Welcome to Beth Israel Lahey Health Primary Care at
Belmont Medical Associates
About us:
Established in 1977 as Belmont Medical Associates by recently retired Drs. Stephen Ranere and Donald Shushan, we are a ten physician primary care group practice in Cambridge, MA. All of our physicians are on active staff at Mt. Auburn Hospital, which is part of the Beth Israel Lahey Health (BILH) system. Our practice also currently includes two nurse practitioners (NP), two physician assistants (PA) and a registered nurse (RN).
We hope that this pamphlet will explain our practice philosophy and set realistic expectations for you as a patient.
Our practice uses the Epic electronic medical record system, which has a patient portal called “MyChart.” This portal allows patients to contact their physician, view lab and radiology results, read parts of their medical record, and communicate with our staff for routine tasks such as prescription refills and referral requests.
We are affiliated with Mt. Auburn Hospital, a Harvard Medical teaching hospital, for inpatient admissions and other hospital-based services, and with the Mt. Auburn network of physicians for specialty consultations and referrals. Mt. Auburn Hospital uses dedicated full time hospitalists to oversee the care of patients admitted to the inpatient medical service. The hospitalists keep your primary care physician (PCP) updated during the course of a hospitalization, and your PCP in turn communicates with the hospital team about your medical issues.
Contacting our office:
The easiest and most efficient way of contacting our office for routine appointment requests, prescription refills, referral requests, and non-urgent medical questions is through the MyChart patient portal. MyChart is monitored by our staff regularly during normal business hours, and a response to your query is typically provided within one business day.
Calling our office: We are available by phone Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Please be aware that due to the size of our practice, our call volume is very high. We use an offsite call center to answer the bulk of our calls, so please be patient as there may be a wait time. Our office can also be contacted directly by listening to and following the automated prompts. Routine messages called in to your physician or medical assistant will typically be returned within one business day.
Belmont Medical Associates has a website that is updated regularly, especially related to emergency office closings due to inclement weather. The website also has information about our physicians, our office policies, and using the MyChart portal. You can find our website by visiting www.belmontmed.com.
Our Care Philosophy:
As your primary care provider, your PCP will center your care around periodic health assessments and preventative health measures, and provide individualized instruction and guidance. Our goal is to detect and modify risk factors before they lead to serious illness, such as heart attack or stroke. We emphasize screening tests for early detection of potentially curable diseases such as breast, colon, cervical, and prostate cancer, in accordance with currently accepted national guidelines. With specialty training in adult medicine, your PCP has the expertise to promptly diagnose and treat most acute medical illnesses, as well as manage chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, asthma, emphysema, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, and peptic ulcer disease.
We believe that your health care is a shared responsibility, and we ask you to be a partner with us in managing your medical conditions. Research shows that patients who are more involved in their care have better health outcomes. We make every effort to notify you promptly regarding test results, and in turn we welcome your questions and concerns. We encourage you to bring a family member or companion to your visits, especially if you are feeling sick or English is not your first language. We want you to have as much information as possible about your condition, so that you have the confidence to share in the decisions that affect your health.
Referrals:
Should you develop a medical issue for which your PCP recommends a consultation with a specialist, we will assist you in coordinating a referral to a trusted specialist who works closely with our practice. This allows efficient communication and coordination of care between your PCP and the specialist. At Belmont Medical Associates, our referral network includes specialists primarily affiliated with Mt. Auburn Hospital, as well as the Beth Israel-Lahey Clinic network. This network provides you with access to an experienced and highly qualified group of specialty physicians.
Remember that if you are a member of a managed health care plan (HMO), your insurance policy requires that any specialist you see must be part of your PCP’s network. It is very important to discuss any referrals with your PCP before you make an appointment with a specialist. It is the policy of our office that we will NOT generate backdated referrals for patients who refer themselves to specialists without first consulting their PCP.
Office Visits:
Office visits are 15 or 30 minute appointments to address a specific health concern. To gain the most benefit from your visit, we request that you focus on the issue that is bothering you most, and avoid trying to rush through multiple problems in one visit. Be prepared to describe the location and duration of your symptoms, and factors that make your symptoms better or worse. Tell your doctor what you have done at home to treat your symptoms (for example, over the counter medications or home remedies). You may find it helpful to prepare a list of your symptoms and concerns so you do not leave out any important details.
