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Care that is Provided
What services are provided? Basically, all primary care provided by Dr. George is included. Please see the separate section, "Services."
What is a Family Physician? A Family Physician is your personal doctor who cares for you throughout your entire life. They literally take care of you from “head to toe.” Family Physicians complete three years of specialty training in Primary Care after medical school. Dr. George is Board Certified by the American Board of Family Medicine.
Do you offer Disease Management? Yes. Disease Management is an important part of my practice. Careful monitoring and management of chronic diseases (asthma, diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, hypothyroidism, and others) coordinated by your personal physician, along with patient education, can improve outcomes.
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How the Practice Works How is your practice structured? Renaissance Family Medicine is a membership model of Primary Care. This structure allows me to care for far fewer patients (actually, thousands less) than an average practice, enabling me to deliver timely, highly personal, comprehensive primary care services. May I meet you for a free information session? Yes. You may call or email to arrange an appointment to discuss this innovative practice. Dr. George looks forward to meeting you! Where is the office located? Renaissance Family Medicine is located in a small, private office in South Irvine near the UCI campus. Who joins your practice? Patients of Renaissance Family Medicine are interested in developing a relationship with a physician who understands them and will advocate for them in our health system. Patients are interested in wellness and prevention. Busy people (aren’t we all?) who value their time and who don’t want to spend half their day waiting for an appointment with their doctor appreciate this style of practice. Patients are men, women, teens, and children. People who join the practice are making an investment in their own current and future health. They are also investing in Renaissance Family Medicine and supporting positive change in our health care system.
Who should not join the practice? Someone who is uncomfortable paying a practice membership fee may not wish to join. If this is you, please consider your fees for cable or satellite television service, health club membership, your daily stop at Starbucks, etc. Of course, if you are thrilled with the primary care you are currently receiving, you may not want to switch practices. (Please note: I believe that most primary care doctors are good people caught in a dysfunctional system, not that they are bad doctors.) How long will my appointments be? The first appointment to establish care, review your history, and complete your physical examination will probably be your longest appointment and will last one or more hours. After that, visits will be as long as we both feel is necessary, usually thirty minutes. You should feel you have had plenty of time to ask questions. How will you have enough time to care for me and my family? Most primary care physicians care for several thousand patients (average is 2300). Working forty hours a week for fifty weeks a year gives the doctor only 2000 hours per year (not counting all the administrative and educational time). Each patient gets less than one hour of their doctor’s time each year. At Renaissance Family Medicine, a limit is placed on the number of patients so that you are given timely and complete care. This allows Dr. George to give her full attention to those that are her patients. Are there any limits to the number of visits or amount of time Dr. George spends with a particular patient? In this practice, there will be much less time pressure than in a regular primary care practice. However, of course, time and resources are never unlimited. In most cases, all necessary primary care visits (up to twenty per year) by Dr. George will be included. Will I always see the same doctor? Yes. By limiting the number of patients, Dr. George has the flexibility to be available for your appointments. The exception will be in case of travel for education, vacation, or illness. When possible, Dr. George will communicate with patients by email and phone even when she is unavailable for visits. If a patient needs emergency care, of course, they should call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
How can Dr. George provide this level of service? Renaissance Family Medicine will have a very limited number of patients. The patients know they can easily reach Dr. George the next morning, so they have less need to call at night or on weekends. Patients always know they can call 911 or to go to the Emergency Room. Her patients know that by calling only when they really need to talk with her, Dr. George will be able to sustain this service over the long term. When do you offer house or place-of-business visits? This will be decided on a case by case basis based on need. Are other doctors providing the same services? While no practice is exactly like Renaissance Family Medicine, there are many similar practices starting around the country. Some of these can be found at www.impmap.com and http://simpd.org/. Do you see walk-ins? No. This practice is based on the belief that the doctor-patient relationship is vital to good medical care. Renaissance Family Medicine cannot see people for urgent care who are not established patients. Regular patients will be given a scheduled appointment time to ensure privacy and the complete attention of Dr. George.
