Prior Authorizations

Dear Modern Mobile Medicine patients,

Insurance companies are issuing an increased number of prior authorizations for routine medications, which takes us away from patient care.

If a medication is listed on GoodRX for less than $50, we will not be performing a prior authorization. For more expensive medications, we will submit the prior authorization once. If it is denied for a clear and surmountable cause, we will process one appeal, but nothing more. If no valid reason is provided for the denial, we will not process an appeal.

Thank you for understanding.

Now Offering Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy

Call our office at 888-765-1444 to see if PRP is right for you!

Get Your Flu Shots!

Schedule your flu shot with Candra today.

Experts have warned of a severe flu season arriving early to Virginia and it’s off to a worrisome start. The season has yet to reach its peak so please take precautions now and get your shots today.

Flu shots are $35/members and $45/non-members.
The Nasal Flu Vaccine is also available if you would like to avoid needles.
Rapid Flu Test (point of care nasal swab) are $25/members and $40/non-members.

There is a $75 nurse visit charge for home visits but no visit fee for in-office appointments.

Click on the link below to schedule a nurse office visit with Candra today.

https://pureprimarycare.as.me/schedule.php

Now Taking Flu Shot Reservations

Reserve your flu shots now for the 2021-2022 flu season.

While last season was mild due to quarantine, this coming season is predicted to be more severe than typical. We strongly encourage our eligible patients to get flu shots as soon as they are available.

Pre-order price is $30 each dose for the standard preservative free flu shot. If not pre-ordered, they will be $35 in limited quantity as first come, first serve.

High dose flu shots for patients over age 65 are $90 per dose now, and will not be available without a pre-order.

Click on the form below to reserve your flu shot today!

https://forms.office.com/r/aq8XpQiFna

We're Hiring a Full-Time Executive Assistant!

Modern Mobile Medicine is looking to add a full-time Executive Assistant for our Alexandria, VA office. This role will handle the majority of day to day tasks of the office, including answering all customer calls and messages, forwarding appropriate communication to physicians, entering and accessing data in an electronic medical record system, following up on patient labs, and more. Candidates must have prior experience (3+ years) in the medical office space, superb customer service skills, and the ability to juggle a variety of tasks at one time. This position will entail some remote work in the beginning stage, but will transition to full-time hours at our Alexandria office. Future growth and earning potential possible.

Qualified applicants:  Please submit your résumé and 3 professional references to dan@pureprimarycare.com to be considered for this position. Full job description below.

__________________________________________________________________________________

FULL-TIME EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT POSITION

Alexandria, VA

MODERN Mobile Medicine is looking for a passionate professional to fulfill the role of Executive Assistant for our growing practice in Alexandria, VA.

The Executive Assistant will handle many of the day-to-day tasks and challenges of the practice in order to maximize the time and focus our physicians can provide to our patients. Future growth potential as practice manager or team lead is possible.

Key Duties for this role include the following:

●        Answer patient calls;

●        Monitor all inboxes (email, fax, patient portal, text) and reply to messages as appropriate

●        Coordinate urgent referrals

●        Generate invoices, assist with patient enrollment process

●        Send duplicate invoices to customers as necessary

Qualifications:

●        Associates or Bachelor’s degree

●        3+ Years medical practice experience

●        Prior experience with an Electronic Medical Record system; proficiency in Microsoft Excel preferred

●        Must excel at managing a variety of tasks at one time

●        Excellent phone communication

●        Bilingual in Spanish preferred but not mandatory

Schedule:

●        Mon-Friday 8AM-5PM

●        Remote work possible to start with role transitioning to a full-time schedule at our Alexandria office position (2201 Mt Vernon Ave Suite 105)

Compensation:

●        Hourly rate of $18-$25 based upon experience and skill set

Location:

●        Alexandria, VA

Qualified applicants:  Please submit your résumé and 3 professional references to dan@pureprimarycare.com to be considered for this position.

Holiday Hours

The practice will be closed Dec 24th through Jan 1st. Please submit all refill requests before this time. On-call care for our members will be available for urgent matters only. Call your doctor directly if you have an urgent medical concern and leave a voicemail. Routine refills and requests will resume with appointments January 2nd.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year!

Open Enrollment Strategy Secret: Direct Primary Care And High Deductible Health Plans

Open Enrollment Strategy Secret: Direct Primary Care And High Deductible Health Plans 

As open enrollment season begins, it’s time for you to make an informed decision about the most cost effective way to provide quality health care for your family.  Here’s a simple strategy to improve the quality of care your family receives while also lowering your annual cost.  

1. Sign-up for a direct primary care membership. Direct primary care is a new model of medicine whereby customers pay a low monthly membership fee for direct and unlimited access to a primary care physician via phone call, text, video conferencing, and traditional office visits.  The majority of a patient’s medical needs (check ups, acute illness, physicals, etc.) are addressed with a primary care physician, so this is the most important level of care to get right.  Direct primary care does not bill insurance, meaning doctors are free to serve patients without bending to the costs and constraints that health insurance companies impose.  In this way, a direct primary care membership can reduce the cost and improve the level of care for your most frequent medical needs.

