Internal Medicine Patient Information

General Internal Medicine at UPMC Montefiore provides on-site diagnostic services and treatments and preventive health services, including:

Blood and other office laboratory tests
Electrocardiography
Vision and hearing screenings
Flexible sigmoidoscopy
Health education
Immunizations

Minor office procedures such as Pap tests, removal of skin lesions, and joint and tissue injections also are performed on-site. Our location in UPMC Montefiore provides patients with convenient access to other diagnostic services, including x-ray and mammography.

Our patients also have access to a wide range of services throughout UPMC, including referrals for specialty consultations and follow-up care, specialized tests and procedures, physical therapy and rehabilitation, and much more. For inpatient hospital care and services, our patients have easy access to other UPMC hospitals. A health educator, dietitian, and pharmacist are available on-site to help patients with any questions or concerns following their appointments.

Women’s Health

Our practice also has a comprehensive and interdisciplinary women’s health program. Five specially trained internists with expertise in women’s health and an on-site gynecologist provide these services. We offer women:

Routine diagnostic gynecological exams
Breast exams
Menopause counseling
Osteoporosis management
Contraception
Incontinence treatment
Chest pain syndrome treatment

Preventive Health

Many clinic visits tend to focus on specific health problems and rarely on the overall health of a patient. To improve the overall quality of our patients' health care, General Internal Medicine has designed a new program called the Comprehensive Visit Program. Through this program, we schedule our patients for a Comprehensive Visit once a year. The visit lasts 30 minutes and may include:

Annual physical examination
Medical history, medications, and family history updates
Cancer screening
Immunizations
Cholesterol check
Screening for alcohol use, tobacco use, and depression
Advance directives
Counseling and education on a number of different health topics

For more information about this exciting new program, contact us.

Scheduling an Appointment

Hours and appointments:
General Internal Medicine at UPMC Montefiore maintains office hours Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Physician visits are by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, contact us.
Canceling appointments:
If you are unable to keep your appointment or are going to be late, please call the office as soon as possible. This courtesy allows us to better serve other patients.
Primary care physicians and referrals to specialists:
One of our physicians will serve as your primary care physician and coordinate all aspects of your medical care. Once you have selected your primary care physician (PCP), we will make every effort to assure that any medical questions or urgent problems are quickly brought to his or her attention. Your PCP also will help you select an appropriate specialist if the need arises. Some managed care plans require your primary care physician to refer you to a specialist. This can be accomplished before you leave the office by leaving a message on our referral line at 412-692-4888. Referrals are processed within two working days. If your health plan requires authorization for a procedure, processing authorization through your health plan may take up to five days. Please call our referral line or use our online form with a minimum of five days advance notice.

If your PCP is not available to see you, another member of the group will take care of your needs and will update your physician when he or she is available. Follow-up appointments will be scheduled with your own physician.

Preparing for Your Appointment

For your first visit, please plan to arrive at least 20 minutes before your scheduled appointment. This will allow us to obtain the information needed to register you. Please be prepared to provide the following information:

Personal medical history
Family history of medical problems
Complete list of doses and kinds of medications that you are currently taking, including over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, supplements, and herbal medications
Complete list of any allergies to medications
Name and telephone number of your pharmacy
Your insurance identification card and any copayment fee that your carrier may require

It also is a good idea to check the supply of all your medications before your appointment. If you are getting low, you can ask your PCP to write a new prescription during your visit. This will save you from making a telephone call later.

Receiving Test Results & Prescriptions

Test results

Your physician may ask you to contact the office a few days after a test to discuss the results. Your physician will not contact you if the results of your test are normal; however, if you wish to know the results, you may contact us at 412-692-4888, and a member of our staff will assist you.

Prescriptions

When you see your physician, please ask for enough prescription refills to last until your next appointment. If you find that you do not have enough refills, call the office between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and leave a message on our prescription line. We will need to know the name of your medication, the dose, how often you take it, the name of your physician, your health insurance plan, and your pharmacy’s telephone number. Please do not wait until you run out of medication to call the office.

Sick Calls

If you have a medical problem and need advice from your doctor, please call our office Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. A registered nurse will gather more information and work closely with your physician to answer your questions and meet your needs as soon as possible.

Emergencies

You may call our office with an urgent problem 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 412-692-4888. After 5 p.m. and on weekends and holidays, your call will be answered by our answering service. The service will put you in contact with your physician or the physician-on-call if needed. If you have a true medical emergency, you should go to the nearest emergency room.