SCHEDULING
THE PURPOSE OF AN APPOINTMENT
IF YOU ARE MAKING AN APPOINTMENT AS A NEW PATIENT, PLEASE HELP BY EXPLAINING TO THE RECEPTIONIST WHY YOU ARE COMING TO SEE THE DOCTOR. WE WELCOME NEW PATIENTS. DR. MILLER IS EAGER TO HELP EVERY NEW PATIENT AND MAKES EXTENSIVE EFFORTS TO EXPLORE ALL TREATMENT OPTIONS. IT ISN’T NECESSARY TO EXPLAIN ALL OF THE DETAILS OF YOUR PROBLEMS TO OUR STAFF JUST TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT. THE DOCTOR WILL HEAR ALL OF YOUR PROBLEMS IN DETAIL. IF WE KNOW WHY YOU ARE SEEKING HELP FROM DR. MILLER, WE WILL KNOW BETTER ABOUT HOW MUCH TIME WILL BE MOST EFFECTIVE FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT.

SHORT APPOINTMENTS WHEN A PATIENT IS SICK OR THERE IS JUST 1 PROBLEM
SOMETIMES PATIENTS HAVE MINIMAL MEDICAL PROBLEMS AND CAN BE TREATED FAIRLY QUICKLY AND SIMPLY. IF YOU HAVE JUST A SORE THROAT, URINARY INFECTION, COLD, EAR INFECTION, OR SOME OTHER PROBLEM THAT INVOLVES A SINGLE COMPLAINT, LET US KNOW WHEN YOU CALL, AND DR. MILLER WILL SCHEDULE YOU FOR A SHORT APPOINTMENT WITHIN 24 HOURS, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. WE RESERVE A FEW APPOINTMENTS EACH DAY FOR PATIENTS THAT ARE SICK AND NEED JUST A 10 MINUTE APPOINTMENT. FOR THOSE APPOINTMENTS, NO REFILLS OR OTHER THINGS CAN BE ADDRESSED IN THIS MINI APPOINTMENT.

LONG APPOINTMENTS WHEN A PATIENT HAS A LOT OF PROBLEMS
HOWEVER, FOR MANY PATIENTS THERE ARE MULTIPLE MEDICAL PROBLEMS THAT NEED TO BE REVIEWED EXTENSIVELY, AND REQUIRE EXPLORATION OF MULTI-FACETS.
REMEMBER, THE DOCTOR CAN NOT FIX ALL OF YOUR COMPLAINTS, WHEN THERE ARE MANY, AT ANY ONE APPOINTMENT. IN REALITY, SOLVING OR IMPROVING YOUR PROBLEMS AND DISEASES WILL MOST LIKELY TAKE MANY APPOINTMENTS, DEPENDENT ON THE NUMBER OF THINGS THAT TROUBLE YOU. SOMETHING EASY TO HEAR ABOUT, EXAMINE, AND TREAT INCLUDES: SORE THROAT, SINUS DRAINAGE AND CONGESTION, EAR INFECTION, OR URINARY TRACT INFECTION. SIMPLE PROBLEMS CAN BE RESOLVED IN ONE SHORT 10 MINUTE APPOINTMENT.

HOWEVER, MANY PEOPLE COME WITH COMPLICATED, COMPLEX, AND LONG TIME ILLNESSES AND SYMPTOMS.
   
 
PLEASE ALLOW TIME
THE TIME CLOCK
IT IS WISE TO ALLOW ADEQUATE TIME FOR ANY DOCTOR’S OFFICE APPOINTMENT. KNOWING HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE FOR EVERY PATIENT IS IMPOSSIBLE. IF YOU ANTICIPATE THAT YOU WILL BE GETTING NERVOUS AND WORRIED WHILE YOU WAIT TO CONSULT WITH DR. MILLER, PLEASE ADVISE THE OFFICE.

