Frequently Asked Questions
Are you accepting new patients?
Yes! We would love to see you, your friends and family. Click here to request an appointment.
Does Avance Care accept most insurance plans?
Yes. Most major insurance plans are accepted. We will also file your claim for you; however, any co-pays, deductibles, or non-covered services must be paid at time of services rendered. We also accept Cash, Checks, Visa, MasterCard, Discover Card and American Express.
Will I be treated if I do not have insurance?
Certainly, we offer a prompt-pay discount to self-pay patients.
Is Avance Care an Urgent Care Center?
No. But, with our daily walk-in hours, including on weekends, we are an economical alternative to Urgent Care. We provide convenience of Urgent Care without the higher cost or copays!
Avance Care is a Family Medicine practice - a medical home for your family. We have board certified Family Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, and Physician Assistants that strive to provide you with a continuity of care for both your acute and chronic medical problems as well as check-ups. For your convenience, we are open 7 days a week, we have convenient walk-in hours and we perform many outpatient procedures in our office which are pre-scheduled including laceration repair, and drainage of simple skin abscess.
Urgent care centers traditionally see patients only for acute illness and injuries and are not designed to provide a medical home for families. At Avance Care, we do provide many of services found at Urgent care centers but in some instances (such as suspected fractures, major burns and other major injures) it will necessary for you to be seen at an Urgent Care or Emergency Department. Avance Care will always refer you to most appropriate facility or provider for evaluation of acute injury or illness when it is medically necessary.
Please click here to see the services we provide to you as your medical home.
Who is a Self-Pay patient? What is Prompt-Pay discount?
A Self-Pay patient does not have insurance, pays in full at the time of visit for our services and we are not required to file claim or submit any documentation on his/her behalf to a third party.
Prompt-Pay discount is provided to Self-Pay patient when payment is made in full at the time of visit for our services.
Who is a New Patient and who is considered as Established Patient?
A New Patient is one who has not received any professional services from any Avance Care physician within the past three years. An Established Patient is one who has received professional services from Avance Care physician within the past three years.
What type of patients and medical conditions do you see?
We see all ages of patients, from newborns to seniors. We manage a wide variety of medical conditions from chronic illnesses (such as diabetes, hypertension, thyroid disease, coronary artery disease, asthma, etc.) to acute problems (such as respiratory infections, musculoskeletal injuries, rashes, headaches, etc).
Please click here to access all of our services.
Do I need an appointment?
Yes and No. We have walk-in only hours and encourage you to make an appointment outside the walk-in only hours. In most cases, if requested before noon, we provide same day appointments.
Please click here to get more details.
Do you see children?
Yes! We treat patients of all ages from newborns to seniors. Our physicians have all been trained to care for pediatric patients. In addition to treating acute medical problems in kids (such as colds, rashes, ear infections, broken bones, etc), we provide well-child care and are able administer all recommended immunizations.
Do you provide well-woman care services?
Yes. We provide a full spectrum well-woman care, including pap smears, pelvic exams and breast examinations.
Do you deliver babies?
No. We do not perform obstetrical care. If you become pregnant, we can refer you to a local obstetrician.
Can I bring my whole family here?
Yes! We love to see entire families. In fact, we believe that knowing the whole family and understanding family dynamics is invaluable to provide comprehensive care to the individual.
Do you provide School Physicals? How about Flu Shots?
Sports, camp, and daycare physicals are offered at a flat rate of $45. These visits are not billed to your insurance company.
Flu Shots are offered to all, including children over the age of 6 months, at a flat rate of $10. No appointment necessary.
Do you have laboratory services available?
Yes. For your convenience we have on-site laboratory. We do a variety of rapid return labs in our office, such as rapid strep throat screens and cultures, blood glucose testing, influenza testing, urinalysis, pregnancy tests, mono test, and more. Further labs and blood work are drawn on-site and are processed by Spectrum Laboratory Network. Avance Care offers a full range of diagnostic services which are described more fully here.
Do you give immunizations?
Yes. We provide all standard immunizations including: pediatric immunizations, tetanus shots, and travel vaccines.
Do you provide travel medicine services?
Yes. We provide travel vaccines based on CDC recommendations. These include immunizations like Hepatitis A and B, Yellow fever, typhoid, meningococcal, and tetanus. In addition, we will provide you with appropriate medications (including anti-malarial and anti-diarrheal medications as indicated). Some immunizations require 2 or more doses several months apart so please make an appointment with us as soon as you know you are going to be traveling. Click here for more information.
Do you perform skin checks and do skin biopsies?
Yes. Typically, a total body skin check is part of your comprehensive medical exam. If we detect a worrisome skin lesion or mole, we will often recommend a skin biopsy. We routinely perform these skin biopsies in our office.
Do you provide annual exams?
Yes. We do comprehensive medical exams on males and females of all ages.
Do I have to pay at time of visit?
Yes. In almost all cases, some payment is required at the visit, whether it is a deductible, a co-pay, or payment for any non-covered services.
Are any prescription medications available on site?
Yes. Some prepackaged prescription medications are available for purchase on site at time of visit.
What do the designations PA, MD, DO and FNP mean?
PA, or Physician Assistant, is a health care professional licensed to practice medicine with physician supervision. As part of their comprehensive responsibilities, PA's conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventive health care, assist in surgery and in virtually all states can write prescriptions. Within the physician-PA relationship, physician assistants exercise autonomy in medical decision making and provide a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic services. A PA's practice may also include education, research and administrative services.
MD, or Doctor of Medicine, is one of the physician designations (like DO) that identifies a physician who has completed medical school and appropriate advanced training. MDs complete four years of medical school and at least three additional years of residency training and then may be certified as specialists in such fields as family medicine, emergency medicine, pediatrics, orthopedics and so forth.
DO, or Doctor of Osteopathy, is fully trained in all aspects of medicine, just like an MD. DO's receive additional training in structural medicine, and are certified as well to do manipulation. They take a holistic approach to medicine, looking at the whole patient to determine the best treatment plan. DO's, like MD's, complete at least three years of residency and obtain certification in all medical specialties including family medicine, emergency medicine, pediatrics, orthopedics and so forth.
FNP, or Family Nurse Practitioner, designates a Registered Nurse with advanced education and training, who practices in all specialty areas to assess, diagnose, and treat patients of all ages and with all types of health needs. FNPs have a minimum of a Masters Degree in Nursing and National Certification to practice in an advanced role.