Category: Patient Information

Patient Portal Instructions

Google Chrome is the only supported browser to have full access to the patient portal and virtual visits.

If you need assistance, please reach out to our Patient Portal Customer Support at 1.800.973.1442.

Rockville Urgent Needs

Urgent Needs

Urgent healthcare concerns will be addressed by a same-day virtual visit or by an on-demand virtual visit. If you require medical attention after normal business hours, call our main number for instructions on how to reach a provider.

We recommend you consider urgent care before going to the emergency department. Urgent care can be quicker, with a lower cost and better results, compared to a crowded ER that may require unnecessary tests or hospital stays. Your Primary Care Physician knows your complete medical history and may be able to handle non-life threatening illness or injuries, offer you a same or next day appointment, or refer you to another Privia Medical Group provider.

When to get urgent care? Urgent care centers have extended hours outside of normal office hours. Urgent care is care you need soon, usually within 24 hours, for a problem that is serious but is not an emergency. Examples include:

  • Sore Throat
  • Congestion
  • Cough
  • Ear, Nose, Throat Problems
  • Evaluate Pain
  • Flu
  • Colds
  • Urinary Tract Infection

What is an emergency? It is an emergency if you reasonably believe that if you don’t get care right away, it could be dangerous to your life or to a part of your body. Emergency departments should handle serious medical conditions, trauma, and life-threatening situations. Here are some conditions to seek care at the ED: chest pain, stroke, unconsciousness, and/or life-threatening injury or illness.

Shorter Wait

At Rockville Internal Medicine Group, wait times are usually much shorter than in a hospital emergency department. Hospital-based emergency care is designed for rapid response to life-threatening situations. Priority is given to patients with the greatest need. Patients with less serious medical problems often must wait.

Lower Cost

Primary care settings such as Rockville Internal Medicine Group have lower costs than hospital-based facilities. Therefore, your out-of-pocket expenses will be less and your care more affordable when you opt to receive medical services from us.

Coordinated Care

Rockville Internal Medicine Group offers a comprehensive team of highly experienced providers capable of caring for a wide range of patient concerns. Our practitioners have access to your electronic medical record, so they can quickly and easily review your health history, medications, allergies, and other pertinent health information.

Check with your insurance plan to determine if there are other urgent care facilities that are covered by your insurance plan.

Labs, Imaging & Other Testing

Labs

The drawing center is open to meet your laboratory needs from 8:00am to 3:50pm Monday to Friday. A lab appointment is required. Please schedule your lab appointment here. Our busiest times are from 8:00am – 11:00am. We do request your patience as there can be a large volume of patients to be assisted.

About the Lab:

  • Most laboratory testing is done on-site, however, sometimes samples need to be sent to a reference lab, for clinical reasons as well as issues of insurance coverage. Even though your specimen is collected here, we will make sure that the correct reference lab receives the specimen, and that your physician receives the results.
  • Your orders can be transmitted electronically to either LabCorp or Quest if required by your insurance. Please note that it takes approximately 24 hours for orders to transmit.
  • There is a charge of $50 to draw kits at our draw center.
  • If you do not receive your results from your provider within 10 business days please contact the office at 301.762.5020.
  • The Rockville Internal Medicine Clinical Laboratory is open Monday through Friday from 8:00am – 4:00pm.
  • All laboratory tests must be ordered by your physician. If the orders for your tests have not been placed in advance, we will need to contact your physician for an order and this might lengthen the wait time. Pre-Op lab orders cannot be collected unless the patient has been seen by the PCP first.
  • Do not eat 8 hours before your blood test if you are having tests that require you to fast (physicals, lipids, diabetes, etc.). However, make sure you drink plenty of water. Do not stop taking your medication unless otherwise instructed by your provider.
  • Lab orders more than twelve (12) months old cannot be honored.
  • The CLIA certified lab is staffed with certified Medical Lab Scientists for processing lab tests.

Important Reminders:

  • Practice social distance while waiting.
  • Urine samples must be collected in the sterile container provided by the lab. Specimens not collected properly will be discarded.
  • Stool specimens must be transferred to the appropriate containers prior to returning to the lab for testing. Please follow the instructions provided.
  • All patients need to check in at the lab reception desk, even if only picking up a 24-hour urine container or stool kits.
  • Average wait time is 15-20 minutes following check in and can increase or decrease based on patient volume.
  • Lab appointments can be scheduled here.
  • All drop-off urine and stool specimens must be received by 3:00pm, Monday – Friday.
  • Patients cannot get lab results at the draw center. Results must be requested at the main reception desk.

