Like the "old GP" the modern family doctor is someone you and your family can go to for virtually any health problem. Unlike the "old GP", who had no specialty training beyond medical school, today's family physician is a true specialist who provides comprehensive, accessible, timely, and quality medical care for the entire family. The requirements for becoming a family physician are rigorous. The residency program, after medical school, consists of 3 years of intensive hospital and office-based training in internal (adult) medicine including the subspecialties of cardiology (heart and blood vessels), dermatology (skin including skin surgeries), pulmonary (lungs), gastroenterology (digestive system), neurology (brain and nervous system), rheumatology (arthritis and related diseases), geriatrics (care of the elderly), infectious diseases, endocrinology (hormonal problems), hospice (end of life care), allergy and immunology, nephrology (kidneys and urinary tract, hematology (diseases of blood) and cancer, and critical care; pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, general surgery and specialty surgery including ear, nose and throat, urology, ophthalmology (eyes), and orthopedics; psychiatry, radiology (x-rays), office laboratory, and office counseling. Additionally, family physicians are required to pass the Family Medicine specialty board examinations, and return for re-certification every few years to ensure that only the highest standards of care are delivered by diplomates of the American Board of Family Medicine.
A well -trained family physician is prepared to handle 95% of all medical problems for which patients
first consult a physician and is able to make appropriate and timely referrals to other specialists for problems outside the scope of family medicine or a specific family physician. What for the past two decades or so has been called "urgent care" and 90% of problems seen in emergency rooms are simply common problems which are easily and frequently dealt with in typical family practices at much lower cost and usually more quickly and efficiently.
A family doctor:
•is the appropriate physician to make the initial diagnosis of your problem, regardless of your age,
gender, or type of complaint;
•is the coordinator of your total health care;
•provides long-term care for you and your family, minimizing the risks for unnecessary testing,
medication, or surgery;
•selects qualified consultants on your behalf when necessary, but remains your primary physician at all
times;
•gets to know you as a person and an illness rather than just a “case”;
•can deliver high quality care at a relatively low cost;
•understands the importance of your environment as a factor influencing your health;
•is comfortable handling both physician and emotional problems, and recognizes their interdependence
Our practice also has a separate concierge service for who wish immediate care with Dr. Fletcher outside of the regular practice. Please inquire for more information and pricing.
Vision and hearing screening, EKG, vaginal smears (PAP), blood and urine testing, strep screens, mononucleosis tests, H. Pylori testing, tuberculosis testing, pregnancy testing, microscopic evaluation of urine and genital discharges, lung function testing (spirometry) are performed during in the office during patient visits. Other lab work is referred to local laboratories, and if X-rays or radiologic tests are needed we refer to local radiology facilities. We refer for physical therapy, and we help to arrange and schedule convenient consultations with other specialists as needed. We offer all required pediatric vaccinations free through the federal Vaccines for Children Program and some adult vaccinations as well.
Although we are not a non-profit clinic or health center we have kept our fees as affordable as possible and offer discounts as needed for patients without insurance or Medicaid. We are contracted with essentially all insurance companies other than the Christus Health Plan. We bill your insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid for all appropriate services including hospital care. Please feel free to discuss your financial concerns with the office staff or providers.
For patients who make appointments and don't keep them without notifying us in a timely fashion we charge a NO SHOW fee of $50.