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Policy & Procedures

Below we have outlined our office policies that help us better serve you. We appreciate your business and want to have your visit both timely and efficient.
APPOINTMENTS 
  • Scheduling: Appointments can be made during normal business hours and should be made to address any new problems or concerns, especially if it requires a prescription medication. Appointments are also necessary for follow-up of chronic medical problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, etc. This allows us an opportunity to assess the effectiveness of treatment, evaluate for side effects of medications, and monitor lab work if necessary. 
  • Walk-ins/Work-ins: We do not accept walk-ins. However, if openings are available in the schedule, work-ins requested by telephone may be accommodated. Work-ins (or same day appointments) cannot be cancelled. Failure to keep a work-in appointment will be treated as a missed appointment and the patient may be responsible for payment of an office visit. 
  • Appointment Arrival: We strive to see all patients on time for their scheduled appointment. If you are a returning patient, you need to arrive at least 10 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment to check in. New patients need to arrive 15 minutes prior to your appointment to complete new patient paperwork. Arriving on time helps us stay on schedule and minimize waiting time for you as well as other patients. If you arrive late for your appointment, you may be asked to reschedule. 
  • Missed Appointment: An appointment is considered missed when you fail to show up for an appointment without a phone call, fail to cancel within one business day or arrive 15 minutes past your scheduled appointment time. Missing an appointment compromises the care that we are able to provide you and other patients that may have needed an appointment. Missed appointments may result in a charge to your account that is non-covered by insurance. Multiple missed appointments may result in dismissal from the practice. 
  • Cancellations: If you are unable to keep your appointment or need to reschedule, we ask that you be considerate of other patients who may need to be seen by canceling 24 hours in advance.
  • Financial Responsibility: As a patient, it is in your best interest to know and understand your insurance plan benefits and responsibility for any deductibles, co-insurance, or co-payment amounts prior to any visit. Patients who have insurance must provide their current insurance card(s) at each visit. If you do not present your insurance card your visit will be considered self-pay. Self-pay visits are to be paid in full at the time of service. You are responsible to notify us of your insurance plan and to provide us the necessary information about your insurance policy. Not all services are covered by all insurance contracts. If your insurance plan does not cover a service, or procedure, you are responsible for payment of these charges. To find out what your insurance plan covers and what your financial obligation may be, call the customer service or member services department of your insurance company (the phone numbers are on your insurance card). If you do not have insurance coverage for a visit, please notify us when you schedule the appointment. All co-pays & deductibles are due at the time of visit. Resolution of any outstanding balance is expected prior to obtaining additional services. 
  • Additional Information: Please bring a list of your current medications, a list of any refills you may need, your current pharmacy and their phone number to every appointment. Please notify the nurse or doctor of any medications you may need prior to completion of your appointment.

    ALL PAYMENTS FOR VISITS WILL BE MADE PRIOR TO BEING SEEN. THE FRONT OFFICE WILL LET YOU KNOW THE AMOUNT OWED.

TELEPHONE CALLS FOR THE PROVIDERS, NURSES OR STAFF 
  • Our phones are answered by our staff during normal business hours. However, in order to provide the best care and service to our scheduled patients, we are unable to answer every call. Our office will make every effort to have your call handled as quickly as possible and will return your call after receiving direct instructions on your concerns from your physician. Calls are addressed by order of severity. Not all physicians are in the office every day which may delay our staff retuning your call. Non-emergent situations and all calls made after 4:00 pm may not be returned on the day it is received. Please allow 24 hours in these situations. Do not leave multiple messages (regarding the same concern) or call multiple extensions as this will delay returned call time. When leaving a voicemail, you must include you first and last name, date of birth, a detailed reason for your call and your telephone number. If you are acutely ill, please give a description of your symptoms and call as early in the day as possible. If you are calling for medications, please see the “Refills and Prescriptions” section below. Please do not expect to be treated by telephone; most medical problems require an office exam. Antibiotics are not routinely prescribed over the phone. Narcotic pain medication will not be authorized over the phone. An office visit is required if you are having pain.
IN A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION GO TO THE NEAREST EMERGENCY ROOM OR CALL 911 

REFILLS & PRESCRIPTIONS 
  • Please request prescriptions at your office visits. Your doctor will, in most cases, order your prescriptions in amounts to last until you need a follow up appointment. These follow up appointments are scheduled so that your provider can monitor your condition and adjust medications accordingly. To ensure appointment availability, please make follow up appointments at the time of your current visit. If you do find yourself in need of more medication prior to your next scheduled appointment, please contact your pharmacy and have them call our office at (864) 963-8002 or fax the request to our office at (864) 963-2742. Again, requests for medications may require an office visit and/or lab work before being refilled. Requests should therefore be made before you run out of your medication so that we have time to approve your refill or notify you that an appointment is needed. Prescription and refill requests take 24-48 hours to be processed.
  • Controlled Substances: Prescriptions for medications with the potential for misuse, abuse and addiction are carefully monitored. Prescriptions for controlled substances must be requested during your office visit with your doctor. Requests for refills of these medications will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. In the event that a refill is given, the prescription must be picked up at our office and requires a signature. Patients who lie or are otherwise dishonest about their use will be dismissed from the practice and the proper authorities will be notified, if necessary.
  • PLEASE NOTE: Our office will not prescribe the following medications: Adipex (Phentermine)

