Q: Who do I call if I am sick or have a question when the office is closed

A: When you call the office at (585) 684-3556 after regular hours, you will receive a message with the following information:

• Which doctor is on call.
• Where they can be reached.
• When the office will reopen.

If you call the answering service and do not receive a call back in 30 minutes, please call again. Technology is wonderful, but not perfect.If you are having a medical emergency, please call 911 for immediate assistance.

Q: Do I have to go to the emergency room to see a doctor when the office is closed.

A: When you call the doctor on call, many situations can be handled without an emergency room visit. You will be called back by the physician on call. HHWNY does not take part in a call pool, so the doctor calling you back is from HHWNY. If the physician feels that you or your loved one needs to be seen, arrangements can be made for an after hours visit at HHWNY or sometimes even a home visit. However, if the physician feels your situation requires more urgent care, you will be directed to an emergency room.

Q: Do You Offer Telemedicine?

A: Yes, we offer Telemedicine or Remote Virtual Visits on a scheduled basis in advance or on the same day, based on availability. Calls to the Answering Service can be converted to an acute After Hours Telemedicine Visit that will be charged to your account. We will submit the charge to your insurance company and you will be responsible for any charges that are not covered by your insurance. This will be explained to you in advance.

Q: What happens if I get admitted to the hospital?

A: We no longer admit patients to the local hospitals as we have decided that our time is best spent improving our availability for our patients at Harmony Health of WNY. Patients who are admitted to the hospital will be under the care of a " hospitalist". This is a physician who is employed by the hospital to exclusively care for patients while they are admitted. They are in the hospital for the entire day and are on call as well. They have been trained to care for critically ill patients and we have the utmost confidence in their ability, compassion, and skill. They will be communicating with the providers at Harmony Health of WNY at various points during the hospitalization. We will provide any medical information we have in your record to them upon request to help with your care. Once you are discharged, a summary will be provided to us. We also ask that you bring your discharge paperwork to your follow up appointment at Harmony Health of WNY.

Q: How does HHWNY handle prescription refills?

A: The most efficient and streamlined way to request a prescription refill is through your pharmacy. Most requests will be processed within 48 hours. If there is a problem with your prescription, we will contact you. Please call your pharmacy to verify that they received the prescription and it will be ready for you to pick up. We understand that sometimes people will not realize when they run out, but we strongly suggest calling your refills in early to make sure that doses are not missed.

Q: Will HHWNY see a friend or family member on an urgent or scheduled basis during office hours, even though they may not be patients of the practice?

A: We are happy to schedule "One Time Visits" for a friend or family member that is not our patient and does not have a regular physician in the area. The fee for the service is expected at the time of the visit since we probably do not participate in their insurance plan. A receipt of the visit will be generated for submission and reimbursement at the time of the visit.

Q: Can I have my blood drawn at Harmony Health of WNY the same way I can have it drawn at an Rochester Regional Health Laboratories Lab?

A: No. Although blood drawn at our office is often sent to Rochester Regional Health Laboratories for testing, we do not offer lab services to patients that are not scheduled to see a provider that day. For example, a patient who is taking Warfarin (Coumadin) to keep their blood thinned require frequent blood testing and are directed to an Rochester Regional Health Laboratories lab drawing center. However, if that patient is scheduled in the office for a visit with one of our providers, the blood can be drawn in our lab and then sent to Rochester Regional Health Laboratories for processing.

Q: Should I use the telemedicine offered by my insurance company instead calling the office?

Harmony Health of WNY makes every attempt to be available to see our patients in a convenient and timely manner. We also have a doctor on call at all times when the office is closed. We believe that the best way to treat our patients is to work with a physician that knows you and has access to your medical records. We kindly request that our patients refrain from using any telemedicine diagnostic services offered through their insurance company. Call us! We are happy to help you.