Yes. All of our providers reserve a select number of same day appointments. 

We advise patients to arrive 15-20 minutes prior to the scheduled appointment time. This gives us ample time to complete the registration process, get your vitals, review your medication list, and take notes on any specific items you'd like to discuss with the physician. 
 

If you are running late, please call our office as soon as you can. This will allow us to adjust the schedule, if possible. Arriving 15 minutes late, without informing us, could mean we will need to reschedule your appointment. 
 
If you are unable to make your appointment, please try to give us 24 hours in advance notice. Patients who do not cancel and do not show will be contacted by the practice to reschedule. Multiple no shows can result in a patient being discharged from the practice. 
 

Medicare wellness exams are not a traditional, head to toe physical exam and are not intended to address existing or new health problems. These are intended to screen for risks such as falling, depression and other risks specific to the Medicare population. These are utilized to make recommendations for wellness services and lifestyle changes. Nota ll providers participate in wellness visits, so please ask your provider’s scheduling staff if you are interested in this type of exam.
 
Preventive health exams (also referred to as a physical) are for the prevention of disease, not for the treatment of existing health problems; the management of existing health problems is considered separate service. If your provider has time to address a new health problem during your annual physical, a co-pay will be required. Not all insurances cover annual physical exams, so please check with your insurance company regarding your coverage.
 

You may submit refill requests by contacting your pharmacy who will notify us electronically. We handle these requests Monday thru Friday during regular business hours. Please allow up to 48 hours for us to process your request.

To reach out clinical team after hours, please call 518-695-3668. 

For a medical question, we will try to reach out to you within the same business day. you can expect to hear back between 7-10 business days for test and lab results. 

If you need a copy of your medical records for another treating Physician, we will forward a copy directly to their office upon their request. Medical record requests for personal use will require a request through the portal or a signed Authorization for release of health information pursuant to HIPAA form and this can be found under Patient Resources or at our office.

The PCMH model is an approach to providing care which strengthens the physician-patient relationship by replacing episodic care with coordinated care and a long-term healthcare relationship. The PCMH model seeks to foster a relationship of trust between the healthcare team and the patient, and to actively engage patients as partners in their healthcare.

The Advisory Council is comprised of existing patients within the practice who help the office administration review areas in which we can improve and offer suggestions to do so. These patients represent the enter patient population at the practice. If you are interested in knowing more, please contact our office.

Our Quality Improvement Committee uses information from our Patient Advisory Council and other resources to measure and implement change while continually tracking to assure that changes are making a positive impact.

For your appointment, please bring: 

• Photo ID
• Insurance Card and Prescription Medication cards
• Medication List
• Credit card, checkbook, or cash for payments due at the time of service

Please call 518-886-5900 to speak to our Patient Concierge, who will assist you in finding a primary care provider that is right for you.

Saratoga Hospital Medical Group’s Patient Portal is a secure website that allows access to your medical information. Through this Patient Portal you have real-time access to your medications, labs, and upcoming appointments. You will also be able to view and cancel appointments, request refills, and send non-urgent messages your provider.

You can contact your Provider’s office and they will provide an activation code for you by phone or mail.  Once you have that code:

1. Visit the Patient Portal site
2. Click on the link “Activate Account” to log in for the first time.
3. Fill in the requested information
4. Create a login name and password.

Please enter your name and date of birth exactly as it appears at the top of the letter, if one was sent to you, including any suffixes.  If any of the information is incorrect, you will be able to make changes once your portal account has been activated.

Yes. You can become an “Authorized Representative,” if your child is under the age of 18. Please use your child’s own account to communicate about concerns related to them as messages become part of their chart.

You can designate someone to be an “Authorized Representative.” Please contact the Provider office to supply the contact information for your representative. They will generate and send a letter to them. Your representative will then create a portal account to view your health information

If you are the Authorized Representative:

1. Click to go to the Patient Portal site.
2. Once on the portal login page, click on the link Activate Account.
3. Fill out some basic personal information
4. Create a login name and password.

Even though you are representing a patient, you will need to enter YOUR personal information when activating the account. The name and date of birth you will need to enter during the activation stage appears at the top of the letter.

The information in the Patient Portal comes from the electronic health record (EHR) that the medical providers use to document your care and health information.  Since the hospital and the providers each use an EHR specifically designed to meet the requirements of that setting, the Patient Portals are not the same.

Most of the providers for Saratoga Hospital Medical Group share the same Medent portal.  If you already have a login, you will not need a new one.  Some Providers may use an electronic health record (EHR) unique to their setting and will not share this same Portal.  If you have questions about the information that is provided in your portal, please contact our office and we’ll be happy to discuss this with you.   

If you forgot your password, click the “Forgot Password?” link and a temporary password will be emailed to you at the email address on file.

If you forgot your login name, contact the office and they can share your login name with you or mail you a letter.

If you lost your letter/activation code, contact the office and they can tell you your activation code or mail you another letter.

You can change your password from the “Edit Profile” link on the top right, once signed in.

