Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do before coming to my appointment?

Please have your prior providers fax your prior records to our office.

Fill out and complete the new patient information packet forms and bring them to your first appointment. This will speed up your check-in time.

If you are a diabetic patient, please bring your glucometer(s) or any blood sugar logs for the doctor to review.


What should I bring to my appointment?

Your insurance information/card and a photo ID. Bring in any prescription bottles, medical reports, X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, or biopsy results that were NOT available to your referring physician.


Do I need a referral?

Most medical specialists, including endocrinologists, accept only patients referred by other physicians.  If you have Medicaid or Medicare, ask your primary care provider for a referral to our office.

If you have private insurance (such as a PPO), some plans allow self-referral.  Please call your insurance company or our office to inquire about self-referral.


Which insurance companies do you accept?

We accept over 200 health plans including: Aetna, Cigna, First Choice Health PPO, First Health Network, Great-West Healthcare, Health Net, Lifewise, Managed Healthcare Northwest, Medicare, ODS, Oregon Health Plan, PacifiCare, PacificSource, PHCS, Providence Health Plans, Regence BCBS, TRIWEST, Tuality Health Alliance, and United Healthcare.


Can my primary care or family doctor help me in seeing an endocrinologist?

It is a good idea to discuss your endocrine concerns with your doctor, so they can start possible evaluation and treatment. In addition, your primary doctor can help the specialist by providing relevant information about your health, and if necessary, a referral to see one of our endocrinologist.


How long do I have to wait to be seen for the first time?

We strive to see patients as soon as possible, hopefully within weeks of getting a referral from your doctor. However, there are times when sicker or more urgent patients are seen first. Our staff tries to schedule patients as soon as possible.


What should I expect during my first visit?

Your initial visit is a chance for both you and your doctor to get to know each other.  The doctor will review your medical history, ask you questions, perform an exam, and then discuss diagnostic and treatment options for your condition.

You may have blood drawn for lab testing after your first visit, or if you need to be fasting, blood draws will be done on a different day.


What is an endocrinologist and what do they do?

An endocrinologist is an internal medicine physician who undergoes two to three years of additional medical training, specializing in the actions of different hormones (chemical signals made by the body), and medical problems that arise from either too much or too little hormone production by the body.  By talking to and examining patients, an endocrinologist can often tell if there is a “chemical” cause for a patient’s symptoms. The endocrinologist then performs blood tests to confirm this abnormality.


I keep hearing about osteoporosis and weak bones in women. Should I see an endocrinologist?

Absolutely. Our bones and skeletal system are very complex and constantly changing, and endocrinologists specialize both in diagnosis and treatment of bone disorders such as osteopenia (weak bones), osteoporosis (more severe weak bones) and evaluation of patients with frequent bone fractures.