OUR OFFICE:
In this section we have attempted to answer the most frequently asked questions our patients ask us ABOUT OUR OFFICE  WORKINGS both in the fields of cardiac medicine and physical medicine.  If you have a question, please email it to us by clicking:
kardiodoc@yahoo.com   FOR CARDIOLOGY RELATED QUESTIONS
rehabplus@yahoo.com   FOR PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION QUESTIONS.
Please understand that the questions should not be of a nature that need urgent answers and You should not delay you care because of waiting for the question to be answered. In these cases, Please call your personal physician or if you in houston area call us for an appointment. We Appreciate your cooperation. Thank you!

OFFICE HOURS:
Monday to Friday: 8.30 AM to 5 PM. We are closed Saturdays and Sundays and major holidays. Patients are seen by appointment only. Usually appointments available in 1-2 weeks.  In case of Emergency or at the request of referral physicians, patients may be seen ON THE SAME DAY. 

REFERRAL:
If you belong to a HMO or are enrolled in a MEDICARE REPLACEMENT PLAN (e.g.  Secure Horizons or AmCare etc) please make sure that you have a referral form, either with you or faxed to us. Please ensure this by calling your  PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN'S Nurse or Secretary. It is your responsibility  to do this before the visit. Unfortunately, we will not be able to see you till this referral is received in this office. Our office  tries its best to facilitate this.

FIRST VISIT:
At the first visit, you are requested to fill out  TWO FORMS  (Sorry for the paper work!). The first form (one page) asks you general demographic questions like your contact numbers and Insurance Information. Please bring your Insurance card with you (or MediCaid Form, if applicable). The second form (4 pages) is more detailed and asks you medical questions about you such as your past medical history, surgeries, medications, symptoms in various parts of your body etc. PLEASE BRING A LIST OF ALL THE MEDICATIONS YOU ARE CURRENTLY TAKING WITH THE DOSES. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE SUCH A LIST, PLEASE BRING ALL THE MEDICATION BOTTLES THEMSELVES.     If you have have any OLD MEDICAL RECORDS in your possession especially diagrams of angiograms OR lab reports, x-ray reports, copies of electrocardiograms (EKGs) etc, please bring them with you. IF YOUR FAMILY PHYSICIAN OR PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN has recently done labs or x-rays or EKG, please make sure their office has faxed us a copy. We will appreciate this very much!

FEES:
Since we accept MEDICARE and most PPO and HMO Insurance, we will probably be filing for your visit with your Insurance company. However, if you have not met your deductible, you will be expected to pay at the time of the visit. You will also be expected to pay the CO-PAYMENTS. We do not bill for these. If we do not participate in your Insurance plan, we expect you to pay at the time of service. You can clarify charges etc. by call us before the visit.  WE DO PARTICIPATE IN MEDICARE, which means that we accept their approved fees. Medicare usually pays 80% of these approved fees. They expect you to pay the remaining 20% or have your SECONDARY INSURANCE pay it.

LABORATORY TEST AND X-RAYS:
If these are necessary based on your history and physical examination, they will be ordered and blood drawn in the ffice or you will be referred to an outside lab, depending on the arrangement your Insurance company has. Sometimes it may be necessary to refer you back to your PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN'S office for these labs, especially if you are enrolled in a HMO or a Medicare replacement plan. PLEASE REMEMBER, MEDICARE AND MOST INSURANCES DO NOT COVER ROUTINE AND SCREENING TESTS ( for example Medicare does not pay for cholesterol or prostate checks if you do not have an existing problem). Unfortunately, these may have to be paid at the time of service if you wish to get them done.

AFTER HOURS AND EMERGENCIES:
Physicians are available 24 hours for emergencies. If you need to get in touch with Dr. Amin or Shahnaz Karim after hours or on weekends, please call the office number 713 797 9955 and an answering service will take your  call. They may want to conform that this IS an emergency and will page the appropriate physician on call. On some  days another physician such as DR. ATTAR may be on call for Dr. Amin Karim.      If your call concerns a BILLING QUESTION or other such matter, please call during regular office hours. 

PRESCRIPTION REFILLS:
Those prescriptions THAT HAVE BEEN ORIGINALLY PRESCRIBED THROUGH THIS OFFICE will be  refilled as medically necessary. Please allow at least 3 days for the refill request to go through because we do have to  to go through your chart. If your PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN refills some of the prescriptions, please call that  office. If you have not visited us for a length of time (usually SIX MONTHS), you may be asked to visit us before a refill is allowed.  New prescriptions (such as antibiotics for colds etc.) will usually not be given out on phone.