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What if I get married or have a child? Can I extend coverage to my new family members? New family members will have top priority on the new patient waiting list. What happens if I move away after joining Renaissance Family Medicine? Dr. George is part of a network of physicians working in small practices to revolutionize the way primary care is provided in this country. She will assist you in finding a new physician (if you desire) and transfer medical records (after receiving your consent). Your initial registration fee will cover your final three months of care. Will I be able to join Renaissance Family Medicine in the future? Dr. George is limiting the number of patients that can be enrolled in order to maintain a small, personalized practice. When the practice is full, a waiting list is maintained to replace patients that move away. |
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Coordination with What if I have an emergency or need hospitalization? If you have a life-threatening emergency, call 911. Dr. George (or, occasionally a carefully chosen covering physician) is available for consultation with emergency room personnel and for coordination of your care. Specialty referrals will be discussed with the emergency room physician if warranted. If you are hospitalized for an acute illness, a physician specializing in inpatient medicine will provide your care until you are discharged. Dr. George will be available for coordination with the physicians directly caring for you regarding admission and follow-up care. Which hospitals do you work with? Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian and the University of California, Irvine Medical Center. If highly specialized care is needed, we can work together to find the best specialists for you to see, wherever they may be in practice. What if I need to see a specialist or need surgery? You and Dr. George will make joint decisions about referrals to specialists for evaluations of conditions felt to be beyond her scope of practice. We can use specialists that are covered by your insurance if that is a concern. Can I still see my gynecologist? Yes. Some women prefer to see their gynecologist for well-woman care. Dr. George is experienced in routine, outpatient gynecological care and is happy to provide it. Of course, she is also happy to support your decision to seek care outside of Renaissance Family Medicine, but you will be responsible for those charges. What about the costs of prescription medicines? If you take several monthly prescriptions, you should consider separate insurance for pharmacy coverage. Dr. George will consider your insurance company’s formulary when making prescription decisions to minimize your expenses as long as it does not impact quality of care. What about other medical expenses, such as lab, x-ray, specialists’ fees and hospitalizations? There is no charge for in-office lab work (strep screens, urinalysis, urine pregnancy tests, occult blood, etc.). Services provided by specialists, hospitalization expenses, outside labs, prescriptions, etc. are not included and should be billed directly to your insurance company or Medicare. For specifics, please discuss with your insurance company or Medicare representative. Also, refer to Services and the Medical Services Agreement (available by request from the office). |
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Finances
What is the membership fee? Monthly Annually Single Membership $160 $1,800 Registration Fee. The registration fee covers registration and establishing care in Renaissance Family Medicine. It will also cover your last month of care should you or Dr. George terminate this agreement for any reason. The registration fee is paid at the time care is established. The amount is equal to the monthly membership fee. Membership Fee. The membership fee is paid monthly, on the 25th of the covered month of membership in the practice. This is paid by recurring credit card payment (or debit card from a Health Savings Account or Health Care Reimbursement Account). You may also choose to pay the membership fee annually, by check, in advance. (Members able to choose this option will receive a savings of approximately five percent. They also do not need to pay the registration fee since they are paying in advance for the last month of service. Pre-paid fees are refundable at any time on a pro-rated basis.) The fee is based on the number of family members. For each person over the age of 65, please add $55 per month or $600 per year. For each young adult under the age of 35, deduct $55 per month or $600 per year (applies to the first two members of the family). For families of five or more, add $25 per month or $300 per year for each additional child. You may be able to pay your fees with pre-tax dollars if your employer offers a Health Savings Account or Health Care Reimbursement Account. Some people have found that a high deductible health insurance plan, combined with a practice such as this, meets their health care and financial needs. Please check with your financial advisors. Why is there a practice membership fee? The membership fee covers your primary health care provided by Dr. George. Without the fee I would have to have many more patients and therefore, not be able to provide the same level of responsive and personal service. This structure also eliminates charges for each visit or service provided so you never have to use cost as a reason not seek care. Members are making an investment in their health and in the transformation of our health care system. Will I be required to pay even if I do not get sick? Yes. Preventive care is an important focus of my practice. Renaissance Family Medicine strongly encourages wellness consultations, regular office visits, and annual physicals. The membership fee allows the patient panel to remain small so that you can have access to your physician whether you are sick or well. How does your practice work with insurance? Patients with any insurance (or even though unfortunate people without insurance) can enroll in the practice. The practice fees are not covered by any insurance or Medicare. However, you will be provided with a receipt upon request for the services provided and you may receive reimbursement from your insurance company. Dr. George will attempt to work with you to find the most appropriate specialists and prescriptions that will be covered by your insurance or Medicare. You will give your insurance information to the lab, specialist office, or hospital just as you do now for services outside of Renaissance Family Medicine. Certain HMO’s may require you to have a primary care doctor (in addition to Dr. George) in their network who will be your “official” PCP for purposes of referrals.
