| YOUR FIRST APPOINTMENT:
Answers to Common Questions |
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| How long will my first visit take? What will be done?
How much will my first visit cost? Will my insurance cover it? Do you accept my insurance plan? Is the allergy testing painless? How is it performed? How soon will I be able to get an appointment? Do you see children? adults? seniors? |
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How long will my first visit take? What will be done? You should plan to spend about 3 hours in our office. The first visit is very thorough in order to make the most accurate assessment of your condition and to give you the most effective treatment plan. During the visit, one of our registered nurses will take a detailed medical history and perform a few simple tests. Then, you will have a consultation with a physician and/or practitioner to decide on a treatment plan tailored to your needs and lifestyle.
How much will my first visit cost? Will my insurance cover it? As you may know, there are now many different types of health insurance plans. That makes it difficult for our office to predict how much a visit to our office will cost you. In general, the overall charges for a visit to a specialist will cost more than a visit to a pediatrician or a family doctor. However, with some insurances, you may have the same co-pay no matter what doctor you see. The best way to find out how much your visit with us will cost you is to call the member services number on your insurance card. Let them know that you would like to see Dr. William Smits at The Allergy & Asthma Center in Fort Wayne and ask them for a quote of your benefits on allergy and asthma treatment.
Do you accept my insurance plan? We accept nearly every insurance plan in Northeast Indiana. Click here for a list of insurance plans that we accept. Is the allergy testing painless? How is it performed? We offer ALLERGY TESTING WITHOUT NEEDLES! This is the most advanced and accurate form of allergy testing available and it is administered by our highly -trained registered nurses. It is truly painless for most people. The nurses will place small drops of "extracts" of different allergens (such as ragweed, cats, etc.) in rows on your back. If you are allergic then the place where the drop was placed will turn red and/or swell. The severity of your allergies will be indicated by your reaction to each type of allergen. By the time you leave our office, you will know what you are allergic to. How do you screen for asthma? An asthma diagnosis is made after assessing the patient’s lung function, as well as thoroughly reviewing the history of upper and lower respiratory illnesses/symptoms.Lung function is most commonly assessed through pulse oximetry or a pulmonary function test (PFT). Pulse oximetry involves the patient placing their finger into a probe where the percentage of oxygen in the blood can be measured. This is a noninvasive procedure and is painless. A PFT measures lung function by having the patient blow forcefully into a special tube. How soon will I be able to get an appointment? We can almost always schedule a new patient for an appointment with Dr. William Smits within two weeks. Often, we can set you up an appointment with Practitioner Kevin Letz within one week. Do you see children? adults? seniors? We see and treat all patients from newborns to seniors. We have extensive experience with all age groups and we offer treatment plans that take into account the special needs and requirements of each age group. Why should I choose The Allergy & Asthma Center? That is an excellent question! We believe that most of our patients choose us because they trust that we can help them feel better. Many patients also comment that they appreciate how our friendly and professional staff helps them with all of their questions and concerns. |