COMPLEXITIES
JUST AS IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO TIME THE EXACT AMOUNT OF MINUTES IT TAKES TO; GO TO THE GROCERY STORE, CHECK OUT AT WAL-MART, WHEN A CAR WILL BE REPAIRED, HOW LONG IT TAKES FOR A HOUSE REMODELING, THE LENGTH OF A STORM, HOW LONG IT TAKES FOR MEDICAL INSURANCE TO PAY THE DOCTOR, OR THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TAKES TO GET A CHILD TO COOPERATE. IT REALLY IS NOT REALISTIC TO PUT A TIMER ON EACH APPOINTMENT AT A DOCTOR’S OFFICE. JUST REMEMBER IF OTHER PATIENT’S HAD A TIMER ON THEIR APPOINTMENT, SO WOULD YOU. IT NEVER SEEMS TO BOTHER ANY PATIENT HOW LONG THE DOCTOR NEEDS TO TAKE TO HEAR THEM TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING BOTHERING THEM. DR. MILLER TOTALLY WANTS TO ACCOMMODATE HER PATIENTS, HONOR THEIR SCHEDULE AND BE ON TIME. IN REALITY, IT TAKES QUITE SOME TIME FOR THE DOCTOR TO NOT ONLY UNDERSTAND EACH PERSON’S PROBLEMS. MANY PATIENTS DON’T REALIZE THAT THERE IS A LOT IN BETWEEN HEARING THE PATIENTS PROBLEMS AND A PATIENT RECEIVING PRESCRIPTIONS AND A THOROUGH TREATMENT PLAN.

THE DOCTOR STRIVES TO FIGURE OUT A BETTER WAY TO HELP PATIENTS AND SHORTEN THE TIME INVOLVED FOR BOTH THE PATIENTS AND THE DOCTOR. IN THE PAST 20 YEARS AS A FAMILY DOCTOR, DR. MILLER FINDS THAT MORE PEOPLE NEED MORE THINGS TREATED. PRESCRIPTIONS MUST BE WRITTEN FOR THE APPROPRIATE MEDICAL ILLNESS AND IT TAKES TIME. AS DR. MILLER IS BEING CREATIVE TO FIND MORE EFFECTIVE TREATMENTS, AND RECORDING EVERYTHING IN THE CHART, THERE ARE ADDITIONAL REQUIRED MEDICAL FORMS TO LOG THE DATE AND INFORMATION OF PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS THAT MUST BE COMPLETED. WHEN THERE ARE SEVERAL PROBLEMS THAT REQUIRE PRESCRIPTIONS, ADDITIONAL TIME IS ESSENTIAL.

MEDICATION PRESCRIPTIONS
MOST PATIENTS THAT RETURN FOR REFILLS AND SOMETIMES MEDICATION CHANGES, HAVE 2-5 PRESCRIPTIONS THEY TAKE. AS PEOPLE GAIN MORE DISEASES AND GET OLDER, MANY HAVE 20 OR MORE PRESCRIPTIONS JUST TO ATTEMPT TO KEEP THEM ALIVE OR TO TREAT SYMPTOMS.


EDUCATION
IT ALSO TAKES TIME TO EDUCATE EACH PATIENT WITH INFORMATION FOR THE APPROPRIATE CATEGORIES FOR EACH PATIENT’S SITUATION. ONCE THE PROBLEMS ARE RESOLVED OR STABILIZED, APPOINTMENTS ARE EVERY 6 MONTHS.


NO HERDING
THERE ARE OFFICES DESIGNED TO SHUFFLE PATIENTS IN AND OUT IN 5 MINUTES. THIS TYPE OF OFFICE MAY OFFER NO WAITING (FOR ONE PROBLEM, OF COURSE), FOR THE
30-50 PATIENTS PER DAY ON A 5 MINUTE ALLOTMENT PER PATIENT. FOR PATIENTS WHO HAVE MULTIPLE THINGS THAT BOTHER THEM, THEY CAN NOT POSSIBLY EVEN GET AN ADEQUATE EVALUATION. THIS OFFICE IS UNIQUE FOR GIVING EACH PATIENT THE TIME AND WORK THAT IS COMPREHENSIVE AND THOROUGH.