Do I need insurance if I enroll in Renaissance Family Medicine? Yes. Patients should be insured by a PPO, Medicare, or other major medical plan. This will cover services provided outside of my practice. Non-covered services can be billed directly to the insurance company. Patients in the unfortunate position of not having health insurance are welcome to enroll in the practice with the understanding that only Primary Care is included. Is there a co-pay? No. Your membership fee secures your access to your physician’s care during regular office hours without co-pays. Basically, all primary medical care provided by Dr. George is covered. However, some equipment (i.e. splints) and non-routine immunizations (as noted in the Medical Services Agreement), may be charged to you or your insurance plan. You will be notified in advance when this is necessary. Do you have a family rate? Yes. The membership fee is reduced for additional members of your family. Will my insurance reimburse my monthly fee? Probably not. Because insurance plans vary, Renaissance Family Medicine cannot advise you regarding reimbursements. Check with your plan administrator or Human Resources representative at work for clarification and exploration of my vision to provide primary services in an enrollment practice using pre-tax dollars. Since the fees are for medical services, Health Care Savings Accounts and Health Care Reimbursement Accounts should be able to be used. Are you a member of HMO plans? No. However, if you choose to have your health insurance through an HMO, I will attempt to coordinate your referrals and prescriptions to maximize your insurance benefits. Certain HMO’s may require you to have a primary care doctor (in addition to Dr. George) in their network who will be your “official” PCP for purposes of referrals. The practice membership fee for Renaissance Family Medicine will be a separate expense for you, as it is for all patients. Are labs included? There is no charge for in-office lab work (strep screens, urinalysis, urine pregnancy tests, occult blood, etc.). Pathology services (such reports on a skin biopsy or pap smear) that have to be sent to an outside laboratory will incur a bill from the pathologist. What if I want to join the practice but cannot afford the membership fee? There are a limited number of scholarships. If you are interested, please contact Dr. George. |
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Technology in Renaissance Do you use Electronic Medical Records? Yes. The practice is using an Electronic Medical Record called “Amazing Charts.” The records are backed up regularly and the data is encrypted and password protected. How is information communicated? Prescriptions are faxed directly from the medical record to your pharmacy. Most referrals, lab, and test orders will also be handled in this efficient way. Lab and test results will be electronically imported into your electronic medical record when possible. Other results will be scanned into the record. How are appointments scheduled? You will be able to schedule your own appointments on the practice website. Some appointments every day are saved so they are available for urgent visits. You will usually be able to schedule an appointment for the same day or the next business day when desired. You may also schedule an appointment by e-mail or phone. What do I need to know about E-Mail? E-mail is fast, convenient, and efficient. It works well for many non-urgent questions, requests, or messages you may have for your doctor. While E-Mail can be a very effective tool, it is not a substitute for a physical exam or counseling by your doctor. It is also important to recognize that the confidentiality of e-mail exchanges cannot be guaranteed. While the security of e-mail is comparable to other types of communication (such as phone calls), there are some special issues with e-mail.
What types of communication are appropriate for e-mail to Renaissance Family Medicine?
What subjects are NOT appropriate for E-Mail?
How do I E-Mail Dr. George? Patients can e-mail directly or send a message through the website. Always include your first and last name in the body of the e-mail message. You can expect a reply usually within 24 hours, although during weekends, holidays or vacations, it may take 48 hours. If you do not receive a response during the expected time, assume the message was not received. If that happens, please call the practice with your question or request. Please understand that medical advice can only be provided to registered patients. |
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Copyright 2006--2010 Sharon McCoy George, M.D. |
