This is the fastest and most thorough method
Prefer to print out on paper? That's fine. Remember to scan the QR code with your phone camera on the 2nd page. We need signed consent and copies of insurance and license through this secure form.
Printed paperwork may be emailed to admin@fhpgeriatrics.com, or faxed to 888-840-6973.
Once we have verified insurance, we'll create a chart.
Call us at 832-599-8336 to get access information, then log in here to review medication and problem lists, and treatment summaries.
No more phone tag, send messages 24/7.
In order to protect private health information, we use an app that allows for secure texting.
It functions exactly like regular texting. Our Team Text number is 832-356-7878.
When you text here, you're texting all of us, and the right person will answer sooner.
You can text FYI issues any time, but responses are only during routine hours.
If you need after-hours assistance for a life-threatening issue, please call 832-599-8336.
Download to your phone for mobile access to our information and resources.
If a person's heart were to stop, and their wishes are to avoid aggressive resuscitation (CPR), please fill and after we sign, print this form. Make sure the facility has a copy.
Here is a good article summarizing why 94% of adults over 85 years old prefer DNR status.
Directives are a separate issue we address in Registration paperwork.
Directives guide us on how aggressively we approach medications and conditions
We truly appreciate Veterans and their service to our country.
We're happy to fill out the form to trigger resources for their care.
If you fill out the majority of it as best you can, we'll confirm, sign,
and return to you within a week or two on the official paperwork form.
Before we can do anything, we must confirm insurance.
We accept most plans except Cigna Health Springs and Humana Gold Advantage.
Don't worry if we're not in your plan's network.
For an Advantage Plan Insurance Plan specific to senior living, open enrollment any time of year,
contact Lamart Clay 708-257-4132 or Derek Vogl 281-813-9586. We aren't able to recommend a specific plan, but this plan has a network of specialists and therapy options aligned with ours.
For other plans, Medicare supplements, and drug plans of all types, contact Matt Gomez 832-421-1894. Remember, you can choose any service or specialist when you have regular Medicare with a supplement. Be sure to confirm the plan you choose has deductibles, medication coverage, therapy options, and a strong network of specialists that you prefer.
If there are unstable issues during this process, please reach out, and we'll help solve the problems.
Medicare Advantage plans must have PCP listed as Dr. George Valdez, Tax ID 26-084-9313
Budget ahead for beginning of the year deductibles. A deductible essentially means "Happy New Year, you don't have insurance coverage until you've paid your deductible" If you save 1/3 of the deductible in September, October, November, you'll start the new year with less stress.
Thank you for choosing us!
Overview
Thank you for trusting in our care. We do our best to convey what we do and how we do it so there are clear expectations and understanding. We have spent many years creating sophisticated systems and clear workflow. We have an exclusive alliance of 16 specialties we can access to bring care to you, through in person visits, telemedicine, or sometimes facilitating office visit with a specialist who communicates well and understands older adults.
We understand the financial, emotional, and logistical challenges of trying to manage complex conditions and medications for fragile beloved parents, often suddenly through a crisis situation.
We understand you may have others are responsible for, employment, and logistical challenges.
We understand complex family dynamics, and always advocate for patient’s journey and their values.
We understand poor communication from previous providers may have lead to bad experiences.
Many things are out of our control. We cannot control the insurance, plan, rules and regulations.
We cannot control, deductibles and co-pays. We cannot control facility staff, home health agencies, or the specialists we work with, but we're on your side. We do have a lot of experience and influence, and we will do our best to help you navigate through the healthcare system.
Remember, we are like the quarterback for healthcare. We should be the go-to to confirm all medications are safe, no matter where the patient has been, or who they’ve seen.
We get to know each persons, values and priorities, and build a care plan around them.
When events happen, we reconsider our priorities and revise our goals as needed.
We look forward to taking a fresh look at your treatment plan, address unmet needs, reduce unnecessary medications, and align our goals. We aim for care the way it should be.
Communication
We have 3 numbers associated with us. You are encouraged to add as 3 different contacts.
FHP Geriatrics Family Hotline, 832-599-8336
The hotline is for calls, not text, answered 24/7, but
Issues that are not life-threatening are managed Mon to Fri, 8:30a to 4:30p.
FHP Geriatrics Team Text, is 832-356-7878
The text line is often the fastest way to get a response, and managed Mon to Fri, 8:30a to 4:30p.
When you text this line, you are texting the whole team, and often the right person will answer faster and more effectively. To protect health information, texting is recommended through our Spruce app.
Once a month, you may get a text notifying you about upcoming visits from specialists at the facility, or of new services offered. You can always opt out of these messages, but we do minimize it to once a month and only for important issues.
FHP Geriatrics No Response Dispatch, 832-471-8196
It is a one-way automated text from us, indicating we have an upcoming visit.
If you need to clarify or change the appointment, use one of the other numbers.
Our relationship with family members is valued and appreciated.
In order to maintain efficiency and respond to the many urgent and life-threatening issues,
it is important to be very clear and direct in your requests. If they’re in is an issue that is particularly complex or will require more than 5-10 minutes, please convey through email or the patient portal.
Our busiest call times are Monday mornings and Friday afternoons, so it is always best to address non-urgent things at other times when possible.
Scheduling
We visit monthly, not out of aggressiveness, but in order to build strong relationships and prevent hospitalization. As the body ages, there is less ability to compensate, to fight infection, and to recover. If we wait for problems to happen, it is often too late.
At an older age, having routine visits helps address issues before they become a dangerous problem.
Many seniors can't speak for themselves, or don't want to be a bother, and problems can be subtle. With a routine schedule, we know a person's normal status, intervene faster, or trigger palliative care before suffering if hospitalization is going to create more stress or prolong suffering.
Most routine visits are planned the same day each month, but acute issues may overload the provider schedule, the provider may have their own acute issue. We do our best to be predictable, and appreciate your understanding that schedules may vary. If you were planning to be there for the visit, but can't when the visit changes, let us know and we'll do live video with you during the visit.
Time of Visit
When it comes to routine visits, our default is to send a text to the main contact person, whether that’s the patient or durable power of attorney, about 30 minutes before our expected arrival.
When it comes to visiting services, it is impossible to give an exact time before the 30 minute text.
We generally give a window of morning or afternoon on the day of the plan visit.
We often encounter urgencies at other buildings, and forced to take longer to deal with those life-threatening issues. We may text with 30 minute notice, and be in the building seeing other people for an hour or two before your actual visit. Please reach out to us if there is a time constraint and we'll do our best to accommodate. Traffic and weather may also affect our timing, also out of our control.
The good news is you’re not having to wait in the doctors office for hours waiting for an appointment. If your family member has memory challenges and you feel you need to be there for the visit, let us know and we can video call you while we’re visiting, so you don’t have to leave work or drive across town.
In between Visits
As soon as the visit ends, we’re planning the next. We have doctors from other countries preparing to be doctors here. They use their advanced education to analyze lab results, appropriate medications, trends of behavior and weight, and to anticipate issues before they happen.
If you have additional medical history to share, such as consults or tests from another physician or hospital patient portal, feel free to print it to a .pdf file.
You may email (HIPAA security built-in) supporting documents and records to
admin@fhpgeriatrics.com