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| Your First Visit |
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Your First Visit All new patients are requested to complete a patient information form that is necessary for a complete medical record. When a new patient schedules an appointment, this form and directions to the office are mailed to the patient (or parent/guardian). A copy of this form is available on this website for you to print and bring with you to the office (a completed form cannot be submitted via this website). Click here to access the NEW PATIENT INFORMATION FORM Medicines: It is very important for us to know what medicines you are taking for all of your medical problems as well as for any allergy problems. Please bring a list of : a. The names and doses of all current medications b. The names and doses of medicines previously used for the symptoms you are seeing us about - even if you are no longer using them. Antihistamine Avoidance for first visit: For 48-72 hours before the allergy visit it is best NOT to take antihistamine allergy tablets as these may interfere with the allergy testing results done at the visit. Such medications include Claritin (loratadine), Zyrtec (cetirizine) , Allegra (fexofenadine) , Benadryl (diphenhydramine) and Atarax (hydroxyzine). It is okay to continue asthma medicines including all inhalers, Singulair and prednisone. It is also okay to continue medications you are using for other medical problems. If you are not sure about this or cannot stop your allergy medicine please call your primary physician or our office to speak with one of our professional staff in advance. Records and Test Reports: If you have had tests such as blood tests, x-rays, scans or breathing tests for the problem , it is helpful for us to have these results at the time of your visit. You may bring copies of these test reports with you or have copies sent. Office visit notes and consult reports from other doctors who have treated the problem are also helpful. To have a doctor, lab or X-ray office send us this information, please call their office; they may require a signed record release form from you. A record release form is available on this website; after completing and signing it please mail it to the appropriate office so your records may be sent to us. Click here to access the RECORD RELEASE FORM How long will I be in the office: Expect to be iin the office for the first visit for 1.5 to 2 hours. During this time you will be asked questions about your problem and an exam will be done. Appropriate tests such as allergy testing and/or a breathing test will be done if necessary. The doctor will discuss with you the findings and suggestions. A report will be sent to your primary care physician or any other physicians you indicate whom have been involved in the care of this problem. If necessary, a follow-up appointment may be scheduled. What is allergy skin testing? The doctor may use allergy testing in conjunction with a history and physical to exclude or confirm allergies as a cause of certain medical conditions. During allergy skin testing, a small amount of the allergens (substances that can cause an allergic reaction) are placed on the skin and the skin is pricked . If you are allerigic, a small red itchy bump on the test area may appear within several minutes. This bump usually resolves in a short period of time. This is relatively painless and allows the doctor to discuss the results with you at the time of the visit. The skiin testing is useful in certain medical conditions including asthma, hay fever, food allergies, stinging insect allergy (such as bee and yellow jacket stings) and, in very limited cases, medication allergy. The test results can lead to recommendations about environmental controls, appropriate medications and possibly the use of allergy immunotherapy injections (allergy shots). OUR POLICY REGARDING MISSED APPOINTMENTS:
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