Frequently Asked Questions

Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear within to 14 days after exposure and include: Fever or chills. Cough. Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. Muscle or body aches. Headache. New loss of taste or smell. Sore throat. Congestion or runny nose. Nausea or vomiting. Diarrhea. This list does not include all possible symptoms.

Practice the following: Wear a face mask to protect yourself and others when you’re out in public. Practice social distancing. Maintain a 6-foot distance from other people. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 15-20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Stay home when you are sick. Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. Clean and disinfect commonly touched objects and surfaces with household cleaners and wipes. Avoid indoor gatherings, restaurants, bars or gyms (support local businesses with carry-out or very well-spaced outdoor options or virtual services) Make sure your dentists, hair stylists, aestheticians, physical or massage therapists, chiropractors, personal trainers or other close contacts follow rigorous infection control measures Avoid close contact especially with those not taking COVID-19 seriously, you are only as safe as all your social circle’s close contacts.

While we are still learning how it impacts specific groups of high-risk people, some people in the below categories are thought to be most susceptible to serious complications of COVID-19: Have cancer. Have hypertension. Have diabetes. Have heart disease. Have lung disease. Have a condition that compromises your immune system or take medications that suppress the immune system. Are over age 65 Call your healthcare provider to find out what steps you should take if you're considered high risk.

As the number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 rises in Arizona it may be necessary for hospitals to take steps to make sure that they have the staffing and resources needed to continue safely caring for patients. If we are postponing surgeries or procedures you will receive a call from your IMS provider’s office. If you have questions about your surgery, please contact your healthcare provider’s office directly.

Seek emergency care if you need it – do not hesitate to call 911 for symptoms of a heart attack, stroke or other serious issues.

We have taken steps to increase safety by: Only patients with appointments are able to come into our facilities. Ensuring everyone that comes to the clinic wears a mask. Screening patients for any signs of sickness prior to their visit. Providing telehealth visits for patients that are sick. Screening everyone for potential COVID-19 symptoms. Practicing social distancing.

We offer telemedicine for our primary care and specialty services. You can visit with your provider from the comfort of your own home. Don’t wait to get care. It’s important to maintain your health. If you need a visit, call your provider today and ask for a Telemedicine visit.

Reconsider any travel or devise a travel safety plan to include 14 days of quarantine prior to travel. Request window seats. Utilize boarding passes for touchless check-in. Wear an effective high-quality mask and face shield or glasses through airport, and on the plane. Carry sanitizing wipes to sanitize commonly touched surfaces. Do not travel if you are sick or have been exposed to Covid-19.

If you’ve already had COVID-19, immunity may not be strong or lasting and you may still be able to unknowingly transmit infection. Please continue to follow infection control measures including masks. Get in shape for the vaccine with healthy intake of vitamin D preventively (COVID-19 severity is strongly associated with vitamin D deficiency), a healthy diet, daily exercise, healthy sleep and stress management. Work with our team to reverse COVID-19 risk factors and boost your likelihood of having an optimal immune response to vaccination: especially those with obesity, high blood sugar, hypertension, and inflammation or autoimmune issues.

On December 11 th the FDA issued the first emergency use authorization (EAU) for a COVID 19 Vaccine to Pfizer. This vaccine will be administered in a series of two doses, three weeks apart. Because the supply of COVID 19 vaccines will be limited at first, the CDC is recommending that the initial supply of vaccines be offered to healthcare personnel and long-term care facility residents. The CDC is working with partners across the country and once larger quantities are available, the plan would be for all who want the vaccine to receive it. Currently there are three other pharmaceutical companies (AstraZeneca, Janssen and Moderna that will be presenting their vaccines up for approval in the very near future. Regardless of the company, the vaccine will be free of charge and will ultimately be given at locations like: your doctor’s offices, retail pharmacies, hospitals and federally qualified health centers. The CDC states that the side effects of the vaccine may feel a lot like the flu and should subside within a few days. In the meantime, while you wait for the vaccine to be more widely available continue to use your mask to cover your nose and mouth when around others, stay 6 feet away from others, and wash your hands.

The Patient Portal helps you access your personal medical records, communicate with your doctors via secure online messaging, and make more informed decisions about your health. To sign up for a portal account today, please contact your provider’s office requesting them to send you an invite or visit https://17394-1.portal.athenahealth.com/

If you are in significant pain or feel your situation is critical, go directly to the Emergency Room at your nearest hospital. Our physicians are affiliated with all major hospitals in the Phoenix metropolitan region. Once you check in, please ask the hospital staff to contact your physician’s office. The physician on call will respond to the request.

Contact your IMS provider’s office directly for appointments. If you plan to visit a specialist for the first time, please check with your insurance company to find out if you need a referral from your primary care provider. When calling for an appointment, please be ready to provide the following information: • Patient's name • Patient's date of birth • Mailing address • Daytime telephone number • Insurance information • Name of the referring physician (if applicable) • Reason for the appointment or a brief description of any symptoms

• Personal identification • Insurance card • Physician referral forms, if required by insurance • Completed Patient Forms • List of prescriptions and/or over-the-counter medication, including dose and frequency • Information about the patient’s medical and surgical history, including any recent X-rays, test results and/or other relevant records

The centralized Patient Services department, based in Phoenix, handles outgoing referrals from IMS primary care providers to IMS specialists. This convenient service makes the process of seeking care from specialists as simple as possible for our patients. It also facilitates the flow of information and coordination of care to improve patient care. When the Patient Services department deals with internal IMS referrals, it routes the request immediately to the appropriate specialty within our network. Since all IMS providers have secure electronic access to IMS patient records through our leading-edge Electronic Health Record system, it’s even simpler to share accurate, up-to-date information within IMS and ensure that our providers coordinate your patient care as effectively as possible.

