Website Clinic Visits
San Marcos Family Medicine is proudly offering virtual and in office evaluations at all of our clinic locations. The providers of San Marcos Family Medicine are dedicated to helping patients maintain healthy lifestyles through the assessment of risk factors during annual wellness exams in our office and through the evaluation of chronic and new conditions during episodic or routine follow up exams. Outlined below is general information that helps distinguish between the different types of services that are offered during office visits with our providers. Schedule your appointment today online or by messaging us through the secure Klara text messaging option to the right, or by phone. We look forward to serving you!
What to expect during your visit.
Employee Health Screening
Some employers or insurance plans encourage yearly health screening for their employees or members. In some situations, these are done in the form of health fairs at the workplace or can be completed during a visit with your provider. When done in a provider’s office, these visits may be covered without copay but we advise you verify coverage with your specific insurance provider.
A Employee Health Screening involves briefly evaluating a patient’s health risks, generally with a questionnaire, limited exam, and minimal lab. It does not involve managing existing conditions or addressing complaints, and these will not be addressed during a Employee Health Screening Visit.
Annual or Wellness Exam
During a Annual or Wellness Exam, a longer appointment time allows for health risk assessment screening, necessary vaccines, tests, cancer screening/recommendations, review of family history, counseling, etc. A more detailed physical exam is performed including but not limited to pelvic or prostate examinations as indicated. An annual wellness exam allows your provider to get a baseline of your overall health – including weight, diet, and other health indicators. Your provider will evaluate your health and suggest changes you may need to make to improve your health. Most insurance providers cover this visit without limited or no cost to the patient but we advise you verify coverage with your specific insurance provider for any coverage limitations.
This visit does not include managing ongoing conditions and medications or addressing new concerns. An Annual or Wellness Exam in which ongoing medical problems are addressed or prescriptions are renewed, or in which one or more complaints are evaluated and treated, cannot be billed as a “wellness check.” A separate visit charge will be added and routine co-pays and deductibles will apply.
FOLLOW-UP
Patients on maintenance medications will have to be seen by their primary care provider on a regular basis to continue receiving refills. Generally, a follow-up visit will be scheduled as you leave the office, usually every 3-6 months depending on your condition. Routine co-pays or deductibles will apply.
In the event either you (the patient) or the provider has to reschedule this appointment, you may be provided refills of necessary medications as deemed appropriate by your provider until the time of the rescheduled appointment.
ACUTE CARE VISIT
Our Fastlane Clinic offers walk-in visits or on-demand virtual visits to evaluate patients with acute illnesses, such as sinus infections, sore throats, urinary tract infections, etc. These exams are meant to allow patients to be taken care of in a timely manner when symptoms warrant.
During acute care visits at our Fastlane Clinic, chronic medical problems will not be addressed or discussed unless directly related to the acute illness, maintenance medications will not be refilled, and routine labs will not be ordered or reviewed. Please limit these visits to one complaint or problem. You may be asked to schedule a follow up with your primary care provider to address chronic health conditions or medication refills. It is important to follow up with your primary care provider for chronic health issues to maintain continuity of care and to ensure any changes in your health status or treatment are addressed appropriately.