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.