1. Enroll in a high deductible health care plan or a health sharing group.  Paired with a direct primary care membership, a high deductible health plan, or health sharing group, can be a great way to cover severe medical occurrences.  Think about how you approach the needs of your car over the course of a year.  You purchase car insurance to cover your vehicle in the case of a major accident, but you’d never think to use insurance for a tank of gas, a broken windshield wiper, or an oil change.  In the same way, you can implement a direct primary care membership to cover your everyday medical needs while retaining a low cost, high-deductible health plan (or health sharing group) for more catastrophic needs, such as an unexpected hospital visit.  

For more information about the benefits and costs of direct primary care, along with other helpful health plan advice, visit https://www.modernmobilemedicine.com.

RAPID ANTIBODY TEST FOR COVID-19

5-MINUTE COVID-19 TESTING 

On Tuesday April 14 we anticipate beginning rapid antibody testing for COVID-19 by simple finger stick.  Here is what you need to know:

• Testing is by appointment only, booked on the website.

• We recommend testing for all our patients. Many people with the virus do not have symptoms, and we need to identify those asymptomatic carriers.

• Fee for active monthly members is $50 per test

• Test takes 5-10 minutes to get results vs 5 days for the nasal swab from LabCorp and Quest.

• This is a SCREENING test, NOT a DIAGNOSTIC test, detecting your antibodies, not active presence of viral particles.

• Positive results presume that you have had the virus, but it is RECOMMENDED the results be confirmed by the nasal or throat swab PCR test if you have ongoing symptoms. There are false positives expected when you want to catch all possible coronavirus cases, and rule out illness (very sensitive, not as specific statistically).

• This test kit was allowed by the FDA due to the emergency, but has not been evaluated by the FDA. It was previously used for research only.

• Testing will be open to non-members as a service to the community, as we are able. Family members of existing patients are given priority.

  • Fee for non-members is $110 per person

  • This includes a discounted doctor visit for $60 (regularly $150), plus $50 for the rapid COVID-19 antibody test.

  • No insurance reimbursement paperwork will be provided or completed afterwards

  • Guests must Register and pay before scheduling on the website.  If you schedule without Registering, your appointment will be automatically cancelled.

• To help advance the understanding of the prevalence of COVID-19,  our doctors may submit a paper for publication, summarizing the results of the testing that we have performed.  Data will be reported in aggregate format only and no patient identifying information will be reported.  By requesting to be tested for COVID 19, you are giving consent for your data to be included in the study.  Patients may opt out of study participation, by sending an email to: info@MMMEd.care or Duane@MMMed.care stating that they do not wish to be included in the study.

COVID-19 UPDATE 03-31-2020

Greetings patients,

I hope you are all doing well in this unique time. I have some important information.

While staying home for so long can be challenging, it is very important to help minimize the outbreak in our communities. It is truly our moral duty to stay home for the sake of those at most risk, as I conveyed in a recent television interview. But there are also many cases of the young and healthy succumbing to coronavirus. So it is in everyone’s interest to socially distance and practice strict germ hygiene when you must go out in public. People can have very mild symptoms or no symptoms at all and still be spreading the virus.

The number of cases in our area is growing, but not exponentially yet, as local governments did take action fairly quickly to close public gathering places. It is important that we continue aggressive measures to contain it now to save lives and avoid overwhelming our hospitals with patients in need of ventilator support.

Up until now, our practice has been unable to obtain the medical supplies necessary to conduct in-person evaluations of potential COVID-19 cases. However, there is progress being made. I have a handful of the nasopharyngeal testing kits, and was able to piece together a few personal protective outfits from donated equipment and home renovation supplies. Our practice is expecting supplies to arrive soon to enable the other doctors to also safely perform evaluations and testing.

Given the shortage of nasal testing kits, the high risk posed to healthcare workers during the nasal collection process, and the fact that it takes 4 to 7 days to get results, it is not an ideal tool. I have ordered a batch of newly available rapid coronavirus screening kits, which use blood instead of a respiratory swab. These were previously only authorized for research use. The emergency regulations that were passed now make this 5 minute blood test available directly to doctors. The manufacturer has estimated that they will ship them from California on April 6th, so we anticipate being able to offer rapid fingerstick testing soon after.

We will delineate the testing procedure in detail before testing appointments, but the preferred method would be drive-up testing to minimize exposure of our doctors. The patient would remain in the car and simply put one hand out the window for a brief fingerstick. If you are homebound, your doctor will be able to test at your front door while remaining outside.

I am aware that many of your friends and family may have lost jobs, lost insurance, may not have a PCP, or even if they do, they may not have access to them by telemedicine the way you have access to our practice. If they need a one-time telemedicine consultation, you can share with them this specific registration link:

https://pureprimarycare.hint.com/checkout/virtualvisit

We are happy to help them with urgent needs like COVID-19 symptom screening, short term medication renewals (non-narcotic), or triaging other acute needs. Patients can be located anywhere our doctors hold medical licenses: Virginia, DC, Maryland, Texas, or Arizona. Due to emergency waivers, we are temporarily also able to provide telemedicine to patients in the following states: California, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington.

