FAQ on the initial visit with Dr. Chen

Q. What are Dr. Chen's current office hours?

A. Dr. Chen sees patients on Tuesdays and Thursday all day. You can call or text the office number to schedule an appointment.

Q. What will be covered in my initial visit with Dr. Chen?

A. Dr. Chen will first obtain a detailed history of each patient's specific concerns, perform a limited physical exam (Dr. Chen does NOT perform pelvic exams in the office), review all previous pertinent test results brought in by the patient, and then formulate a diagnostic and/or treatment plan. The plan may include further testing for those whose problems are diagnostically unclear, before initiation of therapy. If the patient's medical history is very complex, an additional appointment may be necessary after completing further diagnostic testing, before a specific treatment plan can be prescribed. Medications may be initiated at the first visit if a thorough work-up has already been performed, and Dr. Chen feels it is appropriate in timing. Patients specifically wanting to begin the Wiley protocol will usually be given a prescription at the first visit for the protocol, unless there are contraindications apparent after evaluation by Dr. Chen.

Q. Can I do my consultation with Dr. Chen by phone instead of in-person?

A. All new patient visits need to be in person, without exceptions, as medical-legally, Dr. Chen needs to perform a good faith exam. Dr. Chen is only licensed to practice medicine in the state of California at this time, so all out-of-state patients will need to travel to Dr. Chen's office for the initial consultation. Follow-up appointments may be done via telephone for patients with a long commute (please contact the office to schedule such an appointment), provided these patients are seen in-person at Dr. Chen's office at least once per year and/or can provide documentation of regular follow-up exams with their primary care physicians/gynecologists if the last visit with Dr. Chen has been more than a year ago. Payment needs to be received by Dr. Chen's office before such phone consultations may take place.

Q. How often do I need to follow-up with Dr. Chen?

A. This will vary depending on your treatment plan. Most follow-up appointments take place 3-6 months after the initial visit, in order to properly monitor progress, address any potential untoward effects, and to provide the best overall medical care. Dr. Chen requires that patients are seen at the very least every 6-12 months, if she is to continue approving prescription refills.

Q. How will I know the results of my test?

A. A copy will typically be forwarded to you via email if you authorized this form of electronic communication.  If not, then a hard copy will be provided for you at the time of your follow-up appointment, or postal mailed to you if you are not due for an actual appointment.  Please contact the office directly if several weeks have gone by after your test, and you have not yet heard from Dr. Chen.  For patients who have an HMO and elect to have their primary care physicians order the requested labs, they are directly responsible for making certain that a copy of the test results reach Dr. Chen for review.

Q. Will Dr. Chen be my primary care physician?

A. No, Dr. Chen is strictly an office-based consultant, and requires all new patients to sign an acknowledgment form stating that they understand that she does NOT function as a primary care physician. She also does NOT participate in any direct hospital care of the patient.  Dr. Chen feels that with her current part-time hours, she cannot dedicate enough time to be a good primary care physician. She is happy to collaborate with each individual's primary care physician and be a good advocate for the patient in the capacity of a consultant.