coastal
Medical Clinic and are insured, we cannot draw your lab.
Please contact our office for accepted insurances by CPL
HOW MUCH DO LABS COST?
Cash lab prices range in price depending on the test ordered, but we do give discounted prices for all cash pay patients. Please call or stop by our office for more information.
HOW LONG BEFORE I GET LAB RESULTS?
From the time labs are drawn it usually takes 2-4 days for results to come back. If your labs were
ordered by another provider, the results will be faxed to your PCP’s office and they will contact you for
follow-up. If you are a patient of CMC, after your labs are drawn make an appointment for follow up on
check-out. On review, if it is determined you do not need to be seen a staff member will call and cancel
your appointment.
DO YOU TAKE WALK-INS?
Yes-we do accept walk-ins.
Please note-Walk-ins are seen AFTER scheduled patients. Please keep in mind the wait time on walk-ins can and will be significant. New patient walk-ins can add additional time.
I AM AN UNINSURED, CASH PAY PATIENT. HOW MUCH DOES AN OFFICE VISIT COST?
Our price for a new cash-pay patient who do not carry insurance STARTS AT $110.00. An
established patient visit STARTS at $80.00. This is only a base price and is subject to increase.
Please note-These are only base prices which are collected up front. The price of a visit can
increase based on injections, labs, referrals, change in level of office visit, etc. If a price increase occurs,
it will be collected on check-out or billed to you. All payments for injections or labs will be collected prior
to services. The level of an office visit can increase based on time spent, injections, labs, referrals or
multiple complaints and prescriptions.
HOW LONG CAN I EXPECT TO WAIT FOR MY APPOINTMENT?
Wait time varies. In-depth diagnoses, emergencies and specialist consultations can add to an
over-all wait time. We understand our patients have a schedule to keep, but our providers believe in
getting to know their patients and their health issues. They prefer to fix the problem rather than just
treat the symptoms. Please be tolerant as you wait and keep in mind the time devoted to other patients
will also be spent on you.
Please Note- The staff has no control over how long the providers spend with each patient.
Becoming angry, agitated and abusive with the staff because you feel you have waited too long is not
acceptable. You are always welcome to reschedule.
DO DRUG REPS HAVE AN AFFECT ON MY WAIT TIME?
No. Drug reps serve a purpose. They provide offices with sample medications that providers in
turn give to patients to try new medications or for uninsured patients. As we have two providers, Reps
have very little impact on a patient’s wait time and usually finish seeing patients prior to speaking with a
rep.
WHAT SERVICES DOES THIS PRACTICE OFFER?
- An example of a few of the services Coastal Medical Clinic offers is as follows;
- Sick visits
- Referrals
- Physicals (excluding DOT or Military physicals)
- Labs
- Pap smears
- Minor surgical procedures
- EKGs
- UDSs
- TB testing
HOW DO I GET MY PRESCRIPTION REFILLED?
If you need refills on a prescription that has been filled by this office before, please contact your
pharmacy. Even if there are no refills left on your prescriptions, contact your pharmacy.
If you need refills on a prescription this office has never provided or are requesting a new
prescription please make an appointment as you will need to be seen before receiving a new
medication.
Due to continued abuse and misuse of prescription medications, the DEA has become stricter on
rules that regulate what, when and how much medication can be distributed. As a result, all patients
must be seen prior to refills on any or all narcotic medications. This includes, but is not limited to,
Xanax (alprazolam), Tizanadine, Tramadol, Tylenol 3 & 4, etc. Please call and set an appointment when
you are out of refills for your narcotic medications. This is the quickest way to receive your medication
refills. Drug screens will also be performed randomly for patients who receive any prescription
medications from this office.
Please note-This office has up to 72 hours to process refill requests sent by the pharmacy.
Please do not wait until you are completely out of your medications to call your pharmacy. Also, calling
the pharmacy or our office multiple times after you have made the initial request will result in your
chart being pulled from pending to waiting for review, which increases the amount of time it takes to
complete. If the pharmacy has not received an approval or denial from this office after 72 hours, then
contact us and let us know it was not received.
HOW DO I CONTACT MY PROVIDER IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY AFTER HOURS?
In case of emergency, dial 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. If you feel you need to
speak with the provider after hours, but do not think your need constitutes a hospital visit, contact us on
our after hours phone at (361) 205-7477. Leave a message with our answering service and a nurse or
provider will call you back. Chest pains, numbness, high fevers and life threatening injuries should
immediately call 911 or go to the nearest Emergency Room.
Please note-This line is for emergencies only. Requests for medication refills (other than life
sustaining medications that were not received), referral or appointment questions do not represent
emergencies and these calls will not be returned until regular business hours.
I CALLED THE OFFICE DURING BUSINESS HOURS, BUT NO ONE ANSWERED-DO I CALL THE AFTER HOURS NUMBER?
No.
This line is for after hours emergencies only and is not answered during business hours. If
you call the office and are unable to speak to anyone leave a voicemail and your call will be returned at
the first opportunity.
Please note-staff returns messages at the end of the morning after patients are seen and at the
end of the day after patients are seen. Multiple calls and voicemails will remove the patient’s chart from
pending and placed back in awaiting review. This will result in a longer response time. As we are seeing
patients and receive multiple faxes and calls throughout the day, it takes time to do the proper research
and respond to all requests. Just because your call is not returned immediately does not mean it is not
being worked on.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR A MESSAGE TO BE RETURNED?
The staff at CMC does its best to return messages the same day if a detailed voicemail is
left and a return call is warranted. However, we are subject to receiving answers and other information
from the provider and outside sources (insurance, specialists, etc) and may not be able to respond
immediately. Another way to ensure your message is returned promptly is to choose the correct
extension and leave a clear message with your name, number and DOB.
Please Note-The staff does not return calls to confirm RX refills, prior authorizations or
completion of paper work that is faxed to other entities. It is their responsibility to follow up with the
patient in these instances.
DO YOU DO LABS IN-HOUSE?
Yes-we draw our labs in-house and they are processed through CPL labs.
Labs are drawn Monday through Thursday 8 AM to 11:30AM then 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM. Fridays we do labs 8AM to 11:30AM only.
They are done a walk-in basis, first come-first serve. If your labs require fasting—General Health Panel,
Diabetes glucose testing, etc—it is best to come early.