You do not need a referral from another provider to be seen at the Center for Advanced Gynecology in Charlottesville unless your insurance requires it. HMO and Tricare Prime plans usually require a referral from your primary care provider.
There are multiple ways! You can call us at 434-234-4903, you can schedule online, or you can email us to get the process started info@virginiagyn.com.
Yes! We do offer these types of visits and it is often a good first visit if you live far away or feel more comfortable in your own home for the first visit. You can schedule a virtual visit (as we call them at The Center for Advanced Gynecology, Charlottesville Gynecology) online or by calling us.
We accept most major insurances. Here is a list of some of those insurances:
- Aetna Commercial/Medicare
- Anthem/BCBS
- Apostrophe
- Cigna
- Humana
- Humana Military Tricare
- Medicare – Palmetto GBA – VA
- Multiplan/PHCS
- Optima/Sentara Health Plans
- Piedmont Community Health Plan
- United Healthcare
- Charlottesville Health Network
- WebTPA – Custom Ink
Yes, we see patients as self-pay. Payment will be due at the time of your visit to The Center for Advanced Gynecology, Charlottesville Gynecology.
- Your insurance card
- Valid photo ID
- List of current medications
- Office co-pay
- Any relevant medical records that have not already been forwarded to our office
When you come to our office for the first time as a new patient, we'll ask you to complete some initial forms, including an Authorization and Consent for Treatment, Preferred Contacts Form, Authorization for Release of Medical Information, and Medical History Intake Questionnaire. These forms are available on our website or we can email them to you. We request that you complete and send it back to us so we can enter it into your chart before your visit. The safest way to do this is through our patient portal MyPrivia.
Once we have your contact and insurance information we will add you to our electronic health system, Athenahealth. We will then send you new patient paperwork through your preferred mode of communication: (mail, email, fax, or through the MyPrivia patient portal). Once you have completed the paperwork and send it back to us we will get you scheduled. We will also ask for a release of information to request records from prior providers if needed.
A medical provider must be licensed in the state in which a patient is located to legally provide medical advice. At this time Dr. Barron is licensed in Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina. He can provide regular care if you are located in those states. No other providers at our office are licensed outside of Virginia. If you live in another state, Dr. Barron can provide a review of your records via a telehealth appointment, but cannot provide medical advice. We charge a $95 fee for those reviews. This is done commonly for endometriosis surgical consults.
After you have been checked in, you will be asked to verify current medications and fill out a “Review of Systems” questionnaire to identify signs and/or symptoms that you may be experiencing. You will then be brought back to have your weight and height checked. If you prefer not to have this done, let the medical assistant know. You will then be brought into an exam room and your blood pressure will be measured. Your provider will then come talk to you. If necessary, you will then be asked to change into an examination gown for a physical exam. Once the exam and any testing are complete, you will come back to the front desk to schedule any follow-up appointments, receive educational materials, or schedule any additional testing.
You can talk with your provider through the patient portal (typical turnaround is 2 business days) or you can call or email us.
Sometimes on your first visit to the Center for Advanced Gynecology, we just want to talk to you about your health and what to expect at future appointments. Often, this does not involve a pelvic exam. But if you have health problems—such as very painful or heavy periods —you may need certain tests.
We are sure to ask you lots of questions so we can get to know you and help you. You might find some of these questions embarrassing or hard to talk about, but to us they are normal! We’ll discuss your period and whether or not you’re having sex. Being honest is important, otherwise you may not get accurate advice.
If you are coming with a parent or a partner we will typically ask them to wait outside of the room for at least part of your visit. Any information you share with us is confidential unless otherwise required by law.
We may also ask questions such as:
- When was your last period?
- Do you have irregular periods?
- How bad are your period cramps?
- Do you have any uncomfortable itching?
- Are you having sex?
- If you are having sex, do you use condoms? Are you using another form of birth control?
It may surprise you to know that gynecologists care about your whole health—not just what’s going on “down there.” If you’re depressed, have difficulty losing weight, or have sleep problems, tell us about it!
You may have certain exams at the first visit. If you choose, a family member may join you for any part of the exam. Most often, these exams are done:
- General physical exam
- External genital exam
You usually do not need to have a pelvic exam at the first visit unless you are having problems, such as abnormal bleeding or pain. If you are sexually active, you may have tests for certain sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Most of the tests that teenagers need can be done by the doctor with a urine sample.
During the general exam, your height, weight, and blood pressure are checked. You are also examined for any health problems you may have.
During an external genital exam, the provider will look at your vulva (the area outside of your genitals/vagina).
A pelvic exam (Even though you may not have a pelvic exam, it helps to know what one is) has three parts:
- Looking at the vulva
- Looking at the vagina and cervix with a speculum
- Checking the internal organs with a gloved hand
To check your internal organs, the provider would place one or two gloved, lubricated fingers into the vagina and up to the cervix. The other hand will press on the abdomen from the outside.
Pap tests are a type of cervical cancer screening, which is not recommended before age 21. Cervical cancer screening can include a Pap test, a test for human papillomavirus (HPV), or both. HPV is a virus that can cause cervical cancer.
When you are 21 or older and have a Pap test or HPV test, a sample of cells is taken from your cervix with a small brush. The HPV test looks for the types of HPV that are most likely to cause cancer. The Pap test checks for abnormal changes in the cervix that could lead to cancer.
Specimens we collect in the office, such as Pap smears, infection testing, and urine testing we send to the Privia lab unless your insurance requires the use of a specific laboratory. For any blood work, we send you to the lab of your choice: There is a Labcorp across the parking lot from our office and Sentara Martha Jefferson Outpatient laboratory is across the street.
For any blood work, we would send you to the lab of your choice: There is a Labcorp across the parking lot from our office and Sentara Martha Jefferson is across the street.
Much of your medical record can be accessed through the patient portal, myPrivia, if there are records you cannot access, you simply need to call us or message us. If you want records sent to another office or doctor, you will need to sign a written release of information request to permit us to send the records.
It depends on the type of visit you are scheduled for, however, almost all of the exams and testing we offer will not be affected by menstrual bleeding. If you are scheduled for an ultrasound, this could affect the ability to see parts of your uterus. In that case, please call us to ask. Often, the decision depends on your comfort level with being seen. If you have questions or are in doubt, just call!
We understand that unexpected circumstances sometimes come up. Please call us as soon as you can and we will work to reschedule you. We reserve the right to charge a fee for no-shows, missed appointments, or late cancellations (less than 24 hours) with the fees listed on our website.
You can call the office directly or call the Privia Health Customer Experience at 888-774-8428. Select option 3 for billing questions. They’re available Monday through Friday, from 8 am to 6 pm ET.