Radiology Services

Rockville Internal Medicine Group has a full-service Radiology Department, including X-Ray and DEXA (Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry) Bone Density Evaluation. An appointment is required for all Radiology Services.

X-RAY

In order to expedite the diagnosis and treatment of your medical condition, Rockville Internal Medicine provides an on-site full-service X-Ray department capable of performing most types of plain film X-Rays. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Chest
  • Abdomen
  • Sinuses
  • Bones
  • Joints

Studies involving contrast, CT scans, PET scans, and MRI’s are not done at this site. In this case, you will be directed to a local facility to have the procedure done.

DEXA BONE EVALUATION

To determine your risk of developing osteoporosis, Rockville Internal Medicine has available Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA scanning). This test evaluates your bone density level and can be used to assess your risk for fractures.

Your physician can order a DEXA scan for you, but an appointment is required for the procedure. Hours of operation are Tuesdays thru Fridays from 8:00am to 4:00pm. To make an appointment choose option 2 from our phone menu to speak with the appointment scheduler.

Pulmonary Function Lab

A cough and shortness of breath are troubling symptoms that sometimes indicate the presence of a serious underlying condition. In order to diagnose and treat these conditions, the pulmonary physicians at Rockville Internal Medicine Group have developed a state of the art Pulmonary Function Lab. By performing these tests, your physician can determine lung functions as simple as how forcefully you can blow air out, or as sophisticated as for how efficiently your lungs extract oxygen from the air. This testing, as well as X-ray and endoscopic evaluations when necessary, will help your physician determine the cause of your symptoms. Once that is determined, your physician can direct you to therapies to preserve and restore your health. Hours of operation are Tuesdays thru Fridays from 8:00am to 4:00pm. 

Cardiac & Ultrasound Testing

It is extremely important that we be able to perform screening studies to diagnose a problem so that it may be treated before it leads to unwanted morbidity and mortality. In order to better serve our patients in this regard, Rockville Internal Medicine Group has developed a state of the art Cardiovascular & Ultrasound Testing Lab. We perform the following procedures at our facility:

  • Stress Echocardiogram
  • Exercise Stress Test
  • Echocardiogram
  • Carotid Ultrasound
  • AAA Screen
  • Lower Extremity Arterial Exam
  • Holter Monitor
  • 24 Hour BP Monitor
  • Metabolic Test
  • Thyroid Ultrasound
  • General Abdominal Ultrasound
  • Venous Ultrasound to Rule Out DVT
  • TAG ECG (7 day heart monitor)
  • Remote Patient Monitoring

Patients with Blue Choice insurance will need to go to an outside radiology facility for the following procedures:

  • AAA Screen
  • General Abdominal Ultrasound
  • Thyroid Ultrasound

Insurance & Fees

Your health insurance is designed to help you meet the cost of your medical care. Your insurance benefits are determined by your insurance plan. Each plan is individualized and it is very important that you understand your specific plan regarding benefits and requirements. For example, many insurance plans require that you receive certain aspects of your medical care from “in-network” providers. If you choose to receive medical care outside of the network, your benefits may be reduced.

When making an appointment please inform the appointment scheduler of your insurance coverage. If your insurance requires a co-payment, you will be responsible for payment at the time of your scheduled service. After your visit, you will be billed for any co-insurance and/or deductible for which you are responsible. You are also responsible for obtaining a referral or authorization from your primary care physician (PCP) if required by your insurance plan. If your PCP is a Rockville Internal Medicine physician, your referral can be generated for you at the time of your visit. But you must request the referral for it to be processed. Visits not accompanied by a required referral will be your financial responsibility.

If you do not have health insurance or you are insured through a plan that we do not participate with, you are responsible for full payment at the time of service. You can contact your insurance company to find out what your out-of-network benefits include.

At the time of check in please have your insurance card and a photo ID. You will be asked to verify your demographics. This is important for our physicians to be in touch with you regarding test results.

At check-out, your account balances will be discussed and payment will be expected. For your convenience, we accept cash, checks, VISA, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.

If you have questions about your account, our Business staff is available to assist you Monday – Friday from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm. Please call 301.762.5020 and choose option 4 to speak with one of our Patient Account Representatives.