Welcome to our practice!

 

 Please read the following information to familiarize yourself with our practice. 

Thank you for choosing Family Care Associates.

 

Michael Brummer, M.D. has been a family physician since 1988. He graduated from the University Of Illinois College Of Medicine in 1985 and from Southern Illinois University Family Practice Residency in 1988. He is board certified in Family Practice. He also has special interest in Womens Health Care and Pediatrics.

 

Colleen Bingham, M.D. is Board Certified in Pediatrics. She graduated from St. Louis University in 1990. She completed her residency at Indiana University Hospital.

 

Thomas Heischmidt, M.D. specializes in Pediatrics and Internal Medicine. He was raised in Altamont. He attended Eastern Illinois University and the University Of Illinois College Of Medicine in Peoria at Saint Francis Medical Center where he graduated in 1995. He completed the Residency program at the U of I College of Medicine at Peoria.

 

Jeffrey Crowell, M.D. is a Family Practitioner. He graduated from West Virginia University School of Medicine in 1996. He was in Georgia from 1996-1999 doing his Family Practice Residency at Dwight David Eisenhower Army Medical Center. He is a board certified Family Practitioner. He has special interest in Pediatrics, Sports Medicine and Vasectomies.

 

Jeffrey Brummer, D.O. joined our practice in August 2005. Dr. Brummer is a Family Practitioner. He graduated from Des Moines University in 2002. He completed the Residency program at Iowa Lutheran Family Medicine Residency at Des Moines. He has special interests in Family Practice and Pediatrics. He was born in Effingham and raised in Neoga and Illiopolis.

Amanda Bierman, M.D. joined our practice in August 2011.  Dr. Bierman specializes in Pediatrics.  She graduated from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in 2008 and completed her residency at the Indiana University School of Medicine.

 

Lenora Drees, A.P.N., F.N.P. is a Family Practice Nurse Practitioner. She received her Master's of Science in Nursing in August of 1992 at the University of Illinois.

 

Dot Behrns, A.P.N., F.N.P. is a graduate of the University of Illinois Nurse Practitioner Program and received her nursing degree from St. Johns School of Nursing in Springfield.

 

Michele Hartke, A.P.N., F.N.P-BC is a graduate of Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville Family Nurse Practitioner Program.

Libby Meinhart, A.P.N., F.N.P-BC is a graduate of Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville Family Nurse Practitioner Program.  She joined our practice in May 2011. 

Jamee Baltzell, A.P.N., F.N.P.-C is a graduate of the University of Southern Indiana Nurse Practitioner Program.  She recieved her nursing degree from Lincoln Trail College in Robinson, Illinois.
 

We practice together to provide a wide range of health care services for children and adults.

 

During your first visit to our office, registration information will be collected. This information and any other information given to our office will be kept in the strictest confidence.

 

PAYMENT

Co-payments or payment in full at the time of service is expected. You can pay by check, credit/debit card, or cash. Please make checks payable to Family Care Associates of Effingham, S.C. You will receive a receipt for each paid office visit. Charges for laboratory tests done by our reference laboratory will be included in our office charge. There is a charge for blood pressure checks. Laboratory work and x-rays obtained at St. Anthony Hospital, Effingham Medical Center or other facilities will be billed to you separately.

 

We are preferred providers for Blue Cross Blue Shield, Healthlink, Consociate Care, Multiplan, Health Alliance PPO, Personal Care PPO and First Health. Any other insurance regardless of listed co-pays is to be paid in full at time of service.

 

If you have insurance that covers office charges, you will be given a receipt upon payment to file for reimbursement to yourself. Any overpayment can be credited to your account or refunded to you; in either case you will receive a monthly statement.

 

If you are on Medicare or Medicaid, please notify our office staff when you arrive for each appointment. We need a copy of your Medicare/Medicaid card and a signed authorization (for Medicare) at each visit for our files. If you fail to provide us with this information, you will be responsible for any fees incurred during your visit. We accept Medicare assignment. Ask our staff for more information if needed.

 

Should you be unable to make payment at the time of service, a statement will be mailed at the end of the month. We expect prompt payment. Patients whose accounts are 30 days past due will be contacted so that payment arrangements can be made. We realize that special situations arise that requires alternative payment plans. Please discuss these with our Collections Department before your account is overdue. There is a $5.00 service charge for balances over 30 days old.

 

APPOINTMENTS

Our office is open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Our switchboard is turned off at 4:30 p.m. Dr. Michael Brummer does not see patients on Mondays or Fridays, Dr. Heischmidt does not see patients on Tuesdays, Dr. Jeffrey Brummer does not see patients on Wednesdays and Dr. Bingham and Dr. Crowell do not see patients on Thursdays. Appointments are required for all care. Nurse Practitioners are a value to our office. Well child exams will be rotated between the doctor and a nurse practitioner.  You can arrange an appointment by calling 217-342-7000 option 1 during regular office hours.

 

All allergy injections, laboratory tests and blood pressure checks must be scheduled. They are done between 7 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

 

For your convenience, we recommend that you call 8 – 12 weeks in advance to schedule physical examinations and routine checkups. Other appointments are scheduled as available and necessary. Some appointments are set aside each day for sudden illnesses, these fill quickly each morning. Please call early. If you are unable to keep a scheduled appointment, we ask that you notify our office as much in advance as possible. Early notification allows someone else to use that appointment time and you to reschedule as soon as possible. Failure to notify our office, at least 24 hours in advance, more than once a year, may result in an office charge.

 

 If you arrive more than 10 minutes late for an appointment, you may be asked to reschedule or to wait until other scheduled patients have been seen. This avoids long waits for you and other patients, and provides adequate time for a thorough visit.

 

If you or your family need emergency care or information outside of office hours, contact St. Anthony Memorial Hospital at 217-342-2121 and leave a message with the operator. The on call nurse will return your call and contact the physician when necessary.

 

TELEPHONE CALLS

When you call our office, our automated attendant will give you options. Press 1 to schedule an appointment. Press 2 if you need to speak to a nurse. Press 4 if you have a question about a refill or a referral. Press 5 for insurance and billing questions, and press 0 to speak to an operator.

 

Calls regarding laboratory tests or x-ray results, when done at another facility will not be returned until results are available. Any abnormal results will be reported to you as soon as the physician has reviewed them. A letter will be sent to you if all test results are normal. These results can be reviewed at your next appointment.

 

Refilling Medications/Samples: Family Care Associates requires a 48 hour notice on refilling any medications or samples. Call your pharmacy when you are low on medication to see if you have any refills left. Your pharmacist will fax a request if there are no refills left. Please call our office for refills/samples when you have several days of medication left. Always read the medication information to the nurse or medical office assistant directly from the bottle to assure correct information is given. This will save you time and avoid calls from our office needing additional information. Call for refills in the afternoon, mornings are the busiest phone times for people who are sick and needing appointments. Avoid Mondays for routine calls to the office, call volume on Mondays are extremely high.

 

If you call outside regular office hours, you will reach a recorded message. This is not an answering machine; you cannot leave a message for us. Please call back during office hours or Dial 911 in case of an emergency.

 

These policies are guidelines as to how we can work with you to achieve the best health care possible. Cooperation and mutual understanding is necessary. If you have questions, please feel free to ask.

 

Thank you,

 

Family Care Associates of Effingham, S.C

For a printable version of this information, click here

 

 

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