Better Living Services
Having a MetroHealth Day begins with YOU! We are currently accepting new patients. We also believe that a great doctor-patient relationship is essential for your optimal health. To schedule your first visit, please call our main number (202) 638-0750 or online.
What to Expect at Your Initial Visit
FAQ
Getting to Metro Health
Our Address: 600 Pennsylvania Ave., SE, Suite L1 Washington, DC 20003
There is street parking behind our building, however parking is very limited. There’s a pay to park garage lot. Please give yourself a respectable amount of time to find a parking space if you plan on driving.
The nearest Metro Station is Eastern Market (Blue/Orange/Silver) which is about 1 block from our office. Located at 701 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20003.
Metro Health Experience
What you can expect from your Care Team at Metro Health
- A safe environment to talk about your concerns
- Responses to your questions and concerns at each appointment
- Partnering with you, using shared decision making, to help you manage your health care
- Being the “Quarterback” on your health care team, coordinating care with our office and specialists you see
What your Care Team at Metro expects from you
- Be an active participant on your health care team
- Bring your list of questions and medications to each appointment
- Bring your Photo ID, Insurance Card, and Co-Pay to every visit
- Call our office before going to the emergency room or hospital – we can usually get you into the office the same-day when appropriate, and we always have a physician available on call after hours
- Inform other providers you may see that MetroHealth is your Primary Care Provider, and ask them to share with us information regarding the care they provided you.
Same day appointments
If you need prompt medical attention for non-life-threatening conditions, we offer same day appointments. Please call the front desk to see if there are any same day appointments available.
How to prepare for your first visit?
Your first appointment with your PCP (Practice Care Physician) will be a “getting to know you” session that may last about 60 minutes that includes filling out paperwork and labs. During this first appointment, you will be asked to provide a brief medical history and discuss any current health concerns you may have. Your PCP will want to hear as much information as you can offer about your health so that he or she is able work with you to make the best decisions for your care.
Your doctor or nurse practitioner is a valuable resource for health information and advice. If you are concerned about the way you’ve been feeling lately, talk to your PCP about it. Together, you may be able to connect the dots and find a solution.
We also encourage you to sign up for our Patient Portal during your first visit. Please ask the medical receptionist to sign you up.
Do I need to fast for my first appointment?
In most cases, we would like to have lab work done during your initial appointment. If possible, please fast for at least eight hours before your appointment. After you see your PCP, you will be able to stop by our onsite lab to have your blood drawn.
If you have not fasted, you can schedule a lab draw appointment for a later time or date.
Documents that should be completed before your visit
We’d like to help you get the most out of your first visit with your primary care provider (PCP). Your time with your PCP is valuable and we have a few suggestions to help you make the most of your visit. To begin with, we ask that you complete the New Patient Information forms that are below:
- Patient Intake Form
- Consent to Treatment
- Review and sign the Notice of Privacy Practices
- (Optional) Complete the Release of Information form if you need to have your medical records transferred from another physician’s office.
For your first appointment with your PCP, you will need to bring:
- A valid government issued driver’s license or other photo identification.
- Your co-pay (if you have one).
- All your medication bottles (prescribed or over the counter) that you are currently taking
- All previous records including immunizations.
- Paperwork :
- Patient Intake form.
- Consent to Treatment.
- Review and sign the Notice of Privacy Practices.
- (Optional) Complete the Release of Information form if you need to have your medical records transferred from another physician’s office.
Can your appointment be telemedicine?
MetroHealth offers telemedicine visits. Common conditions/issues that may be telemedicine visits are: follow up concerns or questions, follow up to labs, allergies, UTIs, Asthma, Bronchitis, Colds and Flu, insect bites, skin rashes or conjunctivitis.
We recommend you contact us via the Patient Portal to inquire if your visit could be telemedicine.
How are Referrals Processed
If your Primary Care Provider feels you may benefit from seeing a specialist, they will refer you. You can pick up the referral when you check out at the front desk.
If your insurance requires a referral before seeing a specialist, please notify the front desk. We will work with you to obtain the referral.
We usually work with the following specialists:
Gastroenterology
Gastroenterology at the GW Medical Faculty Associates
22nd & I St NW, 3rd Floor
(202) 741-3333
Cancellation and No Show Policy
We want to honor our patients’ time (both yours and the other patients seeing us that day) and because our providers have many other patients they need to see, if you are 10 minutes late for an appointment, you may be asked to reschedule.
If you are unable to make your appointment or need to reschedule, we ask that you call MetroHealth as soon as you know you won’t be able to make your appointment. We understand situations arise.
There are also occasional emergency situations that arise for your PCP, which may put him or her behind schedule. We will keep you informed of any extended wait times.
If you do not notify us of cancellation within 24 hours of your appointment time, you may be charged for the appointment scheduled.
For repeated insufficient notification, we reserve the right to discontinue service.
Weather policy
MetroHealth follows the Office of Personnel Management Washington, DC Area Guidance. Please visit their website: www.opm.gov and click on Snow and Dismissal Procedures to check the status. We will also update our phone system and website if we close due to weather.
