Frequently Asked Questions

Paradigm Health offers a variety of diagnostic testing services depending on the specialist treating your condition.  Here are a few services offered:

Neurological Diagnostic Testing Services (EEG, EMG, NCS)

Orthopedic Diagnostic Testing Services (Xray, Ultrasound, Range of Motion)

Paradigm Imaging (MRI, MRA, Xray)

Each physician has a unique schedule based on his/her needs. Our physicians strive to stay on schedule, but there are occasions where unscheduled, medically urgent patients have to be worked in, or earlier patients have been late, which impacts the best intentioned physician’s schedule.

We prefer to avoid refilling prescriptions between routine follow up office visits. Please review your medications prior to your scheduled visit to see what needs refilling so you can tell the doctor. It is your obligation to be seen as recommended by your physicians so that your medications can be monitored. In the event you do need to refill your medication between visits, you can contact us at 985-882-4500. To avoid errors, please have the following information available: The name of the medication, the pill strength, the dose schedule you follow, and the pharmacy name, store number/address, and phone number. Without this information, we will not be able to refill your prescription. 

Prescriptions are only refilled during regular business hours. During business hours other physicians in the office cover for those physicians who are out of the office. After hours, an on-call physician is available on an emergency basis.

If this is a medical emergency, you should call 911 or go directly to the nearest emergency room for assistance. For routine questions or prescription refills, call back during regular business hours.

Paradigm Health System physicians are affiliated with the following hospitals:

Sterling Surgical Hospital
Slidell Memorial Hospital
Northshore Medical Center
St Tammany Parish Hospital
Lakeview Regional Medical Center
East Jefferson General Hospital

Yes, but being on the wait list will not necessarily guarantee an earlier appointment. When a slot opens up due to a cancellation, we contact patients on the wait list to see if they wish to move up their appointment to the earlier time slot.

Like many other professionals who set aside time by appointment, we charge no-show fees when an appointment slot is lost due to a patient failing to give timely notice to the practice about the need to cancel or reschedule their appointment. Given fair and reasonable advance notice, we can almost always fill the time slot for the physician with someone who needs to be seen. We are here to see patients, try to honor appointment times, and request and appreciate the same courtesy in return.

We have a late cancellation/missed appointment policy. If you have to cancel or re-schedule an appointment, you should call our main number (985-882-4500) during regular business hours and follow directions to our scheduling department. We ask that you give us a minimum of 24 hours or one business day notice if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment.

Generally diagnostic testing is scheduled separately from office visits, but we try to schedule same day testing whenever possible to inconvenience our patients a little as possible. However, as most diagnostic tests involve the assistance of a technician same day testing is sometimes difficult.

All of our Physicians have medical degrees and they have done specialty training at some of the top programs in the United States. They have all had a minimum of four years of post-medical school training and many have had extra fellowship training in a their particular sub-specialty. All physicians are either board eligible or board certified. Our Doctors. Additionally, bios of the physicians are posted in the waiting rooms of our offices.

We collect all co-pays and outstanding deductibles at the time of service. If you have Medicare coverage, but no secondary coverage, we collect the 20% co-insurance at the time of service. We accept cash, checks (no second party checks) and credit cards (VISA, MasterCard and Discover.)

Yes, if we participate with your insurance company.

We participate with Medicare and with most of the major carriers in this area. We do not participate with any Medicaid programs. If you have a HMO which requires a referral to a specialist, it is your responsibility to obtain that referral from your PCP. 

The consultation visit with the physician (if no additional testing is involved) should last 30 minutes, on average. This depends on your chief medical complaint, as well as the complexity of your medical history and other factors. The actual length of the visit will vary patient by patient. The physician will review your chief complaint, past medical history, family and social history, current listing of medications and allergies. He/she will give you a physical exam, including a specific neurological exam. At the conclusion of the visit, the physician may request certain lab or other diagnostic tests to identify or rule out certain diagnoses. Initial prescriptions or sample medications may be provided. A follow up visit may be scheduled to review lab and/or test results with you.

You should bring a photo ID, your current insurance membership card, a referral, or authorization number (if required for the visit), a current listing of medications, any current or relevant film/scans and their interpretation reports, as well as relevant prior medical/surgical records, if available. If the chief complaint involves cognitive or memory issues, we advise you to be accompanied by a family member or caregiver who can assist the physician with background information on your condition. You should plan on arriving 15 minutes ahead of the time. You will actually see the doctor to complete paperwork to include a medical history form (including a complete list of your medicines), certain financial forms, and HIPAA paperwork. We recommend that you complete the on-line form in advance, print out the form and bring it to your appointment. Insurance rules for payment require the completion of these forms.

We have staff that speak Spanish and an ASL interpreting service.

You should have in hand your referral (if your insurance requires one) and a complete description of exactly what service you need from Paradigm Health System, i.e., consultation versus testing or surgery. Different services require different time slots or different professionals to provide the service. You will be asked the chief complaint or the reason for the visit as well as the name of your referring physician and your insurance information. You will need to provide us demographic information, such as name, address, social security number and a day time phone number where we can call you (or a care-giver) during the day time. If your treatment is related to an automobile accident, you will need to provide the name and address of the PIP carrier, the claim number, the date of accident, and the claims adjuster's name and phone number.