After registering for the one-time visit, they can schedule the consult via the website HERE

That’s all for now. I will keep you updated as things change. Be safe, be kind, and be generous in this challenging time.

Dr. Haden

COVID-19 Update

Dear Patients,

In order to prevent inadvertent spread of the coronavirus, we are going to defer all in-person appointments for non-urgent issues like checkups, routine follow up, etc.  You should stay at home as much as possible also.

Urgent issues will be dealt with via telemedicine as much as possible (text, phone, video chat, portal messages).  In person visits will be used only when necessary. 

If you believe you may have contracted COVID-19 we have a new screening questionnaire specifically for that on the Spruce app.  Do not panic.  Most cases are very mild and do not require any testing or medical attention.

Diagnostic testing is still limited in our area to high risk patients, until kits become available for the general population.

We know you are being inundated via the media and email about the coronavirus outbreak.  It can be challenging to sort out the facts from the hype and exaggeration, but there are everyday precautions you should take for the health of yourselves, your loved ones, and for the sake of the frail and/or elderly in your community, who would be hardest hit.

This is a good time to review routine germ precautions, to protect yourself from all infections, not just the COVID-19 virus. Also note that most acute infections are viral also, and therefore cannot be treated with antibiotics.

1. Do not touch your eyes, nose, mouth, or face in general.  COVID-19 and most other respiratory infections are usually caught by touching a contaminated finger to your own nose or mouth.  You put the virus right where it needs to be to make you sick.

2. Wash your hands often, but especially before eating.  Or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.

3. Cover your cough/sneeze fully with your sleeve or a cupped hand, directing your breath to the ground and away from people. Clean your hands after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose.

4. Do not share food or drinks.

5. If you are sick, stay home.  Do not go to work, school, social gatherings or houses of worship until you feel better.

We at MMMed and PURE Primary Care wanted to let you know we are monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak closely, and adapting our recommendations to you with guidance from our local health departments and the CDC, as the situation evolves.

In the face of confusing online information, here are some reliable resources to review for prevention and what to do if you believe you have COVID-19.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/prevention.html

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html

As always, we are here to care for you, so let us know if you have any questions.

Doctor and Mrs. Haden Welcome a Baby Boy...a lot earlier than expected

Dr. Haden's appointment calendar is closed temporarily, due to the premature birth of his baby boy and admission to the NICU. Thank you for your understanding. His colleagues are cross-covering for current patients, and Dr. Haden expects to have appointment availability again soon.

Your thoughts and prayers for baby boy Haden are appreciated! 

Time to Get Your Flu Shot!

coworker sneezing, friend is turned off by germs

Influenza season is already here, with confirmed cases in Northern Virginia and the DC metro area.

Schedule your flu shot now as soon as possible. Cost at our practice is just $30 for monthly members, and $45 for non-members. The type we purchased is approved for all ages, starting at 6 months old. CVS is charging $50 for comparison. Let your doctor know immediately if you want a flu shot, so we can reserve yours from our available supply.

As a reminder, here’s some background on the flu:

Influenza is an acute respiratory infection. (not “stomach flu”!) It spreads in the humidity of one’s breath (airborne spread). Infected people are contagious up to 24 hours before they even feel ill, which is why it spreads so quickly.

Symptoms vary from moderate to severe, with the most common symptoms being the sudden onset of sneezing, runny nose, cough, shortness of breath, fever, body aches, and headache. Tragically, thousands of people die every year from “the flu.” It can be particularly harsh on infants, elderly, and those with any respiratory conditions like asthma or COPD.

While the annual flu shot is not perfect, it is the best available protection to prime your immune system to fight the virus. Infants cannot receive the vaccine until 6 months of age, so it is important for all of their family members and caretakers to be immunized.

It is physically impossible to catch influenza from the vaccine, so don’t worry about that. But you may feel symptoms of your immune system being activated—mild aches, low grade temperature elevation. That means you are responding appropriately to the immunization.

If you have an egg allergy, talk to your doctor. The CDC recommends that people with an egg allergy still get the vaccine, but under specific conditions.

Now Offering Discounted Quick Visit House Calls

Need an ear looked at just to make sure it's not infected?

Worried you have strep throat? Allergies driving you crazy?

Itchy rash need looked at?

Our non-member house calls now start at $150 for these Quick Visits to check out a single concern. 

Skip the urgent care and let one of our doctors come to you!Pre-register here on the website, then schedule your a la carte house call.

Dr. Shivone Starts Maternity Leave 2-28-19

Please note that Dr. Shivone is scheduled for her C-Section 2/28/19 and will then start her maternity leave. Dr. Duane will be covering for Dr. Shivone’s patients during this time if care is needed.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Shivone and sending our prayers and well wishes to her family!