Office Policies
New Patients
We ask all new patients to arrive about 15 minutes early for their first appointment. When you arrive, please check in at the reception area. You will be asked a few general questions so we can create an electronic patient chart for you. Please be sure to bring your identification card (or driver’s license) AND insurance card(s) and the address of your primary and secondary (if applicable) insurance company.
Most of our physicians are currently accepting new patients. Please call the office at 217.725.7541 to check.
New Obstetric Patient Form (PDF) (SC SOGA)
New Gynecologic Patient Form (PDF) (SC SOGA)
New Obstetric Patient Form (PDF) (SC Women's Care)
Patient History Form (SC Women's Care)
Helpful Tips for Patients
See our Helpful Tips for Patients (PDF)
See also our Contact page.
Phone Calls, Appointments, Prescriptions
Phone Calls
Please be prepared to provide the following when you call:
- name (or name change if you have recently had one)
- date of birth
- physician’s name
If you are calling with a problem, our phone receptionists may ask the reason for your call in order to determine the priority order for nurse triage. Once we have this information, we will access your chart and a nurse will return your call.
After-hours and Weekend Calls
Our office is open weekdays from 8am to 5:00pm. If you call us after office hours or on the weekend, you will be connected to TeleNurse, Springfield Clinic's round-the-clock medical help line. The registered nurses taking your call can help answer your questions and offer medical advice. They may contact your physician, if necessary.
Appointments
Our receptionist will schedule or reschedule your appointment or take a message to give to your physician's nurse who will then contact you. Please let them know of any name, address, phone, or insurance changes if you are an existing patient. We need to be able to return your call.
If you cannot keep a scheduled appointment, as a courtesy we ask you to give us at least 24 hour notice. Our physicians work hard to keep all patient appointments. However in our practice, your physician may occasionally be late if called to the hospital for a delivery or a medical emergency. We appreciate your understanding and patience at these times.
Please call the office to schedule lab draws if you do not have a visit on the same day.
Prescriptions
If you have been given a written prescription for medication or an order for a hospital test, it is your responsibility to take it to the appropriate facility. If you should lose it, a new one can be written and left at the front desk for you to pick up.
If you need to have a prescription refilled, we ask you to phone two or three days before your prescription runs out. When you call, please have the phone number or address of your pharmacy, prescription number, and name of the medication. All medications prescribed by your physician must have his or her approval before refills can be made.
Record Requests
If you need copies of your patient record for yourself or for another provider to assist with your care, please complete our Authorization for Release of Medical Information Form. The authorization for release of information is needed for hard copy medical records. Please allow at least 30 days for our department to accommodate your records request.
Insurance, Payment and Billing
Knowing Your Insurance Plan
In our facility, we perform some laboratory services. Due to insurance requirements, some of the tests require us to use a hospital or an outside reference laboratory. You may receive a separate laboratory bill from an outside service and possibly a separate bill for the reading of certain tests from a pathologist. Please let your nurse and lab personnel know which facility your insurance company requires you to use.
It is important for you to be knowledgeable about your insurance plan. You should know:
- The laboratory and x-ray facilities approved by your plan;
- The hospital approved by your plan;
- Your co-insurance or co-pay amount; and
- Your selected primary care physician.
View information regarding Springfield Clinic's participating plans.
If your insurance company is not listed here, you may still be able to see a Springfield Clinic provider but your plan may pay less on your behalf as an “out of network” provider. Please check with your insurance carrier or call our business office at 217.528.7541 as we may be able to assist you.
Billing Information
Please visit our Patient Accounting web pages. If you have any questions regarding billing, please contact our billing department at 217.528.7541 Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.