Welcome!
Thank you for your interest in the Orthopaedic Center of Southern Illinois. We are pleased that you have chosen our office for your family's care and committed to improving the quality of life through exceptional Orthopaedic care. We are committed to improving your quality of life through specialized Orthopaedic care.
What is Orthopaedics?
Orthopaedics is the medical specialty that focuses on injuries and diseases of your body's musculoskeletal system. This complex system includes your bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles, nerves and allows you to move, work, and be active.
Once devoted to the care of children with spine and limb deformities, Orthopaedists now care for patients of all ages, from newborns with clubfeet to young athletes requiring arthroscopic surgery to older people with arthritis.
Common Orthopaedic Problems:
Injuries such as broken bones, sprains and dislocations of joints, muscle strains and severe lacerations or contusions. Inflammation of the arms and legs such as tendinitis, arthritis, bursitis (common in shoulder, elbow, knee and hip), rheumatism and infections. Birth defects and growth abnormalities, such as dwarfism, clubfoot, unequal legs, curvature of the spine and extremities, foot problems (bunions, hammer toes), low back pain and "pinched nerves" such as sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, neuralgia.
About our Staff:
Orthopaedic Center of Southern Illinois provides the highest quality care and patient satisfaction available in the region by continually upgrading and expanding our state of the art equipment, base facility, and satellite facilities to meet the growing needs of our patients well into the twenty-first century.
Our staff members attend continuing education seminars to update their knowledge and techniques. They are dedicated to providing each patient with quality care. Although they take their work seriously, they pride themselves in providing a fun and upbeat atmosphere for our patients. They want you to enjoy your visits to our office and feel comfortable with the treatment you receive. As a team, they are committed to providing a unique personal experience for each of our patients and their families.
Initial Visit:
We understand many people have different needs and expectations about orthopaedics. If treatment is indicated, the physician will discuss the goals of treatment for your specific situation, explain the process and estimate the length of time treatment should take.
For your convenience, you will receive an automated courtesy reminder call the evening prior to your appointment.
Confidentiality:
Every effort is made to safe guard your medical record against error, loss or unauthorized access. We respect the right to privacy of all patients at Orthopaedic Center of Southern Illinois. By law, Orthopaedic Center of Southern Illinois must keep protected health information private. The federal government defines protected health information as any information, whether oral, electronic or paper, which is created or received by Orthopaedic Center and relates to a patient's health care or payment for the provision of medical services. This includes not only the results of tests and notes written by doctors, nurses and other clinical personnel, but also certain demographic information (such as your name, address and telephone number) that is related to your health records. It is oftentimes a necessity to share this health information with other providers or individuals involved in the payment of a patient's care.
Hospitalization:
In elective hospitalization, a pre-surgical office visit is required before surgery to complete your history and physical examination. The surgical coordinator will give you instructions about your hospital stay, any pre-operative requirements, and tests.
Many health insurance carriers now require preauthorization, second opinions, and daily utilization review. Be sure to provide our staff with any necessary forms. We will assist you in any way we can in dealing with your health care plan.
Insurance:
All patient accounts are computerized in this office, enabling fast and accurate billing. Please provide our office staff with complete information regarding your coverage and we will gladly assist you with the preparation of a claim form to help you obtain the maximum reimbursement according to your insurance contract.
Please remember that many insurance plans require co-payment, have deductibles, and may not cover routine office visits. The doctor has a relationship with the patient; the patient has a contract with the insurance company.
Please note that many health plans will request copies of medical records before rendering payment, and may contact our office to obtain information regarding your condition. Information is not given out without written permission. Please discuss any questions you may have regarding the confidentiality of medical records with the Office Manager.
Worker's Compensation:
If you are injured during the course of employment or suffer from a condition related to your employment, a telephone call or written verification from the employer or worker's compensation insurance is required accepting responsibility for payment of medical services.
If an employee chooses to obtain treatment from this office without his/her employer's approval, the employee will be held liable for all charges and fees.
According to Illinois law, medical records may be requested by the employer or his/her representatives without employee authorization.
Fees:
Today's medical office supports a large staff to maintain your medical records according to today's laws. Medicine, in addition to its art and science, is also a business.
Payment for office visits is expected at the time of services are rendered unless previous arrangements have been made. The financial responsibility rests with the patient or his/her family. Information regarding charges and fees is available from the business office.
We are committed to providing a streamlined fiscal process that allows patients to clearly understand their financial responsibilities.
Patients with Disabilities:
If you are disabled and need assistance, please ask our staff at the reception desk for assistance.
X-rays:
If this is your first visit and you have had previous x-rays taken for this condition, please make an effort to obtain those x-rays and reports. This is especially important if you have had special tests such as MRI, CT scans, arthrograms, myelograms or other tests.
The x-rays obtained at OCSI belong to the office as a permanent legal record. We are obligated by law to keep them. If you wish, a CD can be made at no additional charge.
Before being x-rayed, please inform the technologist if you might be, or are pregnant.
Medications:
Please inform the nurse or doctor at each office visit of any medications you are currently taking for the treatment of all medical conditions. If possible, bring the medication bottles and the names of the other physicians who have treated you.
Emergencies:
In the event of a serious situation, call the office if it's during office hours and explain the situation clearly. Our trained staff can handle may minor problems and can quickly locate and inform the doctor. If you are unable to reach the doctor by phone, go directly to the emergency room of your local hospital and be attended by the emergency staff. Be sure to give them your doctor's name so the doctor can be notified. If the initial treatment was rendered in the emergency room you may be asked to bring xrays and a copy of the written report taken at the hospital for the doctor to review.
Services offered:
On-site X-ray, MRI, DEXA, Minor Surgery, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy. Satellite offices located in Centralia, Benton and Nashville.
