Office Policies & Cancellation Policy
Appointments
You may make appointments online through the patient portal (mypatientvisit.com) by clicking on “Request Appointment” and providing any details that are pertinent. We will check availability and confirm as soon as possible. You may also call to make appointments, and some services are available to book online through our website. If you need to reset your password for the portal, our Practice ID is ORLRBU
Emails / Patient Portal
You are encouraged to communicate via the Patient Portal (mypatientvisit.com) since it is private and secure, and allows us to track conversations for reference. We check portal messages frequently except on weekends and will usually reply the same day, and always within 2 business days. Our general email address is office@optimalselfmd.com and should only be used in the event of lack of portal access.
Office Phone: 864-214-5232 Fax: 864-626-0609
You may call the office during business hours for immediate questions or concerns, or leave a message on the house phone, which we check throughout the day. If you don’t leave a message, we won’t know you called! Our fax number may be used for medical records transfer.
Text
We have implemented 2-way texting and may reach out for permission from you to use this for communication. You will receive a text message asking for permission, and once you agree we can communicate that way for simple issues like scheduling and appointment changes, but not involving medical issues. If you are on a membership plan that includes direct text message access to Dr. Katherine, you may use that for communication of urgent or short messages or questions between 6 am and 9 pm. FYI, text messaging is not HIPAA compliant.
Emergency Contact
In case of an emergency, as long as it is not life threatening, portal message us or call the office phone. Of course you must use common sense and call 911 or proceed to the nearest emergency room for life threatening emergencies. Be aware Dr. Katherine is not on call for these things unless you are a membership patient, but definitely wants to know if you are experiencing any health problems so she can be of assistance to you. If you are one of Dr. Shawn’s surgical patients, you should have his and/or his nurse’s numbers handy.
Prescription Refills
Refill requests between scheduled appointments are complimentary for all patients currently enrolled in a wellness program or a membership. Otherwise, these will incur a $75 charge and you must have a credit card on file. For any prescription refills, you must have been seen in the office in the previous 6 months. If this is not the case, please call or message us and make an appointment. We are a specialty wellness practice and we do not function as a primary care office. Therefore, we do not refill or prescribe medications outside our scope of practice like chronic pain meds, sedatives, or other controlled substances.
Supplement Refills
In order to get the best possible results, we like to encourage use of the highest quality products verified by 3rd party testing for purity and efficacy. We stock many of the formulas we use regularly at the office. If we refer you to online supplement ordering, you will have gotten a link from us with your first recommendation. Bookmark those sites and save the login information for future use. As a membership patient, you get 10% off of these professional grade supplements when purchased in the office, which is a significant savings. Let us know when you are running low and we can order those for you, or drop ship from the manufacturer directly to you. We also have a page on our website under Patient Resources that lists all of the suppliers, websites, and codes.
Referrals
We are a specialty wellness practice and we do not function as a primary care office. Therefore, we do not write referrals to any other specialists unless we find a condition requiring a referral. We may refer you out for testing that we don’t offer, such as ultrasounds or X-rays. In that case, you are responsible for submitting your insurance information to that office or facility.
Office Etiquette
Our office is small and we try to maintain a quiet and soothing environment. For this reason we ask that cellphone use be minimized, especially when in open areas like the IV lounge. We try to protect the office environment in order to provide our patients with a clean, safe and discreet experience. We do not allow food to be brought in to the office, and all drinks must have a lid or a cap. Children must be supervised and well behaved. Although we rarely encounter this, we have a zero tolerance policy for rude or disrespectful behavior. This will result in immediate dismissal from the practice.
Cancellations
We understand that schedules change, people get sick, and unavoidable scheduling conflicts arise. Please make every effort to cancel your appointment at least 3 business days in advance to allow us to fill that time slot. We send out reminder texts and emails requesting appointment confirmation. You can cancel by replying to one of those, leaving us a voicemail, or sending us an email. We consider anything less than 48 hours before your scheduled appointment to be a late cancellation.
Membership patients are not charged a cancellation fee for office visits, however a no-show or late cancellation will count towards one of your annual visits. You are still subject to the rules for procedures, massage, and aesthetics appointments.
Cancellation Policy for Plastic Surgery and In-Office Procedures
To ensure the highest quality of care and to respect the time and preparation that goes into your procedure, we require full payment at the time of scheduling for all plastic surgery and in-office procedures.
If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, we ask that you provide at least 48 hours’ notice. This allows us to accommodate other patients and manage our schedule effectively.
Cancellations made less than 48 hours prior to the scheduled procedure will incur a cancellation fee of 50% of the total procedure cost. This fee will be required in addition to the remaining balance if you wish to reschedule.
Cancellations for Plastic Surgery Consultations and Aesthetics Patients
Late cancellations or no-shows for surgical consultations will forfeit the fee charged at the time of scheduling.
Late cancellations or no-shows for aesthetic appointments will be charged 50% of your anticipated visit fee. Habitual offenders will not be rescheduled, or will be required to pay in advance.
Cancellations for Wellness & Massage Patients
For cancellations less than 48 hours in advance of consultations or appointments with Dr. Katherine, Amy Martin, Sarah Wilson, or any other provider we will charge a fee of $125. No-shows for scheduled appointments will be charged the full amount of your visit. We may require pre-payment before rescheduling you. Habitual offenders will not be rescheduled.
Late Arrivals
It is very important to arrive to your appointment on time. If you arrive 15 minutes late to your appointment, it is likely you will need to reschedule. We will make every effort to accommodate your appointment if time permits and at the discretion of the service provider. If we are not able to accommodate your appointment in the schedule on the same day, the cancellation/no show fee outlined above will be assessed.
Confirmation Reminders
As a courtesy, we will send out email and SMS messages to confirm your service appointments three days prior to your appointment date. Please ensure that we have your current mobile number on file so that we can reach you. It remains your responsibility to remember your appointment dates and times to avoid late arrivals, missed appointments, and to avoid the cancellation fees.
Cancellations can be emailed to office@optimalselfmd.com, made through the portal, or called in to the office at 864.214.5232. Please leave a message or we will not know you called!
Privacy Policy
OptimalSelf MD will use the information you provide on our email subscription forms to be in touch with you and to provide updates and marketing. You can change your mind at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the footer of any email you receive from us. We will treat your information with respect, and will not share your contact information with anyone else.