FUTURE FOLLOW-UP VISITS

Usually, your first postoperative appointment is scheduled when you surgery date is set. If you are unclear about your 1st Post-op visit, please call (520) 204-1495 to make your first post-operative appointment at the Center for Advanced Spinal Surgery of Southern Arizona. This usually occurs 2 weeks after your surgical date.

 

HOSPITALS

Our physicians currently operate at St. Mary’s and Camp Lowell Surgery Center. They are on staff at St. Joseph’s, and TMC, but do not currently operate at these facilities.

 

MEDICATION REFILLS

Because your health condition may change over time, your doctor or another provider who has access to your confidential medical records reviews refill requests. By following these simple guidelines, you will avoid any delays in getting your prescription refilled.

  • If you require medications, please contact your pharmacy at least 5 days before your prescription requires refilling. To protect your health, pharmacies will accept refill orders only from your doctor. So, when you call The Center for Advanced Spine Care with your request an additional step is added.  Your prescription will be filled faster if you call your pharmacy directly; they will then contact The Center for Advanced Spine Care.
  • Use the same pharmacy. That way, your pharmacist will have your complete prescription records and you avoid the danger of mixing medications. To make it convenient for you, The Center for Advanced Spine Care will work with the pharmacy of your choice. Please choose one pharmacy, and use only that pharmacy. It is an easy way to help protect your health.
  • Call your pharmacy early in the day. This gives your doctor time to review your records. To ensure you get the right medications, we do not rush refills without making sure the order and your record are reviewed. Often, physicians are in surgery or finishing with patients late in the day, and we do not want to interrupt those patients’ visits; therefore, refill requests received after 3:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday or after 1:00p.m. on Friday will be reviewed and filled the next The Center for Advanced Spine Care business day.
  • If you run out of medication before you request a refill. Always call your pharmacy or schedule an office visit at least 5 days before you run out of medication. This will give the pharmacy plenty of time to contact your doctor, for the doctor to review your record, and for the pharmacist to prepare your medication. All you have to do is watch your medication levels and there should be no reason for you to run out of medication. It is dangerous to “rush” an order. For your protection, refills are not done at night, over the weekend, on holidays or as an emergency if you have forgotten to call your pharmacy.
  • If you run out of your prescription early. Your doctor ordered your prescription according to a precise dosage for a prescribed amount of days. If you run out early, it may mean you are experiencing some difficulty with your dosage or medication. This will require an appointment with the physician. Please call and schedule an appointment as soon as possible.
  • If your prescription is lost, misplaced or stolen. To protect your health, lost or stolen prescriptions are replaced only with a physician visit. Stolen medication will require a police report to be completed and a copy of the report brought with to your visit. To avoid possible duplication of prescriptions when an order is lost or stolen, you will want to talk with your doctor. Call The Center for Advanced Spine Care to schedule an appointment.

 

RESULTS OF TESTS, IMAGING OR LABS

We do not discuss results over the phone, the physicians prefer to go over treatment options and results in person during an office visit. It usually takes 3 to 4 days from the date the MRI, CT, etc is performed to receive the report. Please call our office to schedule an appointment to review the test, lab or imaging with your physician and discuss treatment options.  You may review your test results via our patient portal.