How do I get to the office/hospital? Do I have to pay for my visit at the time of my appointment? How much is my co-pay? How can I get a prescription refilled How can I find out results to my tests? What do I do in an emergency? Who should I contact if I have vision problems after office hours or on weekends? What should I expect when I come into the office? How will I know if I need surgery? How do I know if I have low vision? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you need to set up, change, or cancel an appointment, simply call our office at (512) 454-5851 or 1-800-926-9142. If you must miss an appointment, we request that you give us 24 hours notice or you may incur a cancellation charge. Due to our heavy surgery schedule, we see patients by appointment only, on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings, and Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday afternoons. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Our office is located in the Austin Medical Plaza, at the corner of 38th and Medical Parkway, just east of Seton Hospital. Our suite, #410, is located on the fourth floor, north tower. From I-35, take the 38 1/2 Street exit and continue west to Medical Parkway. From Mopac, exit at 35th, which becomes 38th. Continue east to Medical Parkway. Parking is available in the parking garage located on the corner of 37th and Medical Parkway. The parking garage does not allow us to validate parking tickets. For a map, click here. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If your insurance requires you to pay a co-pay, then you must pay this co-pay at the time of your appointment. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your co-pay varies on your insurance provider and the contract your employer has negotiated with your insurance company. In order to accommodate the needs and requests of our clients, we have enrolled in numerous managed care insurance programs. We are pleased to be on these provider lists in order to provide this service to you. It is, however, extremely difficult, if not impossible, for us to keep track of all the individual requirements of each of these plans. Each plan has different stipulations regarding how services may be rendered, and the number of visits allowed - which does not automatically coincide with the number of visits available. Even within the same insurance company, the plans differ depending upon the contract your employer has negotiated, as mentioned previously. Providing quality care is our primary concern, and we are more than willing to provide that care within your insurance contract guidelines. However, we do not know those guidelines and you need to let us know exactly what your insurance terms are regarding referral numbers, number of visits, type of sessions, deductibles, payment and copayments. Unforunately if you do not inform us of these specific requirements in your insurance contract, and we subsequently provide services that are not covered, we will have no choice but to bill you directly for those services. Payment of unauthorized services is then your responsibility. Fees not covered by your insurance company are due as you leave the office. If this should be the case, we offer payment plans to ensure your treatment does not go unfinished. If you have a question on whether we accept your insurance, please call our office at (512)454-5851 or 1-800-926-9142. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you need to get a prescription refilled, simply call our office and give us the name of the medication and telephone number of your pharmacy. We will then call your refill into your pharmacy. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you need information, please call during office hours. Dr. Berger will call you back, usually at the end of the day, as we try not to interrupt patient examinations. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In an emergency, regardless of the time of day, immediately call the office number, (512) 454-5851 or 1-800-926-9142. If Dr. Berger is unavailable to see you, you will be referred to another qualified individual who can help you. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If it is an emergency, and you feel that you must see Dr. Berger, you may call our office and follow our automated answering system. Dr. Berger will then be contacted, informed of your condition/symptoms, and your call will be returned advising you on the next steps to take. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When you come for your first appointment, please bring all of your medications and insurance cards with you. This will help us with your medical history and saves time. A complete retina consultation generally takes two hours. First, a certified ophthalmic technician asks about your medical history and takes measurements, so this information will be ready for Dr. Berger. This work-up gives Dr. Berger more time to perform critical parts of your exam and discuss your condition with you. To perform a retinal exam, we must dilate the eye's pupil. When the pupil is dilated (wider), we get a better view of the retina, which is the lining in the back of the eye. Dilating eye drops take 15 - 20 minutes to work, so you will have a waiting period. Once your pupils are dilated, it is normally difficult to read and bright sunlight may bother you. We will provide you with temporary sunglasses to reduce discomfort from the glare. You can drive safely while your eyes are dilated, however, we recommend that you plan to have someone drive you home. Most eyes are back to normal by the next morning, but dilation can last up to 24 hours. Evaluation of the retina frequently involves a diagnostic procedure called a fluorescein angiogram. This test uses special cameras to photograph the retina, and requires an injection of special dye into the blood stream through a vein in your arm. Our technicians will explain the fluoroscein angoigram fully to you if it is part of your exam. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Perhaps the most difficult problem for our patients is low vision. It is a rare problem, and occurs in severe forms of retinal disease. When surgery is no longer effective, a low vision evaluation is often helpful. Our low vision specialist can teach you to use a variety of low vision aids, such as a magnifying lens. Such aids can improve your ability to read. Feel free to ask one of our technicians for additional information regarding this condition and our other low vision aids. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |