FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions)

Answers to these frequently asked questions are intended to provide brief information relevant to your child's health. If you would like to speak with us regarding any of these topics, do not hesitate to call us.

Q: What days are you open?
Q: Are you accepting new patients?
Q: Do you accept my health insurance plan?
Q: How do we contact the doctor after hours?
Q: May I request a specific physician for my visit?
Q: How often should I schedule a checkup?
Q: How often does my child need to be seen in the office?
Q: I need to see a specialist. What do I do?
Q: When will I receive lab or test results?
Q: How do I obtain a prescription refill?
Q: What is the difference between an internist and a family doctor?

• Q: What days are you open?

  A: Our office is open Monday through Friday. As our daily schedule is subject to change, please call to confirm office hours.

• Q: Are you accepting new patients?

  A: Yes, we welcome new patients.

• Q: Do you accept my health insurance plan?

  A: Please refer to Insurance to review Advocare's list of accepted insurance providers.

• Q: How do we contact the doctor after hours?

  A: Our medical providers are available 24 hours a day. Call the office at (856) 778-4009 and follow the prompts to page a provider on call. Please be aware that after-hours calls are intended for urgent medical issues that cannot wait until the next business day. Referral and appointment requests will not be addressed via pager. Pages are typically returned within 15 minutes. Please call back if you have not received a timely response.

  IN THE EVENT OF A LIFE THREATENING EMERGENCY, CALL 911.

• Q: May I request a specific physician for my visit?

  A: Every effort is made to arrange your well care and follow up visits with the physician of your choice. When you or a family member is ill, he or she may need to see one of our other physicians in order to get same-day access to care.

• Q: How often should I schedule a checkup?

  A: The American Medical Association recommends annual "well" visits. A well visit may be a checkup or a complete exam, and provides an opportunity for you to ask questions and learn more about various health issues. Your health care provider may also order important age-appropriate screenings at this time. Periodic follow-up visits are also recommended for patients who have chronic health conditions.

• Q: How often does my child need to be seen in the office?

  A: As your child enters the adolescent years, it is important to keep vaccines current. Annual well visits provide an opportunity to ask questions about adolescent health issues. If your child has any chronic conditions, he or she may be seen more frequently. Please discuss your child’s well visit schedule with our physician or nurse practitioner.

• Q: I need to see a specialist. What do I do?

  A: For non-urgent referrals: when one of our doctors refers you to a specialist, please schedule your appointment with the specialist, then call our office within five business days of your appointment. Your referral will be available within 72 hours. Most referrals are completed electronically and submitted directly to the specialist’s office. Please check with our office staff to determine if your insurance plan processes referrals electronically.

  For urgent referrals: when one of our doctors determines that you need an urgent referral, your referral will be initiated immediately. Please remain in our office while your referral is processed and your appointment time arranged.

• Q: When will I receive lab or test results?

  A: You will receive a call quickly with any lab results that require urgent attention. Other abnormal lab results will be addressed promptly by the provider that ordered the labs or tests. All other results are reported to you by one of our nurses or medical assistants. You are welcome to call our office to request a copy of your results.

• Q: How do I obtain a prescription refill?

  A: Please call our office and follow the prompts for our prescription refill line. Allow one business day for all routine prescription refills. For prescriptions that require prior authorization from your insurance company, please plan ahead to allow at least five to seven days for refill approval. Prescription refills for controlled substances such as pain medications are refilled Monday through Friday only.

• Q: What is the difference between an internist and a family doctor?

  A: Internists generally see only patients age 18 and older and have additional training in managing complex adult diseases, while family physicians are trained to care for the entire family from newborn to old age. Some internists may treat patients as young as age 12. We recommend that you check with the office to determine their practice range. Advocare Main Street Medical Associates treats patients from age seven through geriatrics.