Patient Information

How do I make an appointment?

Call (504) 895-0361 for an appointment. The forms listed below are required of all patients and must be up to date in order for us to treat you.

I'm one of your regular patients. What do I do for an after hours emergency?

Call us at (504) 895-0361 and listen for instructions. If it is an immediate health crisis, call 911 for an ambulance or go to the Emergency Room. Take an aspirin immediately if you are experiencing heart problems, and then go to the Emergency Room.

Do I need a flu shot each year?

The viral cast of characters is an array of shifting pieces of protein circulating the globe. Influenza hits with the impact of a freight train – sudden fever, chills, aches, and pains in addition to respiratory symptoms. The worst part is over in three days, but complications abound including pneumonia, sinus infections, and terrible depressions.

Everyone over 6 months of age benefits from an influenza immunization. It is a safe and effective preventive health action for all age groups. Many adults who have influenza-related complications have no previously identified risk factors for influenza complications. Getting vaccinated each year provides the best protection against influenza throughout flu season. It's important to get a flu vaccine every year, even if you got vaccinated the season before and the viruses in the vaccine have not changed for the current season.

The newly constituted vaccine is usually available beginning in September of each year. Our office uses only vaccines manufactured in the United States. Please call 504-895-0361 to schedule an immunization date. And remember, influenza immunization DOES NOT cause the flu.

But influenza is not the only viral culprit with you as the target. As a general rule, I recommend getting the their annual flu shot first. Then, get an updated COVID immunization followed by an RSV vaccination if over 60 years old. You can get all the same day. However, I recommend 1-2 weeks between each immunization unless you are say headed say for a trip overseas. Spreading out the immunizations makes any adverse effect easier to attribute to a specific vaccine.

For more information, read Flu Questions 2023-24 Influenza Season at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD).

Prescription Refills

To refill any needed prescription, please contact your pharmacy and ask them to fax a refill request to our Prescription Fax line at (504) 895-5631.

Prescription Guideline and Limits

• Please do not wait until the "last minute" to request a refill. Your health insurance carrier may have refill limits for your medications.
• We will make every attempt to refill prescriptions within 2 business days (weekdays, excluding holidays and weekends) from your pharmacy's request.
• Refill requests should come from your pharmacy. Please have them connect us on our fax line which they have.
• Some prescription refills require an office visit with your physician. Your pharmacy will notify you.
• Some medications, particularly "narcotic" medicines, require a written original prescription and pharmacies cannot fill these medications without an original prescription.
  

Tips to Good Health

1. Exercise for 30 Minutes 3-5 Times A Week - Regular physical activity - even at moderate levels - reduces the risk of heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, and obesity.
2. Reduce Fat & Cholesterol - Your body needs a small amount of cholesterol but many people get too much saturated fat and cholesterol in their diets and both raise levels of LDL ''bad'' cholesterol. LDL cholesterol can cause plaque to build up in arteries, leading to heart disease. HDL ''good'' cholesterol, on the other hand, helps clear bad cholesterol from your blood. You want to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol, starting with your diet
3. Maintain Correct Weight & Blood Pressure - Weight control is a key component of maintaining good health. High Blood Pressure is an elevation of the systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure and increases the risk of developing heart disease, kidney disease, hardening of the arteries, eye damage, and stroke.
4. Avoid Tobacco Products & Second Hand Smoke - Avoiding tobacco use is the most important preventable cause of death.
5. Avoid Excessive Alcohol Consumption - Chronic, excess alcohol consumption is the major cause of liver cirrhosis in the US and can cause can cause internal hemorrhage, fluid accumulation in the abdomen, easy bleeding and bruising, muscle wasting, mental confusion, infections, and in advanced cases, coma and kidney failure, and can lead to liver cancer. Alcohol accounts for 40-50% of deaths from automobile accidents in the US and is a significant cause of injury and death from home accidents, drowning, and burns.
6. Avoid Excessive Exposure to Sun - Use sun screen & wear protective clothing; avoid sunburns and sun exposure without protection; and use brimmed hats, protective clothing and sunscreen.
7. Avoid Other High Risk Activities - Do not drive under the influence, without a seat belt, without a helmet on a motorcycle, when sleep deprived, or when eating or using a cellphone.

Forms

The forms listed below are required of all patients and must be up to date in order for us to treat you.

• Patient Family History Form
• Patient Registration Form
• Patient Consent Form

You can download these forms and print them using the free Adobe Acrobat Reader that is pre installed on most personal computers. It's also very easy to complete the longer fill-in forms using your PC at home where you have access to your medical history and records. (Use the Tab Key to move forward, or Shift Tab to go backwards, from one question to the next.) Just bring printed copies with you to our office.

HIPPA Notice of Privacy Practices

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

See PDF document - HIPPA Notice of Privacy Practices

We understand the importance of privacy and are committed to maintaining the confidentiality of your medical information. We make a record of the medical care we provide and may receive such records from others. We use these records to provide or enable other health care providers to provide quality medical care, to obtain payment for services provided to you as allowed by your health plan and to enable us to meet our professional and legal obligations to operate this medical practice properly. We are required by law to maintain the privacy of protected health information, to provide individuals with notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to protected health information, and to notify affected individuals following a breach of unsecured protected health information. This notice describes how we may use and disclose your medical information. It also describes your rights and our legal obligations with respect to your medical information. If you have any questions about this Notice, please contact our Privacy Officer listed above.