Mission Statement
Our commitment is to provide the highest quality Ear, Nose, Throat, and Hearing Care with integrity, respect, and compassion.
We specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric and adult ear, nose, and throat diseases, both medical and surgical. We provide complete care for ear, nose, and throat allergy and sinus problems. We also have comprehensive Audiology Care, which includes hearing testing, hearing aid consultation, sales, and servicing of major brands. We also provide comprehensive diagnostics for patients with balance disorders.
Our doctors practice at Lewis and Clark Specialty Hospital, Yankton, South Dakota; Faith Regional Health Services, Norfolk, Nebraska; Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton, South Dakota; Avera St. Benedictine Health Center, Parkston, South Dakota; and audiology service at Sanford Vermillion Medical Center, Vermillion, South Dakota.
Quality Care and Service: Your Satisfaction
The patient-physician relationship is unique. It implies mutual trust, openness, and responsibility. Your well-being is extremely important to us.
We will always strive to maintain your confidence in us. Please contact us with questions or comments.
Telephone Calls
Emergency Calls
Urgent or emergency calls are accepted during business hours. In case of an emergency after hours, go to your local hospital emergency department. All physicians in this practice alternate night calls and weekend duty. 911 should be used for life-threatening emergencies.
General and Medical Questions
First and foremost, we strive to be responsive. You are encouraged to call us with any questions or concerns you may have. For the best results, unless it is an emergency, please contact us during normal office hours when your records are readily accessible.
Our office staff has a great deal of knowledge and experience. Calls for physicians will usually be directed to the nursing staff. Please fully explain the problem to the nurse. Our nurses are well-educated regarding health issues and often can provide you with the answers you need. If your question or problem is outside their scope, a message will be relayed to one of our doctors and your call will be returned as soon as possible.
When you call the office, the receptionist usually answers the phone. She will either schedule an appointment or direct your call to the person with whom you wish to speak. If a physician or nurse is busy with a patient, your call will be routed to voice mail. Your call will be returned later in the day; sometimes this may be after office hours. Because of the many calls and limited physician time, it is impossible for them to talk with each patient. Therefore, our nurses will relay your problems so we may answer questions, make appropriate referrals, recommend treatment, or arrange for you to be seen.
New Prescriptions and Refills
If you suspect your doctor may need to prescribe a medication for you or you need an existing order filled, please call during office hours when your medical records are readily available. When calling, please have your pharmacy’s phone number handy. In some cases, the doctor may wish to see you in the office before refilling the prescription. Prescription refill requests will only be handled during office hours
Release Information
We treat all medical information pertaining to each patient seen in our office as personal and confidential. It is our strict policy not to release your records, in part or in full, at any time unless we have written permission from you. This policy is enforced regardless of the circumstances. Therefore, we require a signed “Release of Information” form by every patient before we will copy any information contained within your medical chart to any third party, including but not limited to, other physicians, insurance companies, and/or an attorney. Remember, when you sign a release for an insurance company, you give them access to all information contained in our medical records unless you restrict the information to be released.
Insurance, Fees and Billing
As a courtesy, we will initiate a claim to your insurance company on your behalf. Ear Nose & Throat Associates, P.C. and Norfolk Ear Nose & Throat, P.C. are contracted with most major insurance companies, HMOs and PPOs. Claims will be submitted as “insurance assignment” which authorizes payment to be made directly to our office. In order to file a claim, we must have all your insurance data, a signed authorization form, and a valid insurance card at each time of service.
We are required by our contracts with your insurer to collect co-payments for services at the time they are rendered. You are responsible for any deductibles, co-insurance and non-covered services. Please keep in mind that insurance is a method for patients to be reimbursed for the fees they have paid for medical services. Your insurance coverage is a contract between you and your insurance company, not our office; therefore, you are responsible for full payment of your account when due. If your insurance company does not pay the claim within 45-60 days, you may also be required to take an active part in the recovery and payment of your claim.
Ear, Nose & Throat Associates, P.C. and Norfolk Ear Nose & Throat P.C. accepts cash, personal checks, Visa, MasterCard, Discover and Wells Fargo Health Advantage. If there is an unusual financial difficulty in your family that necessitates the need for a payment plan, please call our business office at (605) 665-0062. We want to be as understanding and helpful as possible.