Where is the Regular Doctors?

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by RetiredElizabeth

All this for a Sinus Infection just to get a prescription. I just want a regular Doctor.

If you know you all you is have a bacterial sinus infection, you can go to a Minute Clinic at a CVS Drug Store or some other Urgent Care Center, where a Nurse Practioner or Physician Assistant can usually give you a prescription. (I am not sure of NC laws, but in Maryland, the NP's can prescribe.) You may wait, but it might be faster than Novant Health.

[mm34b]

Originally Posted by goldenage1

If you know you all you is have a bacterial sinus infection, you can go to a Minute Clinic at a CVS Drug Store or some other Urgent Care Center, where a Nurse Practioner or Physician Assistant can usually give you a prescription. (I am not sure of NC laws, but in Maryland, the NP's can prescribe.) You may wait, but it might be faster than Novant Health.

A physician assistant may prescribe, order, procure, dispense and administer drugs and medical devices subject to the following conditions:

(1) The physician assistant complies with all state and federal laws regarding prescribing including G.S. 90-18.1(b);

(2) Each supervising physician and physician assistant incorporates within his or her written supervisory arrangements, as defined in Rule .0201(8) of this Subchapter, instructions for prescribing, ordering, and administering drugs and medical devices and a policy for periodic review by the physician of these instructions and policy;

(3) In order to compound and dispense drugs, the physician assistant complies with G.S. 90-18.1(c);

(4) In order to prescribe controlled substances,

(a) the physician assistant must have a valid Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration and prescribe in accordance with DEA rules;

(b) all prescriptions for substances falling within schedules II, IIN, III, and IIIN, as defined in the federal Controlled Substances Act, shall not exceed a legitimate 30 day supply; and

(c) the supervising physician must possess the same schedule(s) of controlled substances as the physician assistant's DEA registration;

(5) Each prescription issued by the physician assistant contains, in addition to other information required by law, the following:

(a) the physician assistant's name, practice address and telephone number;

(b) the physician assistant's license number and, if applicable, the physician assistant's DEA number for controlled substances prescriptions; and

(c) the responsible supervising physician's (primary or back-up) name and telephone number;

(6) The physician assistant documents prescriptions in writing on the patient's record, including the medication name and dosage, amount prescribed, directions for use, and number of refills;

(7) A physician assistant who requests, receives, and dispenses medication samples to patients complies with all applicable state and federal regulations; and

(8) A physician assistant shall not prescribe controlled substances, as defined by the state and federal controlled substances acts for:

(a) the physician assistant's own use;

(b) the use of the physician assistant's supervising physician;

(c) the use of the physician assistant's immediate family;

(d) the use of any person living in the same residence as the physician assistant; or

(e) the use of any anyone with whom the physician assistant is having a sexual relationship.

As used in this Paragraph, "immediate family" means a spouse, parent, child, sibling, parent-in-law, son-in-law or daughter-in-law, brother-in-law or sister-in-law, step-parent, step-child, step-sibling.



History Note: Authority G.S. 90-18(c)(13); 90-18.1; 90-18.2A; 90-171.23(14); 21 C.F.R. 301;

Eff. September 1, 2009;

Amended Eff. August 1, 2012.

[jskirwin]

Most sinus infections clear up on their own and do not require antibiotics, but patients do not like to be told this and it's often easier for a caregiver to provide an antibiotic prescription rather than explain how to treat a sinus infection without them. Symptoms that patients describe as a sinus infection are commonly caused by viruses, allergies, and fungi, and antibiotics do not work in such cases.

Patients often have an expectation that when they are sick they go to a doctor and receive a prescription. This expectation has contributed to MRSA infections that are much more difficult to treat, and are often fatal. Doctors who try to fight the overprescription of antibiotics often find themselves receiving complaints by patients who feel that the doctor didn't do his job.

Some insurance plans will not even reimburse doctors for their time treating such common conditions, and so these treatments are being farmed off to lower-paid staff. To fight this decrease in the quality of care caused by declining reimbursements some doctors are pursuing a fee-for-service model where you pay up front for their time and you are responsible for submitting claims to your insurance company. Such practices provide an alternative for those worried about the quality of care they receive, and are often surprised to learn that such practices are cheaper than they expect since the practices do not have to employ staff to deal with referrals and billing and pass the savings on to the patient.

[laneynewport]

This is my personal experience, but I've found that working with a good P.A. is sometimes preferable to me than working with my doctor. It's easier to get an appointment with a P.A. and many times it feels like they're more engaged and don't rush you out the door so fast. I do understand wanting to see your actual doctor though. This is just something I've used for general care to get in sooner, get more time in the office, and they can write presciptions just like the doctor can so it works for me. Good luck finding a primary physician who suits your needs- they really are out there but the industry is changing so I guess it'll be a change for all of us along the way at some point.

[oldshoes]

Novant Health and Wake Forest seem to have taken over every independent doctor office that I've found. Does anyone know of any independent doctor/family doctor practice in the Winston-Salem/surrounding area that is not owned by Novant Health or Wake Forest Baptist Medical.

[Buxton Bagpipes]

Originally Posted by oldshoes

Novant Health and Wake Forest seem to have taken over every independent doctor office that I've found. Does anyone know of any independent doctor/family doctor practice in the Winston-Salem/surrounding area that is not owned by Novant Health or Wake Forest Baptist Medical.

I *think* Ardmore Family Practice is independent...a quick call would confirm:

Family Practice Physicians Winston Salem NC