Follow up visits:
For some chronic medical conditions, particularly diabetes, follow up visits are necessary every 3 to 6 months. Many medications, including those for blood pressure, cholesterol, and thyroid conditions, require regular monitoring and periodic blood tests to ensure they are effective and are not causing unwanted side effects. If you take chronic narcotic pain medications or other controlled medications for anxiety or sleep, a follow up visit is required every 3 to 6 months and you may be asked to submit to random urine screenings. We will also require you to sign a controlled substances contract, which outlines our office policies regarding these prescriptions and indicates your agreement to follow these policies.
Urgent Care Visits:
Please remember we are not an urgent care center, but we do have a small number of urgent care appointment slots available each day. We make every effort to provide same day service to our patients who feel they need to be seen urgently. If your PCP’s schedule cannot accommodate you, then we will attempt to have you seen by one of our other healthcare providers.
Annual Physical Exams:
Annual physical exams are covered by most commercial insurance plans, and are an important part of your health maintenance. These are WELL visits, where your PCP will review your medical history, discuss your chronic health conditions, and determine whether any labs, screening procedures, or immunizations are due based on your age and medical and family history. Please be aware that it may not be possible to address new medical problems that fall outside the scope of a routine annual exam, and we may advise you to make a separate appointment to allow appropriate time for evaluation of any new concerns. If time allows, a new symptom or concern that is evaluated at the time of your annual physical will incur an additional office visit charge, which may require a copay from you.
Annual Wellness Visits (AWV) – Medicare
Medicare Part B does not cover traditional physical exams. Medicare patients are offered an Annual Wellness Visit every 12 months as part of their routine care. The Annual Wellness Visit focuses on preventative screenings and wellness counseling, and is NOT a hands-on examination. All patients enrolled in Medicare Part B for more than 12 months are eligible for this yearly visit to develop or update a personalized health and safety plan, with the goal of preventing disease and disability. Prior to the visit, you will need to fill out a “Health Risk Assessment” form, either via MyChart or paper questionnaire. As per Medicare guidelines, your Annual Wellness Visit includes:
• A review of your chronic medical conditions
• An update of your current prescriptions and specialists involved in your care
• Evaluation for symptoms of cognitive impairment and depression
• A review of your advanced care wishes (“living will”)
• A plan to ensure you are up to date on appropriate screening tests and immunizations
• Height, weight, and blood pressure
Please note that an Annual Wellness Visit does NOT cover a physical exam, blood tests, or an EKG.
There is no charge for the yearly Annual Wellness Visit, and the Part B deductible does not apply. However, we understand that many of our patients still want a traditional “physical exam” that includes lab work and a hands-on exam by their provider. If your PCP performs these services during the Annual Wellness Visit, or addresses any new health concerns that are not covered under these preventative care guidelines, additional office visit charges will be incurred. This means you may have to pay coinsurance fees, and the Part B deductible will apply. You are also welcome to schedule a separate visit to address any new health concerns. However, please note that a separate charge will be applied for these services, whether they occur on the same day or a different day than your Annual Wellness Visit.
After Hours Emergencies:
As always, if you are having a medical emergency, please dial 911.
If you have an urgent medical problem that cannot wait until the next business day, there is an on-call emergency service for advice outside of regular office hours. Please do not use the MyChart portal for after-hours emergency concerns, as your message will not be seen until the next business day when the office re-opens.
After hours calls are routed to an answering service that covers all primary care practices affiliated with Mt. Auburn Hospital, and because they may be fielding many calls at once, there can be a wait time. A nurse is available to triage your call and may be able to address your problem. If not, they will take your information and contact the on-call physician. Please do not expect the on-call physician to refill routine prescriptions, obtain lab results, or treat non-urgent problems that can safely wait until your own doctor’s office is open. Covering physicians CANNOT authorize prescriptions for controlled medications or narcotics, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, tramadol, lorazepam, zolpidem, and other medications in this class. These medications require specific electronic authentication by your own physician during normal business hours, and cannot be called or faxed in. Also, on-call physicians cannot do prior authorizations or insurance overrides. These can only be done by your own PCP during regular office hours.
If there is the possibility that the on-call physician will need to prescribe a medication for you such as an antibiotic, please have your pharmacy information readily available and be certain the pharmacy is open.
Virtual Visits:
For the protection of our staff and our patients we offer virtual visits for those patients that may have a potentially infectious illness. Evaluation via a video visit can be done through the MyChart patient portal, or your smart phone. Please be aware these visits can only be offered to patients that are physically located in the state of Massachusetts. Due to licensing and insurance restrictions, we can not offer these visits to patients that are out of state.
We hope this information is helpful in outlining our office policies and procedures, as well as understanding the services that your primary care provider at Belmont Medical Associates can provide for you. By offering comprehensive medical services along with personal attention and care, we hope to work with you to manage your health and wellness for many years to come.
