Clinic Policies and Procedures

For your convenience, we have provided office policy information below. Some information is provided simply for your review so you may be well informed of your rights and obligations as a patient. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these policies, clinic registration staff will be glad to answer any questions you may have. Please call your provider's office directly with any questions.

Appointments and Reminders

To schedule, cancel, or modify an appointment, you may call any provider's office directly. Clinic staff are available by phone Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Please call at least 24 hours in advance if you need to change your appointment so we can schedule another patient at that time. We ask that you arrive 15 minutes early for an office appointment to update forms as necessary. If you have opted in to the service, a reminder for your scheduled appointment will be provided by telephone call in the days leading up to your appointment.

Referrals to Our Specialists

Some medical conditions may require a referral to a specialist in a particular field of medicine. If this is the case, you will most likely need to see your primary care provider first. This is because your medical records are maintained by your primary care provider who understands your medical condition along with your medical history and course of treatment. Therefore, your primary care provider can recommend what specialists would be appropriate to visit.

If referred to a specialist, your insurance plan may require referral paperwork or other authorization for visits to any of our specialty providers. Please contact your primary care provider or insurance company for more information.

What to Bring to an Appointment

You can save time at the clinic by coming prepared to your visit with the following:

• Any paperwork the office has asked you to complete prior to arriving
• Insurance card(s)
• Photo ID
• Medication bottles and supplements you are currently taking
• A list of all allergies
• A list of questions you want to ask your healthcare professional
• A list of any medications you need refilled

New Prescriptions/Prescription Refill

The following guidelines for new prescriptions and prescription refills are provided to ensure you receive quality care and service:

For medication to be effective, it should be taken exactly as your provider prescribes. It is much easier to evaluate the progress made with a medication if a patient has remained compliant with instructions.  
A new antibiotic or an antibiotic refill is not provided without an evaluation first. Contact your provider's office to schedule an appointment. If your prescription bottle indicates you have refills left, you do not need to call the office; your pharmacy will refill this for you.

It will generally take your provider 48-72 hours to contact your pharmacy when issuing a refill request. Whenever you feel a medication is ineffective or needs adjusting, call your provider's office to schedule an appointment.

After Hours Care

During normal business hours (8 a.m. – 5 p.m.), contact your provider’s office directly. Outside of these hours, providers are on-call to direct your care. If you have a situation that necessitates contacting your provider during these off-hours, please call (309) 833-4101 and your provider, or a covering provider, will be notified to return your call. If you have an emergency that you would consider serious or life-threatening, go directly to the Emergency Room or dial 9-1-1 for emergency assistance.

If you are in need of medical care or treatment for an uncomplicated minor illness, injury or skin condition, you may also visit the MDH Convenience Clinic located at Health Services Building 2, 1st Floor.