Sometimes a trip to the doctor can cause patients a bit of anxiety. That’s especially true when you’re visiting a doctor for the first time. If you’ve been referred to Virginia Urology, or are considering our practice for your healthcare needs, we’d like to put you at ease by walking you through the process, step by step.
Before Scheduling Your Appointment:
Depending on your insurance provider, you may or may not need a referral to visit Virginia Urology. If you’d like to make an appointment with us, get in touch with your insurance company to see what’s required. If you don’t need a referral, simply give us a call! Depending on the symptoms you are experiencing and where you’re located, our team will match you up with a doctor perfectly suited to meet your needs.
Before Your Appointment:
At least 2 business days before your appointment, visit Virginia Urology’s patient portal to fill out your new patient registration and patient history. If you’d prefer, you can also print out these forms and bring them with you to your appointment.
If there is a specific issue that you’d like to address, try to keep a diary of symptoms prior to your appointment. For example, if you’re having bladder issues, keeping a bladder or voiding diary for a couple of weeks can help your doctor get a better understanding of your particular symptoms and create the most effective treatment plan for you.
The Day Of:
You’ll need to arrive 15 minutes prior to your appointment time with your photo ID, insurance card, and your paperwork if you’ve decided to print it. If you have any pertinent medical records or lab results, please bring those with you too. If you had any xray or CT scans, please bring the disk with you.
At Your Appointment:
You will be asked to give a urine specimen for the majority of visits so drink water before you come. Your doctor’s assistant will go over some basic information with you and get you ready to see the doctor. Your doctor will examine you and discuss potential treatment options. Depending on the issue, your doctor may recommend medicine, diagnostic testing (ultrasound, X-ray, CT, etc.), physical therapy, minimally invasive interventions, surgery, or a combination approach.
Fortunately, many conditions can be treated without surgery. You and your doctor will discuss what treatment plan feels like the best fit for you and your goals.
The Ongoing Game Plan:
This depends on your particular condition. Some issues can be solved with a one-time fix and others require an ongoing treatment plan. For example, urinary incontinence patients may need to try out a few different medications to see what works best for your body. If your doctor recommends physical therapy, it may take a few sessions to make the necessary progress. In the case of overactive bladder, many choose Botox® injection therapy and these patients return once or twice a year for an injection.
Your ongoing support will vary based on your needs, and your doctor will explain any necessary follow ups.
The Final Word:
We’ve been providing urological care to patients for more than 75 years. Our know-how allows us to treat you efficiently and effectively, while considering your unique goals and needs.
