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Practice Information
Fragrance Free
Our Clinic is a Fragrance Free building. What does this mean?
Due to the many allergies our patients deal with, we require that anyone coming to our office NOT wear any perfumes, colognes or anything scented. This is for the safety of our patients and we appreciate your cooperation. We really care.
Patient Information
This information is designed to inform you concerning my practice, my office procedures, and the services rendered. An allergist is a doctor who has taken special training in the handling of illnesses caused by an allergic reaction of the body. These illnesses include asthma, hay fever (seasonal and year round), eczema, hives, drug reactions, insect stings, etc. The illnesses treated in this office are limited to those due to allergies and asthma.
It is the desire of the clinic to provide you with the finest allergy care available. We try to do this in a friendly and efficient manner at a cost that is both fair and reasonable. We would appreciate any suggestions you may have to improve our services.
Your Physician
David T. Plaxico, M.D. is a physician with sub-specialty training in the evaluation and treatment of allergic diseases and asthma. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
He is an Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the Mercer Medical School in Macon. Dr. Plaxico is a member of the American Academy of Allergy , Asthma & Immunology, the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology , the Southeastern Allergy Society, the Allergy && Immunology Society of Georgia, plus the Bibb County Medical Association. Dr. Plaxico has also served as a Board of Directors for the American Lung Association. He is also a regional teaching consultant for several pharmaceutical companies.
Appointments
OFFICE HOURS: Regular office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday (excluding Wednesday afternoons). It is the policy of this office to see patients by appointments only. Appointments may be made by calling this office between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5: 00 p.m. By utilizing a strict appointment system, the doctor can allocate his time and provide more efficient service while cutting down on your waiting time.
In any busy MD’s day, there are frequent unexpected occurrences that may cause him to run behind schedule. We do respect your time and regret delays. We will do our utmost to stay on schedule and expect you to be punctual for you appointment. Occasionally, emergencies arise that make it necessary to reschedule appointments. We are sure you will understand if it does occur. Remember that someday the medial emergency could be a member of your family and you will expect to receive prompt and immediate care.
If you cannot keep an appointment, reasonable notice should be given to this office. This is particularly true for your initial visit when you will be given a 60 to 90 minute appointment. Give at least a 24 HOUR NOTICE. This allows us to reschedule that time for someone else who needs to see the doctor.
Your Initial Visit
Most patients come to this office by referral from their Internist, Pediatrician, Family physician or other specialist. The most important tool of the allergist is the complete and detailed history, physical exam and preliminary laboratory work. Much of the first visit will be taken up by the history. Areas that will be covered include a chronological process of the systems, medication use and their results, and any suspicious causes that might exist. A detailed environmental survey both at home and at work will be made.
Why All The Questions?
You will be asked to complete several forms during your initial evaluation. The patient information slip contains important information as a necessary part of your care. Your address and phone number are needed for prescriptions. Information concerning your occupations and age is likewise important for it has a direct bearing upon your health and physical status. All information given to us is strictly confidential and will be divulged to no one without your written permission. Information concerning your past medical health is extremely important for a complete understanding of your medical problems; this includes a list of medical problems previously or currently treated by other physicians whether or not they have a direct bearing on your allergic problem. It is particularly important that we obtain a list of all medications currently being taken or recently prescribed. These should be brought with you at the time of your visit. PLEASE FILL OUT THE ALLERGY QUESTIONNAIRE FORM WITH AS MUCH DETAIL AS POSSIBLE AND BRING IT WITH YOU AT YOUR INITIAL VISIT.
Skin Tests
In most cases, allergy tests will be needed to confirm the cause of the illnesses that were suggested in the history. This can usually be accomplished in two or three visits. There are two basic kinds of skin tests:
PRICK TEST: Performed on the arms or the back,
INTRADERMAL TEST: Performed on the arms.
The number of tests vary from the individual, depending on the particular type problem and the history. If your child is to be tested, we will be happy to demonstrate each type of test on the parent if so desired. Antihistamines and decongestants (medical treatment of hay fever) should not be taken within 72 hours prior to having skin tests performed. IT IS UNNECESSARY (AND SOMETIME DANGEROUS) TO STOP OTHER MEDICATIONS YOU MAY BE TAKING, particularly those for asthma. If you have any question about what drugs may or may not be taken prior to skin testing, it is best to check with us before discontinuing them.
