Preparing for Your Visit
For routine requests like scheduling an appointment and prescription refills, please call during regular business hours. For after-hours medical concerns, please call our office at 617-754-9600. For non-urgent matters, you can also reach us any time through MyBILHChart. In case of an emergency, please call 911 immediately.
In-person or telehealth (video or phone) visits with your doctor or nurse practitioner can seem too short sometimes. Planning for your visit can help. It’s important for your voice and your concerns to be heard and for your doctor or nurse to have all the information they need. Some ideas to keep in mind are below.
Information to Keep in Mind
- When you schedule an office visit, you may need to answer a few questions over the telephone about your health and personal history, such as your age and any medications you may be taking.
- Before your first appointment, please forward your medical records and any medical tests you have had and their results. Bring a list of your current medications and your insurance card with you.
- Check with your insurance company to see if your policy includes care and treatment at BIDMC. We can help if you have questions about the coverage information you receive. We can also work with your insurance company if the company has questions or requires additional information to determine your benefits.
- Co-payments are due at the time of your appointment. We accept cash, check and credit cards.
- Bring a list of questions you have for your primary care doctor, and a notebook so you can jot down information.
Telehealth Visits
Here are some tips to help you prepare for your telehealth visit:
- Find a quiet place where you can have privacy for your video visit and make sure your Wi-Fi is working well.
- Video platforms work best if you close other apps on your phone or computer before your telehealth visit. Restarting your phone or computer entirely can also help.
- Please sign in for your video visit 10-15 minutes before your appointment time. That way, if there are problems signing in, there will be time to troubleshoot the issue.
