Midwest Health Group’s FAQs

What is a Family Practice?

A Family Practice employs licensed physicians, board certified in Family Medicine. At Midwest Health Group, we also employ mid-level providers (Nurse Practitioners).  All of our providers are able to provide comprehensive care to you and your entire family.  Our providers have the ability to diagnose and treat the vast majority of your family’s illnesses as well as providing routine well visits.

What is a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)?

A Family Nurse Practitioner is a registered nurse with advanced academic and clinical experience who specialized in Family Medicine.  They are educated through programs that grant either a certificate or a master’s degree and must pass a national exam to obtain a license to practice medicine.  In Missouri, they are licensed and regulated by the State Board of Nursing and are authorized to practice in collaboration with a physician.  The scope of practice of an FNP is defined by the State Board of Nursing Rules and Regulations.  They take medical histories, perform physical examinations, order and interpret laboratory and other diagnostic testing, determine a diagnosis and order treatment.  They may also instruct and counsel patients, perform minor procedures, and treat minor injuries by suturing and splinting.  FNP’s may prescribe medications including certain controlled substances.

What are the office hours?

Monday – Thursday     8am – 5pm

Friday                         8am – 2pm

To make an appointment with one of our providers call the office at 573-747-1510 and speak to one of our schedulers.

What are the in-house lab hours?

AIM Lab              Monday – Thursday  8am – 4:30pm and Friday  8am – 1:30pm

Walk-ins are welcome.

How are appointments scheduled?

Appointments are made by our appointment schedulers.  The schedulers also have the ability to direct your call to the appropriate voice mailbox if you wish to leave a message for one of our Medical Assistants, Providers, or other member of our staff.

How are emergencies handled?

During office hours it is not uncommon for an emergency to arise. Same day appointments are available.  If you are experiencing an emergency, we ask that you please call the office prior to arriving. By contacting us in advance, we are able to provide you with any instructions you may need to know, but also we are able to determine whether your emergency requires a direct trip to the emergency room.  If there is not time to contact us, please do not hesitate to come directly to the office.  However, if you feel your emergency is potentially life threatening, call 911 immediately for assistance.

How is my call handled after office hours?

After office hours calls are directed to an answering service.  When you dial the office at 573-747-1510, a recording advises you that the office is closed and directs you where to call for the answering service.  Once you hang up and dial the answering service they take your message and determine whether the on call provider needs to be contacted.

When will my provider return my phone call?

When a message is received by the Medical Assistant (MA) for a provider, the MA will access your chart and forward your message and chart to your provider.  Once the provider addresses your message, you will receive a call for either the MA or your provider.  As providers and MA’s are seeing scheduled appointments throughout the day, messages are returned when time allows, or at the end of the day.

**When leaving a message, please be sure to speak clearly and slowly, leave your name, the spelling of your name, a telephone number where you can be reached, and a brief message.

How will I be notified of laboratory and other test results?

Our office will notify you of your results in the following ways:

• We will contact you by phone.
• Results may be sent through our Patient Portal.  Patients must sign up for use of the portal in office.  Once authorization has been signed, results can be sent to you through the portal.
• If we are unable to reach you by phone or through the Patient Portal, we will send you a letter in the mail notifying you to contact our office.

The amount of time it takes for the office to receive your test results, varies by test.  We ask that if you have not been contacted with your results within 7 – 10 days, please contact our office for your results.

**It is very important to us that you know your results.  If you do not hear from us within 10 days you need to call the office so we can address.

How do I get my prescription refilled?

We ask that our patients call their pharmacy well in advance for their refills. The pharmacy will contact your provider for authorization to refill your prescription.  You can then contact the pharmacy to see if the prescription has been refilled.  Please note that if you have not had an office visit with your provider in the last 3 months, the prescription may not be refilled until you are seen in the follow up.  Also note that prescriptions may not be filled after office hours and that narcotic prescriptions will NOT be filled after office hours, including weekends.

What credit cards does your office accept?

The office accepts Discover, Visa, American Express, and Mastercard.

What if I don’t have insurance or cannot pay my bill in full?

After you have established yourself as a patient, our billing department will be happy to set up a payment arrangement with you.  Please inquire about our Prompt Pay Discount.

How do I contact the billing department?

The phone number for the billing office is: 573-747-1510, option 8.  The fax number is: 573-747-1701

Where do I send my payments?

Checks should be made payable to: Midwest Health Group, 555 W. Pine Street, Farmington, MO 63640

You can also bring your payment to the front desk.  Now you may pay online!  See home page for details.

Am I required to pay my copay at the time of my visit?

Yes.  If your insurance plan states you have a copay, that copay is due at the time of your visit.

Is there a cancellation or missed appointment charge?

No.  Our office does not charge for cancelled or missed appointments.

I was involved in an auto accident, will you bill my auto insurance carrier?

No, we will only bill your medical insurance carrier.

If I was hurt at work, can I be seen?

Yes, notify the schedulers when making your appointment and they will advise you as to what information you will need to provide.

How do I obtain my medical records?

Your medical records can be requested by coming into the office and filling out a records release form.  Please allow 7-14 days for your request to be processed.

Who do I contact if I have requested my records and have not received them?

To check on the status of your request, contact Medical Records, by dialing 573-747-1510.

Do you bill my secondary/supplemental insurance?

Yes, once we have received a response from your primary insurance, we bill your secondary insurance for you.