Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Scheduling an appointment

To make an appointment, you may call us at 757-227-3820 between 7;30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday – Friday, or you may stop by our office to schedule an appointment.  You can also e-mail us, and we will reply as soon as possible.  If you wish to be called back, please include your name and preferred contact number in your e-mail.

Physicians who are referring patients to COVA Spine and Pain Center may have their staff schedule the appointment for patients. Physician offices may also fill out the online Patient Referral Form and fax it to our office at 757-226-9021

You can access the Patient Portal after receiving a password from our office.  If you have any questions, please contact us.

INITIAL EVALUATION

Initial Evaluation wait time.

Patients are generally scheduled within two weeks for a new evaluation.

Initial Evaluation Procedure

You will receive a welcome packet in the mail or e-mail, prior to your visit, or you can download the New Patient Packet. It is recommended that you arrive about 15 minutes prior to your initial evaluation if you have completed your paperwork, and 30 minutes if you have not completed the paperwork. After your initial evaluation, your doctor will discuss with you the most effective treatment program for your problem.

Preparing for your first appointment

To assist in making your first visit to COVA Spine and Pain Center more time efficient, please bring any relevant medical records as well as:

• Photo Id
• Insurance card
• Any referrals from your primary care physician
• All completed new patient paperwork
• Co-pay, if required

We will request any other medical records, MRI’s, CT scans, X-rays or laboratory results or MRIs be faxed to our office from your referring physician’s office. To expedite this process, you can download the Medical Records Request Form before your first visit.

Length of the initial evaluation

Generally, your initial evaluation takes about 60 minutes. Your physician will have to take a thorough history and review your medical records to determine what treatment is best for you.

Clothing to wear to the exam.

You should wear comfortable clothing. Please bring shorts or sweatpants for any lower extremity problems, and women are asked to bring or wear a sports bra for shoulder problems.

For physical therapy, please wear loose fitting clothes.  Please bring shorts or sweatpants and a T-Shirt for your appointments.

Before your appointment

As a courtesy to our patients and staff, wearing of strong perfumes or colognes and/or lotions should be avoided. If you are having an electromyography (EMG) or nerve conduction study (NCV), please do not wear any lotions, perfumes or colognes.

Questions about your treatment

COVA Spine and Pain Center recognizes that diagnoses and medical procedures can be difficult to understand.  Every effort is made to simplify and completely answer all questions related to treatment.  COVA believes that patient education is critical in the process of pain management.

Scheduling follow-up visits

Follow up visits are scheduled at the end of your initial evaluation. If a procedure is recommended, it may be scheduled at that time. You will be given any necessary paperwork for follow up.

Ride/drive home from appointment

Reflexes may be temporarily impaired from certain procedures, or you may experience numbness, so arranging for a driver is an important safety precaution. You will be advised as to whether or not you will need to make the necessary arrangements prior to your procedure.

Returning to work after the exam/procedure

Yes, in most cases. However, there are a few procedures that may require patients to miss work. You will be given more information about your procedure and what you should prepare for as well as expect.

RELIEF FROM PROCEDURES

Expected improvements after the procedure.

The quality and length of pain relief vary from patient to patient based on the type of symptoms, how long they have been present, their origin in the body, and the procedure that is performed. Your physician will advise you on what to expect from the procedure that is to be performed.

Lack of pain relief after the procedure

Whether the procedure relieves your symptoms or not, your physician will gather important information about the source and nature of your pain. If there is no relief, then you physician will discuss with you what needs to be further done to determine the source of your pain.

PRESCRIPTIONS, MEDICAL RECORDS AND INSURANCE

Having your prescription refilled

You can call our office at 757-227-3820 for prescription refills, Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Please allow three (3) business days to process your request. If someone is picking up the prescription for you, an Authorization for Release of Prescription has to be completed in order for the prescription to be released.

Obtaining a copy of your medical records

We will be happy to provide you with a copy of your medical records. You will need to fill out a copy of the Medical Records Release Form and return it to the office closest to you. There is a $10 retrieval fee, and a .50 per page charge. You will need to allow at least five days for us to process your request. We will fax any records to other physicians, but you will have to come to the office to sign a release for the records.

Health Insurance Pre-authorization procedure

You should check with your insurance to determine if a referral is necessary prior to receiving treatment. If your insurance requires a pre-authorization to see a specialist, then you must get a referral from a Primary Care Physician or OB/GYN to see a pain specialist for an initial appointment.

After the initial consultation, our office will obtain any future pre-authorizations, sometimes with the assistance of your referring doctor.