REFERRALS 
  • Some referrals can only be made with an order from one of our physicians. Unless a referral is marked urgent by one of our doctors, in which case your referral is usually made before you leave our office, please allow up to 2 weeks for processing (depending on the requirements and procedures deemed necessary by the specialist’s office). Please do not make multiple calls on the status of your referral as you will be contacted as soon as the referral process is complete by our staff or the specialist.

LAB RESULTS 
  • Acute illness lab results: Labs are drawn the day of your appointment. If you are not instructed that a follow up appointment is needed to review your lab results you will be notified of your results by telephone or by mail. 
  • Chronic disease results: Labs are drawn prior to your appointment with the provider. Results are reviewed at this appointment. Please do not call for results prior to your scheduled appointment. 
  • Physical lab results (including pap smears): Labs are usually drawn on the day of your physical. A physical follow up appointment may need to be made for 2-4 weeks after the physical. Results are reviewed at this follow up appointment. If you are not instructed that a follow up appointment is needed to review your lab results you will be notified of your results by telephone or by mail within 2 weeks. 
  • Shave biopsy results (moles): If you are not instructed that a follow up appointment is needed to review your results, you will be notified of your results by telephone or by mail within 2 weeks.

INSURANCE 
  • We accept dozens of insurance plans with various deductibles, co-pays, co-insurances and coverage. We cannot know all of the coverage limitations and rules of your plan. It is important that you read and understand the provisions of your insurance. You are responsible for ensuring that we are providers on your insurance plan and for knowing what services you have coverage for including but not limited to office visits, labs, x-ray, procedures, physicals and immunizations. You will be responsible for paying for all services not covered by your insurance plan. 

    Your insurance card is required for every visit. For more information, please see “Financial Responsibility” section.

PHYSICALS & WELLNESS CHECKS 
  • Physicals & wellness checks are not the same. When scheduling an annual physical, wellness check, or other routine procedures or labs (such as a pap smear) it is your responsibility to notify us, before the appointment, how the visit should be scheduled & billed. For example: some insurance plans may only cover routine or preventative services while others may only cover diagnostic services. If you do not specify which service your insurance plan covers, your physician will bill the visit as he/she deems is appropriate and you will be responsible for any unpaid balances.

MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS (MVA) 
  • We do not file charges for MVA insurance policies. All charges for services rendered due to a MVA are payable in full at the time of your visit unless we can verify that your managed care plan will pay for the services as they would pay any other illness. You will need to submit your charges and seek reimbursement from the MVA insurance company.

THIRD PARTY LIABILITY AND YOUR RESPONSIBILITY 
  • “Third party liability” means that someone else’s insurance is to cover your illness/injury. For example: a fall at a grocery store where the grocery store’s insurance will pay for your medical bills. We do not file charges for payment to attorneys or any other third party payors. All charges for services rendered are payable in full at the time of your visit. You will need to submit your charges and seek reimbursement from the third party insurance payors.

CONTACT INFORMATION 
    TELEPHONE         (864) 963.8002 (Please see extensions below)
    FAX                    (864) 963.2742

    DOCTOR & NURSE LINES
  • Dr. Marcus Blackstone & Nurse: Press 6 
  • Dr. Connie Blackstone & Nurse: Press 4 
  • Julia Paduano, FNPc & Nurse: Press 6
    APPOINTMENTS, REFERALLS & BILLING 
  • Appointments & Referrals: Press 3 
  • Billing & Payments: Press 8 or 2117
    REFILLS
  • Refills for Dr. Marcus & Julia: Press 7
  • Refills for Dr. Connie: Press 5
    MEDICAL RECORDS & OTHER INFO 
  • Medical Records: Press 9 
  • All Other Calls: Press 0
    EMAIL US
  • Billing: billing@stoneviewim.com
  • General Information: info@stoneviewim.com ***

    *** This is for general office information ONLY. Do not send refill, appointment or medical & information to this e-mail address. If you have personal questions or concerns, please call our office and use the appropriate extension provided above.
     WRITE US / BILLING ADDRESS
  • PO Box 279
    Simpsonville, SC 29681
    WE ARE LOCATED AT
  • 304 South Main Street
    Simpsonville, SC 29681

Revised 02/13/2012