The centralized Patient Services department, based in Phoenix, handles outgoing referrals from IMS primary care providers to IMS specialists. This convenient service makes the process of seeking care from specialists as simple as possible for our patients. It also facilitates the flow of information and coordination of care to improve patient care. When the Patient Services department deals with internal IMS referrals, it routes the request immediately to the appropriate specialty within our network. Since all IMS providers have secure electronic access to IMS patient records through our leading-edge Electronic Health Record system, it’s even simpler to share accurate, up-to-date information within IMS and ensure that our providers coordinate your patient care as effectively as possible.

If a primary care provider outside of the IMS network wants to refer a patient to one of our IMS specialists, the provider should fax the referral and any pertinent medical records directly to the specialist’s office. Afterward, the referral patient may contact the specialist for an appointment, or vice versa. Since patient health is our primary concern, we are happy to work with outside providers, communicating regularly with the non-IMS primary care provider and sharing the records from visits to our IMS specialists, to ensure coordination of care and an excellent patient experience.

Yes, you are entitled to access your own protected health information under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Follow these steps to request hard copies of your records: • Fill out a Medical Records Release Form • Specify the records that you require (i.e. within a certain date range) • Sign the form • Bring the form to your provider’s office • Provide personal photo identification for security purposes when presenting your request There will be a fee to process your request. The amount may vary according to the number of records requested. Please ask your provider’s office for details. Please allow 2-3 weeks for IMS to process your request. We try to respond to records requests as quickly as possible. Once your request has been processed, you can pick up the records from your provider’s office or have them mailed to you directly.

Yes! You may use the Patient Portal to receive summaries of your most recent visits and build an online Personal Health Record (PHR). Your health information is made available to you electronically in accordance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Once you set up a User ID and password on the Patient Portal, you can use this secure service to consolidate your basic health records for easy reference.

Yes, you may authorize specific relatives to access your account information by calling IMS at 602-633-3838 or visiting your provider’s office in person.

Yes, other providers outside the IMS network can request your medical records by faxing us a request from their offices, with a signed release from you. Providers within the IMS network already have access to your records through our secure Electronic Health Records (EHR) system.

All IMS providers have ready access to patient records through our secure Allscripts Electronic Health Records (EHR). With better information about your health history, we’re able to coordinate treatment across our network and provide you with the best patient care possible.

You will not receive a bill from us until your insurance has paid. If you did not provide us with the correct insurance information upon check-in you will be billed privately. We will re-bill your claim to the appropriate insurance plan(s) if you supply us with the correct information within 60 days of your appointment.

A type of insurance where the patient is responsible for paying a percentage of the covered costs after the deductible has been paid.

As per your insurance contract, the deductible is the annual amount that must be paid out-of-pocket before an insurer will cover any expenses.

An adjustment is a contractual agreement that has been made between your provider and your insurance company reducing the charges of the type of service rendered.

Co-Pay is a type of insurance where the patient is responsible for paying a fixed dollar amount at the time of service.

For a full list, please visit our Insurance list located under "Patient Resources" at the top of our website. IMS is a provider for Medicare, AHCCCS, and most major insurance plans. Please verify the participation status with your individual insurance plan or provider. You will still be responsible for your deductible, co-pay, or any amount your insurance plan deems as “patient responsibility”.

Medicare pays 80% of medical claims AFTER your deductible has been met. You are responsible for your co-insurance in accordance with your plan. Medicare does not cover refractions.

Yes, but you are responsible for paying any deductible, co-pay, or co-insurance in accordance with your insurance plan.

Coverage varies with each insurance plan. Contact your insurance company for coverage information specific to your policy.

If your insurance company does not process payment, you are responsible for the outstanding balance on your account. It is your responsibility to know your insurance information and present the correct information to us upon check-in for your exam. If you do not present us with the correct information, we will consider your account private pay. If your insurance has changed, please call us with your new insurance information.

You are responsible for the amount listed in the PAY THIS AMOUNT box. If you disagree with how much your insurance has paid on your account, please contact your insurance company before contacting our billing office.

Yes, you may pay your bill online on your patient portal account.

Please call our billing department at (602) 633-3838 to discuss the possibility of a payment plan. If the account still remains unpaid, it may be processed by an outside collection agency. If your bill is not paid in a timely manner you may receive collections notices and phone calls.

You can call IMS Central Billing Office at (602) 633-3838 and our account representatives will be happy to assist you in clarifying your statements.

This is a statement for services rendered by our office and charges for these services will not be shown on any other bill. You may receive a separate bill from the lab, the outpatient surgery center, or the hospital for services provided there.

If you did not provide us with the correct insurance information upon check-in, we will consider your account as private pay. We will re-bill your claim to the appropriate insurance plan(s) if you supply us with the correct information within 60 days of your appointment.

Call (602) 633-3838 and our account representatives will be happy to answer your questions.