What do they do?
The term Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery is the official name of the medical specialty that deals with diseases of the ears, nose, and throat. For the sake of brevity (and tradition) such specialists may be called “ENT” specialists. Examples of such disease included hearing loss, ear infections, equilibrium disorders, infections, and allergies of the nose and sinuses, deformities of the nose and facial structures, infections of the mouth, throat, and larynx (voice box), breathing, snoring, swallowing, and voice disorders, and tumors of the ear, nose, throat, and the neck. Facial plastic and reconstructive surgery is a subspecialty of otolaryngology.
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Audiology
Audiological services are provided by certified audiologists and include hearing evaluation, brainstem testing, and balance/vestibular testing. Assessments, dispensing, fittings, and adjustments are also available for all types of hearing aids, including conventional, programmable, and digital technology.
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Allergy
Allergy testing and treatment is performed in both offices by trained nurses. Tests are for the most common inhalant allergens such as dust, mold, grass, ragweed, trees, pets, etc., by using intradermal skin testing. Treatment with allergy shots can either be done in the offices or continued at a work clinic or other physician’s office. We can also test for food allergies with laboratory blood testing.
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Office hours
PLEASE CHECK OUR CALENDAR PAGE FOR CURRENT INFORMATION ON DAYS EACH OFFICE IS CLOSED. Unless otherwise noted hours are: DC K Street Office: MWF 8:30-3:30, T-Th 8:00-3:30. McLean Office: MF 8:00-3:30, T-Th 8:30-3:30, W 7:00-3:00. The offices are not open on weekends or government holidays. Physicians are always on call for the group.
Appointments
Appointments are scheduled on availability unless there is some urgency to the patient’s condition or a cancellation occurs. Unfortunately, patients do not become ill on schedule, operations may take longer than planned, and emergencies do occur; hence, there may be delays or rescheduling may be necessary. Nevertheless, a sincere attempt will be made to adhere to your appointment. If we should be so far behind that it inconveniences you, please let us know, and we will schedule you with another physician. If you are unable to keep an appointment, please notify us 24 hours in advance, if possible. This will give us the opportunity to use the space for another patient. Please note that cancellations less than 24 hours prior to your appointment are subject to a $25 fee.
Allergy shots
Allergy shot times vary Monday through Friday and are generally the same as hours listed above. Advance appointments are not necessary, but we do ask that you check our calendar page (or call before arriving) because shots are given only when there is a physician in the office.
Telephone calls
Our office is open for telephone calls from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The office staff has been trained to answer most questions. If they are unable to answer your questions, your chart will be given to your doctor and the answer to your question will be relayed to you. Please remember, different diseases may have similar symptoms; for this reason, requests for treatment generally require an office examination. If a refill of your prescription is needed, please call early in the day during office hours with both your prescription number and pharmacy phone number.
Telephone calls made when the offices are closed will be handled by the answering service, which will reach the physician on call. Calls will be returned as soon as possible, but there may be some delay if the physician is in route to a hospital or involved in some other emergency. If yours is a dire emergency, you should go to the nearest hospital emergency room where treatment can be provided until our physician is reached.
The receptionist will ask you to fill out an information form. All information given to us is confidential. Please notify us immediately of any changes in the information you have provided.
Our practice is dedicated to maintaining the privacy of your health information. Please ask for a copy of our “Notice of Privacy Practices.”
Surgical scheduling
If surgery or hospitalization is required for your condition, the physician will choose one of the following hospitals:
- Sibley Memorial Hospital
- Children's National Medical Center
- Georgetown University Hospital
Surgery scheduling requires coordination of the schedules of the hospitals, doctors, offices, and a number of patients in addition to yourself. Therefore, it is important to be certain of your plans when you schedule surgery so you do not disrupt other people's schedules by requesting changes.
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Fees & payments
Unless other arrangements have been made with your physician, payments are due and payable when services are rendered. We accept cash, checks, and Visa or MasterCard credit cards. Copayment is payment is payable upon registration.
An estimate of charges for any anticipated service will be given upon request, although it may be impossible to quote an exact figure in advance. Included in the surgical fee for some operations is a specified period of post-operative care. This includes routine post-operative treatment directly related to the surgery, but not unrelated conditions, which might arise.
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