Belmont Medical Associates
About us:
Established in 1977 as Belmont Medical Associates by recently retired Drs. Stephen Ranere and Donald Shushan, we are a ten physician primary care group practice in Cambridge, MA. All of our physicians are on active staff at Mt. Auburn Hospital, which is part of the Beth Israel Lahey Health (BILH) system. Our practice also currently includes two nurse practitioners (NP), two physician assistants (PA) and a registered nurse (RN).
We hope that this pamphlet will explain our practice philosophy and set realistic expectations for you as a patient.
Our practice uses the Epic electronic medical record system, which has a patient portal called “MyChart.” This portal allows patients to contact their physician, view lab and radiology results, read parts of their medical record, and communicate with our staff for routine tasks such as prescription refills and referral requests.
We are affiliated with Mt. Auburn Hospital, a Harvard Medical teaching hospital, for inpatient admissions and other hospital-based services, and with the Mt. Auburn network of physicians for specialty consultations and referrals. Mt. Auburn Hospital uses dedicated full time hospitalists to oversee the care of patients admitted to the inpatient medical service. The hospitalists keep your primary care physician (PCP) updated during the course of a hospitalization, and your PCP in turn communicates with the hospital team about your medical issues.
Contacting our office:
The easiest and most efficient way of contacting our office for routine appointment requests, prescription refills, referral requests, and non-urgent medical questions is through the MyChart patient portal. MyChart is monitored by our staff regularly during normal business hours, and a response to your query is typically provided within one business day.
Calling our office: We are available by phone Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Please be aware that due to the size of our practice, our call volume is very high. We use an offsite call center to answer the bulk of our calls, so please be patient as there may be a wait time. Our office can also be contacted directly by listening to and following the automated prompts. Routine messages called in to your physician or medical assistant will typically be returned within one business day.
Belmont Medical Associates has a website that is updated regularly, especially related to emergency office closings due to inclement weather. The website also has information about our physicians, our office policies, and using the MyChart portal. You can find our website by visiting www.belmontmed.com.
Our Care Philosophy:
As your primary care provider, your PCP will center your care around periodic health assessments and preventative health measures, and provide individualized instruction and guidance. Our goal is to detect and modify risk factors before they lead to serious illness, such as heart attack or stroke. We emphasize screening tests for early detection of potentially curable diseases such as breast, colon, cervical, and prostate cancer, in accordance with currently accepted national guidelines. With specialty training in adult medicine, your PCP has the expertise to promptly diagnose and treat most acute medical illnesses, as well as manage chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, asthma, emphysema, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, and peptic ulcer disease.
We believe that your health care is a shared responsibility, and we ask you to be a partner with us in managing your medical conditions. Research shows that patients who are more involved in their care have better health outcomes. We make every effort to notify you promptly regarding test results, and in turn we welcome your questions and concerns. We encourage you to bring a family member or companion to your visits, especially if you are feeling sick or English is not your first language. We want you to have as much information as possible about your condition, so that you have the confidence to share in the decisions that affect your health.
Referrals:
Should you develop a medical issue for which your PCP recommends a consultation with a specialist, we will assist you in coordinating a referral to a trusted specialist who works closely with our practice. This allows efficient communication and coordination of care between your PCP and the specialist. At Belmont Medical Associates, our referral network includes specialists primarily affiliated with Mt. Auburn Hospital, as well as the Beth Israel-Lahey Clinic network. This network provides you with access to an experienced and highly qualified group of specialty physicians.
Remember that if you are a member of a managed health care plan (HMO), your insurance policy requires that any specialist you see must be part of your PCP’s network. It is very important to discuss any referrals with your PCP before you make an appointment with a specialist. It is the policy of our office that we will NOT generate backdated referrals for patients who refer themselves to specialists without first consulting their PCP.
Office Visits:
Office visits are 15 or 30 minute appointments to address a specific health concern. To gain the most benefit from your visit, we request that you focus on the issue that is bothering you most, and avoid trying to rush through multiple problems in one visit. Be prepared to describe the location and duration of your symptoms, and factors that make your symptoms better or worse. Tell your doctor what you have done at home to treat your symptoms (for example, over the counter medications or home remedies). You may find it helpful to prepare a list of your symptoms and concerns so you do not leave out any important details.
Follow up visits:
For some chronic medical conditions, particularly diabetes, follow up visits are necessary every 3 to 6 months. Many medications, including those for blood pressure, cholesterol, and thyroid conditions, require regular monitoring and periodic blood tests to ensure they are effective and are not causing unwanted side effects. If you take chronic narcotic pain medications or other controlled medications for anxiety or sleep, a follow up visit is required every 3 to 6 months and you may be asked to submit to random urine screenings. We will also require you to sign a controlled substances contract, which outlines our office policies regarding these prescriptions and indicates your agreement to follow these policies.
