About Your Visit
What to expect
The initial visit is a consultation visit, in which your physician will thoroughly listen to your symptom history, gather an understanding of relevant factors that may play a role, and perform an examination.
We will discuss and determine the best method of testing and treatment, and your physician will provide an explanation that is easy to understand. Our goal is for patients to leave the visit more knowledgeable of the conditions being addressed, and that all questions are answered to their satisfaction.
Preparing for Your Visit
By completing these steps, you’ll help us provide you with the best possible care while minimizing wait times. We appreciate your cooperation and look forward to seeing you!
1. Complete Your Forms and Medical History
- Log into your patient portal to enter your medical history and medication list before your visit.
- Sign all required forms in advance to expedite your check-in process.
2. Check-In Procedures
- In-Office Visits: Please arrive at least 20 minutes early to allow time for check-in.
- Telehealth Visits: Be available for a check-in phone call 20 minutes before your scheduled visit.
3. Secure Messaging & Insurance Information
- We use Klara for secure text messaging. To streamline your visit, please send images of your insurance card via text before your appointment.
4. Enroll in Autopay for Billing Convenience
- When you arrive at our office, we ask that you enroll in autopay. This allows any remaining balance—after your insurance processes your claim—to be automatically charged to your card 5 days later.
Allergy Skin Testing
Several medications can affect skin testing responses. Antihistamines are the drugs that most commonly suppress a skin test response, though any medication that suppresses histamine will affect our ability to determine results.
For best results from your skin test, you should avoid most antihistamines for 5-7 days prior to testing. When antihistamines are withheld for fewer days, skin test responses are often reduced. Examples of medications to withhold include loratadine (Claritin), cetirizine (Zyrtec), levocetirizine (Xyzal), fexofenadine (Allegra), azelastine nasal spray (Astepro), OTC allergy eye drops such as olopatadine (Pataday) or ketotifen (Zaditor or Alaway)
Exceptions include hydroxyzine (Atarax), which should be stopped 10 days prior to allergy testing, and diphenhydramine (Benadryl), which can be taken until 48 hours prior to allergy testing.
Patients who are taking psychiatric medications (such as amitriptyline, quetiapine, doxepin, and imipramine) can also have skin test suppression. However, do not stop these medications without discussing this decision with a psychiatrist or primary care physician. If medications can not be stopped, alternative allergy testing methods may be considered.
H2 antihistamines like famotidine (Pepcid or Zantac) should be stopped 24 hours prior to allergy testing.
Medications that do not require stopping include asthma medications, antibiotics, decongestants that are not in combination with antihistamines, oral steroids, or medications taken for any other medical problem.
After Your Visit
Your Visit Notes and Documents
Your visit notes and testing reports are available in your patient portal through ModMed. Simply log in to access your records, review your results, and stay informed about your care. If you need assistance, our team is happy to help!
Leave us a Google Review
Your feedback matters! If you had a great experience with our practice, we’d love for you to share it in a Google review. Your reviews help others find quality allergy and immunology care and allow us to continue providing exceptional service. Thank you for your support!
Starting Allergen Immunotherapy
For patients who have consented during their visit to begin allergen immunotherapy, your prescription(s) will be made on the next upcoming mix date. Once serum is mixed, you will receive a text message that your serum has been prepared. Once you receive this message and have also filled your prescription for your epinephrine autoinjector, you may begin scheduling through Klara or on the practice website. Please wait until you receive this message before you begin scheduling to ensure that your serum is ready.
For patients who make their decision to begin allergy shots after their visit, please contact our office via text message. We will then send you a consent form, and once we receive your signed consent in return, we will prepare your allergy shot prescription(s). If we have not yet ordered epinephrine for you, we will do so at that time.