GOT A GO, GOTTA GO,
HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE TO COMPLETE EACH PERSON’S APPOINTMENT MAY BE VARIABLE IN THE AMOUNT OF TIME REQUIRED. WHEN PATIENTS HAVE TO PICK UP CHILDREN, BE BACK AT WORK, ARRIVE AT ANOTHER APPOINTMENT, OR PLAN TO LEAVE TOWN ON A PLANE WITHIN ONE HOUR OF THE SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT, THERE WILL MOST LIKELY BE DISAPPOINTMENT IN THOSE GOALS. IF A PATIENT WANTS A DRIVE-THRU APPOINTMENT, BE PREPARED FOR A 3-5 CAR WAIT WITHOUT GOURMET FOOD. IT PROBABLY IS NOT REALISTIC FOR A HIGHLY TRAINED PHYSICIAN TO TRULY EXPECTS THE DOCTOR TO HELP THEM IN AN APPOINTMENT THAT FITS THEIR STOP WATCH. WE UNDERSTAND WHEN SOMETHING COMES UP AND YOU NEED TO LEAVE AND RESCHEDULE, OR HAVE AN EMERGENCY. ACCOMMODATIONS FOR RESCHEDULING ARE WELCOMED.

WE TRY TO ESTIMATE HOW LONG IT TAKES TO COVER WHY YOU COME TO THE DOCTOR. HOWEVER, MOST MEDICAL PROBLEMS TAKE MORE TIME TO TREAT WHEN THE DOCTOR MAKES EVERY EFFORT TO HELP EACH PATIENT.

PROMOTING HEALTH CAN’T BE HELPED WITH DRIVE THRU, GET AND GO, QUICK TRIP, OR FAST HEALTH.
 
 
REFILLS AND APPOINTMENTS
HOW MANY RX?
WHEN PATIENT’S SCHEDULE APPOINTMENTS FOR REFILLS OR CHANGES IN TREATMENTS, IT CAN HELP WITH SCHEDULING BY TELLING THE DOCTOR’S ASSISTANT WHY YOU ARE MAKING AN APPOINTMENT AND HOW MUCH TIME IT YOU WILL NEED THE DOCTOR, HOW MANY REFILLS YOU NEED, AND IF YOU WILL BE ASKING FOR CHANGES. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR EVERY PATIENT TO KNOW ABOUT HOW MUCH THE DOCTOR REALLY GETS PAID. REMEMBER THAT IT TAKES TIME FOR YOU TO TALK ABOUT YOUR NEEDS, LISTEN TO THE DOCTOR’S RESPONSE AND ADVICE. DR MILLER TAKES TIME FOR YOU TO DISCUSS YOUR PROBLEMS AND OPTIONS FOR TREATMENTS. THEN IT REQUIRES QUITE AN AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE DOCTOR TO DECIDE WHAT THE BEST SOLUTION IS FOR YOU, WRITE YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS, RECORD IT IN THE CHART, WRITE YOUR INSTRUCTIONS, AND OFTEN WRITE EACH TREATMENT PLAN IN THE CHART. REFERRALS TO DOCTORS AND ORDERING LAB AND DIAGNOSTIC TESTS MUST BE PRESCRIBED AND PATIENT INFORMATION FORWARDED TO ANY DOCTOR THAT NEEDS THE PATIENT’S HISTORY, AND MONITORING.

THIS DOCTOR WILL GIVE YOU A MEDICATIONS INSTRUCTIONS HAND OUT INFORMATION TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND AND EDUCATE YOU. AFTER ALL OF THAT, DR MILLER COMES BACK TO YOUR PATIENT ROOM AND EXPLAINS EVERYTHING TO YOU AS SHE TREATS YOUR.