Urgent Care Visits:
Please remember we are not an urgent care center, but we do have a small number of urgent care appointment slots available each day. We make every effort to provide same day service to our patients who feel they need to be seen urgently. If your PCP’s schedule cannot accommodate you, then we will attempt to have you seen by one of our other healthcare providers.
Annual Physical Exams:
Annual physical exams are covered by most commercial insurance plans, and are an important part of your health maintenance. These are WELL visits, where your PCP will review your medical history, discuss your chronic health conditions, and determine whether any labs, screening procedures, or immunizations are due based on your age and medical and family history. Please be aware that it may not be possible to address new medical problems that fall outside the scope of a routine annual exam, and we may advise you to make a separate appointment to allow appropriate time for evaluation of any new concerns. If time allows, a new symptom or concern that is evaluated at the time of your annual physical will incur an additional office visit charge, which may require a copay from you.
Annual Wellness Visits (AWV) – Medicare
Medicare Part B does not cover traditional physical exams. Medicare patients are offered an Annual Wellness Visit every 12 months as part of their routine care. The Annual Wellness Visit focuses on preventative screenings and wellness counseling, and is NOT a hands-on examination. All patients enrolled in Medicare Part B for more than 12 months are eligible for this yearly visit to develop or update a personalized health and safety plan, with the goal of preventing disease and disability. Prior to the visit, you will need to fill out a “Health Risk Assessment” form, either via MyChart or paper questionnaire. As per Medicare guidelines, your Annual Wellness Visit includes:
• A review of your chronic medical conditions
• An update of your current prescriptions and specialists involved in your care
• Evaluation for symptoms of cognitive impairment and depression
• A review of your advanced care wishes (“living will”)
• A plan to ensure you are up to date on appropriate screening tests and immunizations
• Height, weight, and blood pressure
Please note that an Annual Wellness Visit does NOT cover a physical exam, blood tests, or an EKG.
There is no charge for the yearly Annual Wellness Visit, and the Part B deductible does not apply. However, we understand that many of our patients still want a traditional “physical exam” that includes lab work and a hands-on exam by their provider. If your PCP performs these services during the Annual Wellness Visit, or addresses any new health concerns that are not covered under these preventative care guidelines, additional office visit charges will be incurred. This means you may have to pay coinsurance fees, and the Part B deductible will apply. You are also welcome to schedule a separate visit to address any new health concerns. However, please note that a separate charge will be applied for these services, whether they occur on the same day or a different day than your Annual Wellness Visit.
After Hours Emergencies:
As always, if you are having a medical emergency, please dial 911.
If you have an urgent medical problem that cannot wait until the next business day, there is an on-call emergency service for advice outside of regular office hours. Please do not use the MyChart portal for after-hours emergency concerns, as your message will not be seen until the next business day when the office re-opens.
After hours calls are routed to an answering service that covers all primary care practices affiliated with Mt. Auburn Hospital, and because they may be fielding many calls at once, there can be a wait time. A nurse is available to triage your call and may be able to address your problem. If not, they will take your information and contact the on-call physician. Please do not expect the on-call physician to refill routine prescriptions, obtain lab results, or treat non-urgent problems that can safely wait until your own doctor’s office is open. Covering physicians CANNOT authorize prescriptions for controlled medications or narcotics, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, tramadol, lorazepam, zolpidem, and other medications in this class. These medications require specific electronic authentication by your own physician during normal business hours, and cannot be called or faxed in. Also, on-call physicians cannot do prior authorizations or insurance overrides. These can only be done by your own PCP during regular office hours.
If there is the possibility that the on-call physician will need to prescribe a medication for you such as an antibiotic, please have your pharmacy information readily available and be certain the pharmacy is open.
Virtual Visits:
For the protection of our staff and our patients we offer virtual visits for those patients that may have a potentially infectious illness. Evaluation via a video visit can be done through the MyChart patient portal, or your smart phone. Please be aware these visits can only be offered to patients that are physically located in the state of Massachusetts. Due to licensing and insurance restrictions, we can not offer these visits to patients that are out of state.
We hope this information is helpful in outlining our office policies and procedures, as well as understanding the services that your primary care provider at Belmont Medical Associates can provide for you. By offering comprehensive medical services along with personal attention and care, we hope to work with you to manage your health and wellness for many years to come.
