Want to get the most from your relationship with HMF? Two intrepid HMF office managers agreed to go on the record to share the secrets of savvy patients. You read it here first…

Calling the office "The worst day to call is Monday, especially early in the day. Over the weekend, everyone makes a mental note to call the office ‘first thing Monday morning’," says Wendy Hansen, manger for HMF’s San Marino office.

Anna Ruggiero, manager for HMF’s Descanso Pediatrics, agrees. "Another bad time is late Friday afternoon," she says. "Unless you have an urgent matter, call mid-week."

Insurance cards "People change jobs and employers change plans, so we ask for the insurance card at every visit," says Hansen. "If you received a new insurance card a few months ago, it’s old news to you, but really important to us."

"Submitting claims to the wrong plan really wastes time, especially if we’re processing paperwork for several members of the same family," says Ruggiero. "If you bring your insurance card each time, we can stay current."

Prescription refills "For routine prescriptions, call your pharmacy when you still have a week’s worth of medication. The pharmacist will contact HMF, and your doctor will often authorize the refill," says Ruggiero.

"Please don’t wait until you’re down to one pill to make the call!," says Hansen. "It’s nearly impossible to coordinate a refill that quickly." Most pharmacies still submit refill requests via fax, and want authorizations transmitted to them the same way.

Both managers agree that if the patient has not seen the doctor in several months, an examination will likely be needed before a refill will be approved.

Running late? Everyone has been stuck in traffic jam or been cursed with a flat tire. If you’re going to be late to your appointment, call the office and let the staff know. "If you’ll be more than 15 minutes late, you may have to reschedule," says Ruggiero.

"If you have to cancel or reschedule for any reason, please let us know as soon as possible," says Hansen. "This lets us give your spot to another patient who may otherwise have to wait a week or two. "

The waiting room Parenting is a tough job and even more of a challenge when you have skittish children waiting to see a doctor. However, "we do ask parents to keep an eye on their children’s behavior," says Ruggiero.

Adult patients are considerably calmer, but accidents happen. "We realize that people tend to multi-task, but bringing food and beverages into the waiting room often results in mishaps. Plus, we try to stick to our schedule, so there’s seldom enough time to eat your lunch."

Cell phones Almost everyone has a cell phone, but very few people need to be accessible every minute of the day. "Both the doctor and patient need to concentrate on the exam," says Hansen. "That’s why all HMF offices require patients to turn off cell phones in the exam room."

Paperwork "Our standard medical history and other forms can take 20 minutes or more to complete," says Hansen. "First-time patients should plan to fill them out at home because they won’t have time before the exam starts.

"We’re more flexible with the parents of newborns," says Ruggiero. "We ask them to arrive early so they can complete all the paperwork."

HMF "patient packs" for adults and children are available as downloadable, printable PDF files at www.huntingtonmedical.com. In addition to the forms, the PDFs include important information about health privacy.

"One form that needs to be signed in person is the arbitration agreement," says Hansen. "We cannot offer any services without it."

"We’re working on a new way for patients to manage their relationship with HMF," says HMF CEO Wendy Karsten. "Soon, patients will be able to log on to a secure website to book appointments, ask questions, update insurance information, and complete other tasks. They’ll be able to access their account from any computer, at any time."

This new service is one of the final steps in HMF’s conversion to electronic medical records.