Frequently Asked Questions
1) What is “Family Medicine?”
Family Medicine is a primary care specialty which provides comprehensive medical care to individuals and families throughout their lifetimes. Family doctors are trained in preventative healthcare as well as in the management of chronic diseases and acute conditions such as illness or injury. Family doctors can take care of patients of all ages from newborns to geriatric patients. The training is, therefore, very comprehensive and thorough. Family Physicians continue to receive ongoing training throughout their careers. The specialty of Family Medicine works under the model of a Patient Centered Medical Home. In this model, patients will always have a personal physician who is available not only to keep them healthy but also if they were to get sick or injured. If specialty care or hospitalization is needed, it is coordinated by your Family Physician so that all of your medical care is centered in your ‘medical home’.
2) What can I do to help meet my treatment goals?
Be prepared to share how you are doing and any particular issues you may be having
Share past medical history about yourself and self-care information
Write down and bring in your questions and concerns
Bring a list of other providers you may have seen since your last visit
Be an active participant in planning your care and self-management goals
Bring your insurance card and co pay if you have one
Bring any forms you would like us to complete
Bring a detailed medication list or even bring the bottles in with you
3) How do I schedule an appointment at Family Practice Associates?
Call our office directly at 802-644-5114 to schedule an appointment. Currently we are not able to schedule appointments online. We are always accepting new patients and if you’re condition is urgent, we will make every effort to schedule an appointment within 24 hours.
4) Do you close on holidays?
We are closed on major holidays including New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, two days at Thanksgiving and two days at Christmas.
5) If I have an urgent medical problem and it occurs after office hours, can I talk to a doctor?
A physician or nurse practitioner is on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year for our patients who have urgent conditions. Call our office at 802-644-5114 to have a message sent to our on-call physician. If you feel that you are having a true medical emergency, 911 should be called directly.
6) How do I get a refill on my medication?
If you have a chronic medical condition which requires routine medication, your condition and your medication require periodic monitoring. At FPA, we monitor your condition generally according to disease management guidelines that are scientifically studied to understand how to provide the best medical care. Therefore, your prescription should often be set to “expire” or run out around the time that you are due to be seen for follow-up. If this is the case, please call our office before your prescription runs out so that a follow-up appointment can be set up. For these types of appointments, its generally a good idea to call a couple of weeks in advance. If you have already been seen for appropriate follow-up of your medical condition, then the best way to obtain a prescription refill is to call your pharmacy and have them send us a refill request. This assures that all of the details of the medication and the pharmacy will be accurate. Please allow 2-3 days for this type of refill request to be completed. Unless your doctor has discussed this with you and made other arrangements, certain medications will almost never be refilled by phone and will require an appointment including: controlled substances (narcotics, anxiety medications, sleeping pills, ADD medications), antibiotics, anti-seizure medicines and steroids.
7) What does it mean to be “Board Certified?”
Board Certification in Family Medicine is awarded through the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) and is an important indicator that your doctor has the knowledge, experience and skills to provide high-quality patient care. Board certification is voluntary and goes above and beyond being licensed by the state to practice medicine. The ABFM requires four years of instruction in a qualified medical school, three years of advanced training in an accredited Family Medicine residency program as well as rigorous ongoing commitments to continuing medical education, periodic detailed board examinations and demonstrations of excellence in current medical practice.