Frequently Asked Questions

We are open every weekday, Monday through Friday. We will schedule your appointment as promptly as possible. If you have pain or an emergency situation, every attempt will be made to see you that day. We try our best to stay on schedule to minimize your waiting. Due to the fact that Dr. Aroesty, Kathleen Alexander and Morgan Marhfka provide many types of medical and surgical services, various circumstances may lengthen the time allocated for a particular visit. Emergency cases can also arise and cause delays. We appreciate your understanding and patience.

Yes, we welcome new patients.

Call our office at (973) 770-7101 to schedule your appointment. If scheduling your first appointment, our staff will give you instructions to access registration and medical history forms from our website. Completing this paperwork prior to arriving at the office will help alleviate delays. If you do not have internet access these papers will be mailed to you. In an effort to assist our patients in remembering their appointments with us, we have a service that will contact you by phone with an automated reminder 48 hours prior to your scheduled appointment. Please be advised that we require 24 hour notice for appointment cancellations. If you fail to notify us in a timely manner you may be subject to a $50 "No Show" fee. We understand that "life" often gets in the way of our plans; however, a courtesy call is expected so that we may be available for others who require our services.

If your insurance plan requires you to obtain a referral prior to a specialty visit, then contact your primary care doctor first. If your plan allows a specialty visit without a referral, then please call us at (973) 770-7101 to arrange your visit. If your doctor has referred you to our office for a "Consultation" please ask him/her to write that on a prescription and bring that to your first visit. That will assist the provider in determining the reason for the visit.

Your initial appointment will consist of a consultation explaining your diagnosis and treatment options. Occasionally, treatment can be performed the same day as the consultation. However, a complex medical history or treatment plan will require an evaluation and a second appointment to provide treatment on another day.

Please assist us by providing the following information at the time of your consultation:

• Your referral slip and any X-rays, CT scans, MRI films, Hearing tests or Sleep studies (if applicable). If your insurance requires a referral, you must bring it with you!
• A list of your current medical prescriptions.
• If you have medical insurance, bring the necessary completed forms and your insurance card. This will save time and allow us to help you process any claims.
• If your physician has ordered a previous diagnostic study (X-Ray, CT, MRI), you may request to have the films and results forwarded to our office. If there is not enough time, please pick them up and bring them to your initial consultation.
• Photo ID (valid driver's license or State issued photo ID). For minors, we request the photo ID of the responsible party. A parent or guardian must accompany all patients under 18 at the consultation visit.

Please alert the office if you have a medical condition that may be of concern prior to surgery (i.e. diabetes, high blood pressure, artificial heart valves and joints, rheumatic fever, etc.) or if you are on any medication (i.e. heart medications, aspirin, anticoagulant therapy, etc.)

Visit schedules will vary depending on the individual and specific problem. We will discuss the expected length and duration of follow up visits during your initial consultation.

Our physicians are available 24 hours a day. Call the office at (973) 770-7101 and follow the prompts to page a provider on call. Please be aware that after-hours calls are intended for urgent medical issues that cannot wait until the next business day. Referral and appointment requests will not be addressed via pager. Pages are typically returned within 20 minutes. Please call back if you have not received a timely response.

IN THE EVENT OF A LIFE THREATENING EMERGENCY, CALL 911.

We make every effort to provide you with the finest care and the most convenient financial options. To accomplish this goal, we work hand-in-hand with you to maximize your insurance reimbursement for covered procedures. We participate with all of the major health insurance plans. Please call our office staff at (973) 770-7101 if you have any questions or concerns regarding your visit.

For your convenience, we accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. We deliver the finest care at the most reasonable cost to our patients, therefore payment is due at the time service is rendered unless other arrangements have been made in advance. If you have questions regarding your account, please contact Christie at (973) 770-7105. Many times, a simple telephone call will clear any misunderstandings.

Please remember you are fully responsible for all fees charged by this office regardless of your insurance coverage. Most insurance companies will respond within four to six weeks. Please call our office if your monthly statement does not reflect your insurance payment within that time frame. Any remaining balance after your insurance has paid is your responsibility. Your prompt remittance is appreciated. We can make arrangements for a monthly payment plan, but that must be implemented prior to the actual procedure.

You will receive a call right away for any lab or test results that require urgent attention and we may wish to see you in the office to discuss these results. Other results will be addressed promptly by the physician who ordered the labs or tests. Please allow 7 business days for us to receive your results prior to contacting the office. You are welcome to call our office to request a copy of your results.

The fastest and most efficient way to obtain refills for your prescriptions is to contact your pharmacy. The pharmacist will then contact us, if necessary, to request the needed refills. This will alleviate phone calls and frustrating wait times. The pharmacies contact us by fax and we address these request throughout the day.

Otolaryngology is the oldest medical specialty in the United States. Otolaryngologists are physicians trained in the medical/surgical treatment of patients with diseases and disorders of the ear, nose, throat and related structures of the head and neck. We are commonly referred to as ENT physicians.

We provide medical and surgical treatment of disorders of the ear, nose, and throat for children and adults. This includes nasal and sinus disease, nasal deformity, chronic ear infections, allergy, snoring and sleep apnea, disorders of balance and hearing, as well as swallowing and vocal dysfunction. We also manage problems of the thyroid, parathyroid, and salivary glands.

Yes, we offer allergy testing through United Allergy Services. Before doing so, this needs to be ordered by a provider. Make an appointment, and a provider will accomidate your needs accordingly. Please consult this information sheet for additional reference.

When our office closes due to inclement weather, the information will be reported on local radio station WSUS 102.3 FM, as well as posted to their website, www.wsus1023.com. We encourage you to check their website before attempting to come to the office during inclement weather. In addition, you can always reach our answering service after 7:30 am on the day of your appointment for more information.