We recommend calling our office (202-638-0750) to confirm your appointment on days weather may affect our normal business operations.
What happens after your appointment?
- After meeting with your PCP, please be sure to stop at the front desk to check out. The medical receptionist will work with you to accomplish five items.
- Enroll you in our Patient Portal: If you have not yet enrolled for our online Patient Portal, now may be a good time for the front desk to help you become enabled.
- Give you a summary of your visit. The summary of your visit will:
- What you were seen for that day
- Preferred pharmacy
- Patient instructions (if any)
- Medical conditions based on what you were seen for that day
- Any allergies
- Plan of care from your provider
- Vital signs
- Other orders that were placed at the visit
- Important things you should do to protect your health (immunizations and routine well checks)
- Current medications
- Demographics
You will also be able to view this summary on the Patient Portal.
- Set up your preferred pharmacy. The medical receptionist will set up your preferred pharmacy. Please note we work closely with the following pharmacies and if any problems do occur, we can quickly work as a team to resolve your prescription issue.
We have our own in house pharmacy that you are able to collect anything you need.
- Give you any referrals. The front desk will give you any referrals you will need to have before returning to our office.
- Schedule your next appointment. Lastly, the medical receptionist will schedule your next appointment. Please let us know if you would like to receive either a phone call or text two days before the scheduled appointment to remind you.
Follow-up Labs
If your PCP orders lab work, you can visit our onsite lab. Your PCP will put in your lab order and they will be available to the lab through our electronic medical record system.
Please note: For some labs, preparation may be needed to be done (such as fasting) before you go to the laboratory.
If you are enrolled in our Patient Portal, you can see basic lab results as they are ready (typically within 14 business days), but some specialty labs may take longer.
If you are not enrolled in our Patient Portal, lab results are sent to your provider who will send you a letter, which will add additional days to finding out your results.
If you have questions about your lab results, in most cases, you can schedule a telemedicine visit by either calling the front desk or sending a message via the Patient Portal.
How are prescriptions/refill request handled?
Prescriptions will be sent to your preferred pharmacy electronically. If you are a new patient, prescriptions are usually sent to your preferred pharmacy when you check out.
You may call your pharmacy during their regular business hours to request a refill.
For prescription refill requests, the pharmacy will contact us. Please call your pharmacy prior to picking up your medication. Prescription refill requests can take up to three days to process and transmit to your pharmacy.
Please plan in advance for refill requests. If you wait until you are out of your medication, there may be a delay in refilling your prescription. Be sure to allow extra time for weekends and holidays. If you should run out of your medication on a weekend or holiday, there will be a delay in refilling your prescription until MetroHealth re-opens.
Routine prescription refills will not be refilled after hours.
Please note: It is important to note that controlled substances, including ADHD medications and pain medications are not refilled at your first visit with your PCP. Your new provider first needs to evaluate your condition and review your former records. So please don’t come to your first visit expecting an immediate refill on controlled substances.
Benefits of the patient portal
Our Patient Portal allows you 24 hour access to your Personal Health Information.
- With the Patient Portal, you will be able to:
- Receive Appointment Reminders
- Correspond with your PCP and healthcare team on-line via our Secure Portal
- View, Download, or Share your Personal Health Record, including data such as: Medications, Immunizations, and Test Results
- Request Prescription Refills
We strongly encourage you to sign up. Please call the front desk and they will enable your account. All we need is your email address. Instructions will then be emailed to you to complete the process. We also offer an app, Healow, that you can download to access the portal from your smartphone. After you are enrolled, you will be able to access your health information online.
Billing, Financial Assistance and Insurance Related Questions
Billing Questions
If you have any billing questions, you can call 202-516-6850 or email by clicking here.
Financial Assistance
It is the policy of MetroHealth to offer payment plans to patients that are not able to pay their bills for services provided by MetroHealth within 90 days from the date of service. Patients should contact the billing office at 202-838-9267 to apply for a payment plan. The patient will be responsible for making payment arrangements as agreed to in the signed payment plan.
If you do not have insurance, please call 202-838-9267 for assistance to apply for coverage. If coverage cannot be obtained through the state’s enrollment system for reasons other than nonpayment of the premium, you may be eligible for a sliding fee scale based on your annual income. Please click here to view our sliding fee schedule.
Patient balances after insurances
If a patient has a balance due after billing the insurance company, the patient will receive a statement showing the amount due. Payment in full is expected within 30 days of receipt of the statement. Patients will receive a monthly statement until the account is paid in full. If balances are not paid within 90 days of date of service and the patient has not made any payment agreements, the patient’s account will be sent to a collection agency for collections.
Insurance Copays
Insurance copays are expected at the time of service. MetroHealth will bill copays if not paid at time of service. Payment in full is expected within 30 days of receipt of the statement. If the patient has missed three consecutive copays, the patient will receive a letter from the Billing Manager stating that the patient must pay their next appointment copay and an amount on their back due copays or they must contact the business office for payment arrangements on any outstanding balance. If balances are not paid within 90 days of date of service and the patient has not made any payment agreements, the patient’s account will be sent to a collection agency for collections.