JUST SICK AND NEED HELP WITH TEMPORARY RELIEF OR ONE REFILL ONLY
IF YOU HAVE ONLY ONE SYMPTOM TO BE TREATED, LET US KNOW THAT YOU WILL ONLY NEED 5 MINUTES TO EXPLAIN TO THE DOCTOR AND FOR THE DOCTOR TO HEAR AND/OR EXAMINE, AND ANOTHER 5 MINUTES FOR 1 PRESCRIPTION.

A CARD DECK FULL OF PRESCRIPTIONS—PATIENTS WILL LOTS OF PROBLEMS
IF YOU HAVE 10-15 THINGS THAT BOTHER YOU AND NEED 10-20 OR MORE PRESCRIPTIONS, IT WILL TAKE 1 HOUR FOR A NEW PATIENT AND ½ HOUR IF IT IS NOT THE FIRST APPOINTMENT.
 
YOUR MEDICAL INSURANCE WILL NOT PAY FOR YOU TO GO ON AND ON…
IT IS COMMON THAT INSURANCE WILL ONLY PAY THE DOCTOR FOR DEALING WITH A JUST 2-3 DIAGNOSIS AT EACH APPOINTMENT. IN ORDER FOR EACH PATIENT TO GET DR. MILLER’S FULL DIAGNOSIS AND ADVICE, SCHEDULING CONSECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS WILL ALLOW FOR EACH INSURED PATIENT TO GET HELP, WHILE THE PATIENT’S INSURANCE PAYS A PORTION OF THE TREATMENTS.

DR RUTH MILLER IS AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE COUNSELING
IT IS POSSIBLE TO REQUEST AN EXTENDED COUNSELING AND TREATMENT SESSIONS THERAPY SESSIONS CAN BE PAID BY THE PATIENT AND NOT THE INSURANCE WHEN THE INSURED OR PATIENT REALLY WANTS TO GET HELP.

IT MAY HELP TO LIMIT YOUR CONCERNS TO JUST A FEW OF YOUR ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED AT EACH APPOINTMENT AND THEN ADEQUATE PAYMENT FROM YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY CAN BE BILLED.
 
DOCTOR’S APPOINTMENTS PATIENT ACTIVITIES FOR EFFICIENCY OR ENTERTAINMENT
WHILE YOU WAIT

DR. MILLER SUGGESTS THAT WHILE YOU WAIT YOU CAN:
  • READ OUR GREAT VARIETY OF MAGAZINES
  • BRING YOUR BOOK
  • BRING YOUR LAP TOP COMPUTER
  • WI FI - JUST FOR YOU
  • SILENTLY PRAY OR MEDITATE
  • LISTEN TO MUSIC (YOURS OR OURS)
  • UPDATE YOUR LIST OF THINGS TO DO
  • WRITE A REAL LETTER
  • MEMORIZE MOTIVATIONAL IDEAS
  • CLEAN OUT YOUR PURSE OR WALLET
  • ENJOY A TIME OF DOING NOTHING
  • HELP THE OFFICE GET YOUR TEST RESULTS
  • TAKE A NAP WHEN YOU GET TO A ROOM TO LIE DOWN
  • LIST YOUR MEDICATION REFILLS NEEDED
  • COMPILE YOUR INFORMATION TO TELL THE DOCTOR
  • BE THANKFUL THAT DR. MILLER WILL REALLY TRY TO HELP YOU
  • THANK GOD THAT HEALING IS ONLY BY HIS MIRACLES

TO GIVE EACH PERSON PREMIUM TREATMENT TAKES TIME.

FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE, YOU CAN BRING YOUR LAP TOP AND DO YOUR WORK OR SURF WHILE YOU WAIT.

WI FI AT DR. MILLER'S OFFICE