Policy and financial procedures for Dr. Olson’s practice for 2012:

The office provides consultations and/or second opinions on endocrine issues. Patients may be referred by their primary care physicians for endocrine problems, or may be self-referred if they want a consultation involving Endocrine-related problems. Dr. Olson has a clinical practice for non-emergency elective care of endocrine problems, women's wellness, and health and lifestyle counseling. Dr. Olson does not provide primary care or emergency / weekend care. All patients are expected to continue with their primary care physicians while receiving consultative guidance from Dr. Olson.

Dr. Olson does not do disability or workman's compensation-related care, or prescribe narcotics. A copy of Dr. Olson’s assessment and recommendation after the visit will be given to the patient and/or faxed to the primary care doctor. This ensures that follow-up occurs on these recommendations with your primary care provider, particularly with non-endocrine issues identified after consultations, and to help the primary care doctor be fully aware of new findings. The patient is expected to take responsibility for carrying through with recommendations and plans that are mutually derived during the consultation. The practice is not responsible for patients that fail to follow through with recommendations or that fail to return for follow-up care if this has been mutually decided between Dr. Olson and the patient. Depending on the nature of a problem, Dr. Olson or an office representative will call patients after an office visit if there are abnormal lab results and with recommendations for follow-up and treatment with her or elsewhere. In the event that surgery or more specific diagnostic tests are needed, Dr. Olson will work closely with colleagues at Yale University, U Conn Medical Center, Waterbury Hospital or St Mary’s Hospital, and Greenwich Hospital. Dr. Olson will also refer patients to well-known cancer centers in the East coast, such as Smilow Cancer Center at Yale or Memorial Sloan Kettering in NYC, if the patient’s problem requires a unique, high-level expertise or additional opinions.

Dr. Olson, as an integrative medicine physician, believes that personal issues, the environment, lifestyle, and stressors, along with an understanding of what’s going on with the patient and his/her chemistry is an important part of taking care of the individual and addressing all concerns. Dr. Olson believes that the patient-physician encounter and the physical exam are important for the discovery of the causes of lack of wellness, and to ensure that the right decisions are made that allow for healing to occur.

Prescription refills and lab results are given only Monday through Thursday. The office is closed Friday-Sunday.

Fees for office visits in 2012 will be as follows:

• Returning patients:
  • Yearly or ½ yearly returning patient visits for ½ hour will cost $150.00, for patients seen with less than 3 years.
  • If you have not been to the practice for more than 3 years but less than 4 years, the fee is $250.00 for a 45 minute return visit.
  • If you have not been to the practice for 4 years or greater, you are considered a new patient.
• New patients:
  • Visit fees are $300.00 for 1.0 hour consultation, $450.00 for 1.5 hour consultation. The latter is recommended for complex problems and second opinions requiring extensive lab reviews and thyroid/neck ultrasound.
  • If it is necessary for you to have an ultrasound of your neck or thyroid this imaging will be included as part of the office visit fee.
• Phone consultation fees:
  • 1 hour $300.00, 45 minutes $225.00, 30 minutes $150.00
    

Payment is expected at the time of the office visit or phone consultation by cash or credit card. Checks are no longer accepted. There will be no refunds of fees for rendered services at any time. Except for unusual circumstances or for prior scheduled and agreed upon phone consultations, no patient care will be provided over the phone outside of office hours. For all interactions, including phone consultations, we need to confirm your personal identity.

We ask your kindness in making an appointment only if you are 100% certain that you will be coming. We ask that you contact us at least 48 hours in advance if you need to cancel. Appointments are available Monday-Thursday only. The practice is closed for part of the months of August and December, and during weeks of meetings for professional education.

I have read and agree the basic policies of Dr. Olson's practice and agree to receive care from this practice.