New & Existing Patients

New Patients

Once you have made an appointment, our automated system will contact you 48 hours prior to your scheduled appointment. If you are unable to confirm at the time, the automated system will contact you 24 hours prior to your scheduled appointment. We realize that sometimes you may not be able to keep your appointment and when that happens, we kindly ask that you give us 24 hours advance notice so that we can schedule others who need an appointment.

WHEN YOU ARE LATE OR CANNOT KEEP YOUR APPOINTMENT . . .

If you arrive 15 minutes late for your appointment, you may choose to wait until other patients who were on time are seen. If you do not show up for your scheduled appointment, we will contact you to reschedule your appointment.

If you do not show up for your appointment three times and have not notified us, you will be scheduled when availability allows. This means that we will call you on the day an appointment becomes available and hopefully, you will be able to make that day. If not, we will call you the next day that an appointment becomes available. Unfortunately, we will not be able to schedule you for an appointment for some future date.

While we wish we didn’t have to put these kinds of restrictions on appointments, we feel it is only fair to all patients who are seeking Charter Oak services.

If you have any questions about the policy or about your appointment, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 860-550-7500.

Existing Patients

WHAT TO DO IF YOU NEED CARE AFTER HOURS

  • Emergency

If your condition is life-threatening, please call 9-1-1 immediately or go to the nearest hospital emergency room.

General Medical Concerns

If you feel your concern is non-life threatening, please dial the main clinic number: 860-550-7500. Our answering service provides 24-hour, seven days a week telephone service for our patients, and will answer your call. They will take your information and contact the provider on call. The provider on call will call you back to discuss your concern.

What to expect

When the answering service takes your call, they will ask you for:

  • Your name
  • A phone number where you can be reached
  • A brief description of your medical condition or other concern

A provider will return your call within 30 minutes to discuss your concerns and what you should do.

  • If the on-call provider does not return your call within 30 minutes, please call again and leave a new message.
  • The provider on call will place a note in your file to inform your regular care provider.
  • You should follow up with your regular care provider.

TO BETTER SERVE YOU AT YOUR APPOINTMENT

Important questions to ask your Health Care Team

We want you to be an active partner in your health care. At every appointment, we encourage you to ask these questions:

  • What is my main problem?
  • What do I need to do?
  • Why is it important for me to do this?

On the Day of Your Appointment

Please bring with you:

  • Photo Identification
  • A list of your medications you are taking (including any you need refilled)
  • A list of questions for your care team

If it is your first appointment at Charter Oak, please also bring:

  • Social security number, if applicable
  • Proof of address
  • A list of any medication, food, or other things you are allergic to

What to expect when you arrive for your appointment

  • Upon arrival, our welcoming front desk staff will check you in. They will ask you for identification, any paperwork and if you have current health insurance. Our front desk staff speak English and Spanish. Please let them know what language you prefer. Other languages are provided by an interpreter either on site or via telephone.
  • Depending on the reason you are here, you may be directed to another floor or wait to be called by a “clinical team member”. She or he will call you back to an exam room. For a medical visit, a member of your care team will check your vital signs (blood pressure, height, weight, and temperature). She or he will confirm the reason for that day’s visit. For other types of care such as behavioral health, dental, and other specialties, you will be directed accordingly.
  • After that, your provider will join you for your appointment. You can get the most out of your appointment by having notes on any symptoms and making sure you understand and agree with your provider’s care plan. This is a great time to ask any questions.
  • You will be given directions about next steps for your care, and follow up appointment information, as necessary. All of these directions can also be printed out for you to take home with you if you prefer.
  • Please visit our Appointment/Check Out office before leaving. Your payment is due at the time of your visit. Be sure to look at our Payment options to learn more about costs.