You may refer a patient by phone or fax. You can call 760-837-8020 to speak directly with our office scheduler
or
You may fax a referral letter or most recent office notes concerning the reason for consultation with a copy of the patients demographic and Insurance information with the recent MRI/CT Myelogram report to our office at: 760.837.8020.
The patient will need to bring the following
Plain X-rays, of involved area, within six months: A/P and Lateral
Closed MRI, of involved area, within six months. May have CT Myelogram if patient has a pacemaker or is otherwise unable to have MRI. (An open MRI is generally not optimal for surgical decision making)
Patients may bring additional records or studies done pertaining to the affected area, including old films.
Patients are to bring all related to the affected body part films within the last 12 with them to their appointment. We accept studies on CD/DVD, however be aware that we are not always able to load the films due to differences in various applications. Some patients may be inconvenienced by this beyond our control. If you have questions, or are unable to provide the requested information, please call us at 760.837.8020.
Each evaluation is different depending on the diagnostic needs of the referring provider and patient. If we have a good quality imaging study, we can frequently make a diagnosis or presumed diagnosis and start the process to healing at the first visit.
The last office note detailing the complaints and reason for referral is very helpful in performing the consultation.
We use the detailed medical information from the referral form, the history and physical exam findings during our evaluation, and our review of the imaging to develop a diagnosis or presumed diagnosis. Based on the diagnosis or diagnostic list to rule out, we recommend additional testing or evaluations with our colleagues to finalize our diagnosis and develop our treatment recommendations. Our staff will then schedule various appointments accordingly.
We always offer the first available appointment. While most patients can be evaluated within 7-10 days, we are able to do urgent evaluations sooner on a case by case basis.
We are not pain management physicians and do not manage chronic pain. If your patient needs these evaluations, we would be happy to make recommendations for referral.
Due to the complexity of neurosurgical issues, and our desire to tailor the care of your patient to their needs, we do not believe telephone or curb side consults are appropriate. We would be happy to discuss our thoughts about current treatment options and strategies, but that should not be construed as a management recommendation.
We are privileged to have an experienced, caring and knowledgeable certified Physician Assistant (PA-C) helping to provide care for your patient. He routinely assists in the evaluation process, answering patient questions, refilling prescriptions, assists in routine post-operative care, and in surgery among a host of other vital tasks to ensure your patient gets the most expedient, compassionate care.
We routinely do emergency evaluations in conjunction with an Emergency Room Physician. If you believe your patient is having a crisis, please call 911 or have them go to the nearest Emergency Room.
