Patient Information - Click Here to download/print our Health History Questionnaire
This information is provided to help you in the future with our office procedures. Please remember that we are required by your insurance company to have a current signature on file. This must not be older than one year. We also need to verify your current address and insurance information at each visit to avoid any billing problems.
Prescriptions
When calling for a refill on an existing prescription, please call your pharmacy at least 48 hours in advance. This will give us time to pull your chart for review, approval and a return call to the pharmacy. Prescription refills are taken care of on weekdays from 10 a.m. – 11:30 noon, and 1:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. In most cases, prescriptions and refills are submitted electronically to your pharmacy.
Referrals
Many insurance companies require a referral to see a specialty physician. Your primary care physician's office will request a referral from your insurance company. It is your responsibility to make sure your referral is in our office prior to being seen. If you are seen without a valid referral you will be responsible for you entire bill.
Insurance Information
We are contracted with most insurance carriers. As a courtesy, our office routinely files primary insurance claim forms for our patients. Should you provide supplemental insurance information to our office, we will also file those claims on your behalf. Insurance may pay all, some, or none of your bill, but remember you are responsible for payment of any balances not covered by your insurance. Please make sure authorization is obtained from your primary care physician if it is required by your insurance company.
Payment Policies
A deposit is required from our uninsured patients. For our insured patients we ask that the portions of your visit that are not covered by insurance and any co-payments due to be paid at the time of your visit. We understand that medical costs can sometimes be a burden, and we're willing to work with you to set up a payment plan. The telephone number for our business office is (732) 264-3131. For your convenience we accept cash, checks, Visa and MasterCard.
*Please notify us immediately should your address, telephone number or insurance carrier change at any time.
Lab Results
Please allow a minimum of three working days for the results of your lab tests to come back to us from the lab. Your lab results will be discussed with you at the time of your follow-up visit.
Telephone Call Backs
The office will make call backs based on their priority and/or in the order in which they are received. Please allow enough time for them to call you back. We cannot diagnose problems over the telephone nor can we prescribe medications for patients without first being seen. We will gladly try to fit minor urgencies into our daily schedule.
After Hours and Emergencies
Dr. Sarnelle or a covering physician is available to answer your call 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 732-264-3131. Our Automated Answering System will reach the physician on call to return your call. We can assist you with medical problems after hours. We ask that you call during normal business hours for appointments, cancellations, and routine questions. In the event of an emergency, call 9-1-1 to dispatch an ambulance and/or go to the nearest emergency room.
Hospital Affiliations
Dr. Sarnelle is on staff at Bayshore Hospital in Holmdel, and Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank.
Billing Inquiries
For billing inquiries, please call our billing department at (732) 264-3131 between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. If you should encounter "voice mail" please leave a detailed message and a staff member will call you back.
Medical Records Release
If you should need copies of your medical records for any reason in the future, you will need to sign a "Release of Information" with our office. The release must include a complete address of where your records need to be sent. Please allow one week to process the copying of your chart. There may be a charge for this service.
There are times when our cardiologist may need to review your medical records from other physicians or medical facilities in order to provide you with the best diagnosis and treatment options. In this event, you will need to sign a "Release of Information" specifically for this purpose. To ensure that this information is received by Joseph A. Sarnelle, MD in an accurate and timely manner, we ask that you complete the form in its entirety.
Our Privacy Policy
HIPPA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) was passed to achieve two major objectives:
1. To improve claims processing which would facilitate efficiencies and cost savings within the health care industry via the increasing use of technology.
2. To ensure confidentiality and appropriate use and disclosure of personal health information.
Our Privacy Mission Statement
Our Office is committed to improving our electronic claims processing and is working closely with our software vendors to ensure compliance with this objective. We are also committed to making every effort to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of patient health information.
Your Initial Office Visit:
For your first visit, please plan to spend at least an hour with us. This will enable us to get a complete medical history from you and perform an examination. Diagnostic testing may also be performed, and the results will be discussed with you. Appropriate follow-up care will also be planned at your initial consultation.
Please arrive 15 minutes early for your appointment. Bring with you the following items:
• Health insurance card(s)
• Referral form (if required by your insurance company)
• A list of your current medications including any vitamins and/or herbs (be sure to include the dosage and how often you take it)
• A list of your medication allergies
• Completed patient registration form detailing your medical history.
• Any required payment
Should any of this information change between visits, please let us know so that we can update your records.
We must have a signed and completed copy of the authorization form in order to discuss any patient information with a spouse, family member, friend, etc.
Better Heart Health
Board Certified in Cardiology & Internal Medicine and Committed to
Prevention, Risk Factor Modification, Early Detection and Prompt Treatment!
The Keys to a Healthy Heart
Trust a Board Certified Physician to help You Achieve & Sustain Optimim Heart Health
Joseph A. Sarnelle MD | 812 Poole Ave. Suite C Hazlet, NJ 07730 | 732-264-3131
Copyright 2010 Joseph A. Sarnelle, MD: Cardiology New Jersey. All Rights Reserved.