If you have trouble accessing your account, call our office and someone will be able to help you.

Your health information comes from your discussions and appointments with your provider who will formulate a diagnosis.

You will be able to view your results in the Chart section of the Patient Portal from tests ordered by your provider. Please allow 7-10 business days from the date the test was performed for your provider to receive and review results.

You can request a medication refill in the Medication section by selecting the medication and clicking on the “Request a refill” button. You can also verify and update your “Pharmacy Info.” We handle these requests Monday thru Friday during business hours. Please allow 2 business days for us to process your request.

You can update your demographic information in the Account Info section on the Patient Portal.  You can update some of your Past Medical History, including Health Maintenance, Family and Social History in the History section.  You can update your Pharmacy information in the Medication section.  You can also send a message requesting updated to other information.

This web based patient portal is to be used for NON-URGENT issues only, and all messages become part of your permanent medical record; communications should only be about you and your medical care. For urgent health care issues please contact your provider's office. We offer same day appointments for established patients. After hours, an on call provider will return your call to assist you with medical advice and treatment. By contacting your primary care team first, you may be able avoid the need to visit urgent care or the emergency room. If you are having a medical emergency, please call 911.

You can contact Strategic Solutions, our medical billing company, at 518-348-1276.

All lab testing and imaging is managed by Saratoga Hospital. All other piece of the bill fall under our medical billing company, Strategic Solutions. 
 

Saratoga Hospital is an Article 28 facility, which means Medicare and Medicaid require that we split the bill. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regulations require that a hospital bill is split with a portion of the total charges to a technical intermediary (the facility) and the other portion of charges is billed to a professional intermediary.
 

You can contact your insurance company to check if we are in your network. Or you can review the list of insurance plans we accept which can be viewed here.

All co-payments, deductibles, account balances and payments for other costs not covered by insurance are due at the time of service. 

Yes, payments can be made online. We also accept VISA, MasterCard, Discover and American Express debit and credit cards, cash, check, or money orders. 
 

You can contact your insurance company directly for this information. Co-pays will vary with insurance plans. 

Yes, you can. We can put you in touch with our health navigators who can help you shop, compare, and enroll in low-cost, quality health insurance plans. Also Through our Financial Assistance Program, those that are uninsured, or underinsured can apply for help with their healthcare bills. For more information on our financial assistance program, including an application, click here.

At Saratoga Hospital, we are committed to providing you with the information you need to make the best possible decisions about your care. That includes information on the cost of certain services and what you might expect to pay in out-of-pocket expenses.

It’s important to note that no two patients—and no two procedures—are exactly alike. For example, performing surgery on a young, healthy patient tends to be simpler and less expensive than performing a similar procedure on a patient with several chronic health conditions.

Therefore, we believe it is not helpful to provide lists of services and standard charges. Instead, we invite you to contact us at (518) 886-5075 so we can discuss your particular situation. In addition, we provide answers to some of patients’ most frequent questions, below.
 
We will work with you to provide an estimate based on your situation and the procedure your doctor has recommended. Please bear in mind that we typically cannot do this for emergency medical services because they are not scheduled in advance.  For planned procedures, it’s important to remember that the actual cost could vary depending on your circumstances and what happens during your procedure. For example, your doctor may decide that you need additional testing or services. Or you might have a condition, such as obesity or diabetes that affects both your medical needs and treatment costs.

Prices are based on many factors, including the cost for staff, equipment, facilities, medications, and other supplies; the amount of time involved; and information provided by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which oversees Medicare and Medicaid. Some costs—such as fees for your surgeon, anesthesiologist, or radiologist—may be billed separately. Please contact these doctors’ offices directly for estimates for their costs.
 

 Insurance coverage differs from plan to plan, so it’s best to ask your insurance provider. You may need to supply a “procedure code,” which you can get from your doctor’s office.
 

That depends on your insurance plan. Please contact them directly for this information.
 

We accept most insurance and health plans, including Medicare and Medicaid. The best way to find out if your plan is included is to call your insurance provider.

At most hospitals, specialty care is usually billed separately. This practice results in separate bills for services, commonly referred to as surprise bills.  If, for example, you have surgery, the charges for your anesthesia services most likely will not be billed by the hospital. Instead, they will come from your anesthesiologist.

We believe it’s important for patients to have as much information as possible about our charges and our billing procedures.  Please review our list of physician practices that provide services at Saratoga Hospital. These include our employed physicians and other members of our medical staff.  Depending on the type of care you need, you/your insurance company could receive a bill from one or more of these practices.
 
 

We make financial aid available to all low-income, uninsured, or underinsured individuals who qualify for help with their Hospital bills. For more information on our financial assistance program, including an application, click here.
 
 

We have specially trained navigators who will help you compare and sign up for low-cost, quality health insurance plans through NY State of Health: The Official Health Plan Marketplace. Our navigators can also help you determine if you qualify for financial assistance to lower your costs even more.
 

Contact us at (518) 886-5075 and we’ll be happy to answer your questions.