Making An Appointment FAQ
Thanks for checking our website! Here are some answers to our most common Frequently Asked Questions about Making An Appointment.
If you have a question that is not addressed here, please contact us and we will be happy to assist you!
What do I do if I have a problem after business hours?
If you have a problem that is not emergent, that can wait until the following day, please call and leave us a message, using the automated system. Messages are checked when we open the following business day.
After we close the office each day, or on the weekends, if you have a problem that cannot wait until the next business day, please do the following:
Call our main office number at 256-435-2229 – it will give you the number to our after-hours answering service.
Please explain your problem, symptoms, or issues to the operator. They will contact the physician on call and he will return your call and instruct you further.
If you think you are in labor after hours, please proceed to the hospital.
Can I have a walk-in appointment?
While we WILL see walk in patients, they must wait for an opening or be seen at the end of a work session.
Please call ahead if you have an emergency to speak with a nurse. In urgent situations, possible labor, or other emergencies, our nurses may work you in with the doctor on call or advise you on what to do for your individual situation.
Will I get a reminder call for my appointment?
Yes! So please make sure your contact information is correct! For GYN appointments, an automated system will call 1-2 days in advance to confirm.
Do you charge a fee for cancelling an appointment the same day or no-showing an appointment?
Yes. We do charge you a cancellation fee or no-show fee without 24 hour notice.
So, out of consideration to our other patients and our physician, please give us 24-hour notice if you need to cancel.
Do I have to wait a full year in between pap smear and mammogram appointments?
Our billing department recommends that you wait a full 365 days in between your yearly pap smear and/or mammogram appointments, then we are certain your insurance will cover your visits.
However, individual insurance policies do vary, so if you would like to check with your policy, call your plan administrator or the 800-number on your card. Ask if you have a policy that will cover your pap and/or mammogram at “once per calendar year”. If that is the case, you may make an appointment before you have reached the 365 day mark.
When am I due for my yearly?
We send out a Friendly Reminder postcard each year, to remind you to call and make your appointment! You may wait for that postcard, or call us anytime and we will look up your last appointment date.
I am on my menstrual cycle - can I still see the doctor for my yearly?
Yes, if your flow is light, Dr. Richmond can still perform an exam and PAP smear.
If you are bleeding heavily, please reschedule.