PATCH TEST: for evaluation of chronic dermatitis, itching or hives is also available. These patch tests can be performed from patient provided items or standard patch testing antigens.
Lab & X-Ray
Some laboratory work is done in this office. There are full x-ray and laboratory facilities in the area. Health Insurance will be billed for these services.
Pulmonary Function Testing
Patients with asthma and other respiratory problems will receive a complete pulmonary function testing during their evaluation. This may include spirometry (breathing test) before and after an inhaled bronchodilator or after exercise. These tests serve as a useful baseline with which to follow your progress. These are performed in this office and may be completed on your first visit.
Final Conference
After you have completed your initial history, physical exam, skin tests, and laboratory data, a summation conference will be done. At this time I will review your evaluation, and make recommendation for treatment. A summary of this conference will be sent to you and your referring physician.
Policy on Children
Children should be properly prepared for their medical appointment. You should tell them that some tests may be necessary, but please leave any further instructions and preparation to us. We will take every precaution to avoid causing significant discomfort in our young patients, but we will be firm if the situation demands. PLEASE DO NOT BRING OTHER CHILDREN IN YOUR FAMILY UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. If feasible, BOTH PARENTS are encouraged to accompany the child on at least the initial visit.
Alergy Shots (Immunotherapy)
If it is necessary for you to take allergy shots, your program will be outlined at the time of your final conference. These are usually required once per week for the first few months. Once your maintenance dose is reached, the interval will be increased to two three or four weeks. The lenth of the immunotherapy program varies, but one should anticipate a four year program. You may receive these injections in this office or we will send you extract to your personal physician to administer. THE INJECTIONS MUST BE GIVEN BY A MEDICALLY TRAINED PERSON. It is necessary to remain in the office 20 minutes after your injection and have your arm checked for any local reaction before leaving. A schedule of hours that allergy injections are given is posted at the office. You may receive a printed copy of this from the receptionist. NO INJECTIONS WILL BE GIVEN IN THIS OFFICE UNLESS A PHYSICIAN IS PRESENT IN THE BUILDING.
Telephone Call & Emergencies
A great misunderstanding among patients is that telephone conversations and consultations don’t take up much of the MD’s time. However, this is the most common cause of a physician running behind schedule. We request that you use discretion in you phone calls for this reason. Please furnish the receptionist with all the necessary information concerning the reason for your call and indicate whether routine or emergency. Our office and nursing staff can answer most questions. If they can not, they will take a message to be relayed to the doctor. We will return urgent calls as soon as possible – YOU WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN.
After hours and on weekends our office phones will be placed on an answering service. The doctor will check in at regular intervals and if necessary will return your call. PLEASE NOTE THAT NIGHT AND WEEKENDS ARE FOR URGENT SITUATIONS ONLY. Since this is a solo practice, it would be unrealistic to expect one physician to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There will be periods when Dr. Plaxico will have other responsibilities and commitments. IT IS MANDATORY, THEREFORE, THAT ALL PATIENTS SEEN IN THIS PRACTICE HAVE A PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN (INTERNIST, PEDIATRICIAN, FAMILY PRACTITIONER, ETC). If you do not have a regular physician, we will be happy to refer you to any one of a number of excellent physicians in our community. If you can not reach Dr. Plaxico and the situation is urgent, it is imperative that you seek medical care from your primary care physician or local emergency room. At times, it may be difficult to know which physician to contact during a particular problem. We advise you always contact your primary care physician first. If he or she feel that it is necessary for me to be consulted, then please call.
Prescriptions
Most allergy medications will be marked so that you can refill them as needed by simply calling your pharmacist and requesting the refill. Prescription refills will be done only during office hours so that your chart may be reviewed. Please furnish the secretary with your pharmacy telephone number. All prescriptions from this clinic will be marked “label”. Be sure that your pharmacist complies with this request. In addition, we have asked your physician not to substitute generic drugs when specific name brands have been ordered. Please notify me if you find substitutions have been made in your prescriptions.
Our Promise to You
This clinic exists to provide conscientious specialized care to patients suffering from allergy and asthma. Our goal is to give you the most expert and up-to-date evaluation possible, and to teach you about any problems we may diagnose so that you will be better able to control your destiny. In summary, we are willing to expend any amount of time and effort necessary to insure you will being. We really care.
David T. Plaxico, M.D