Please bring a check/cash/credit/debit card to pay for your visit or copay.

If you have insurance, please bring your insurance card(s) to the office every time you visit. Please let us know if you do not have insurance.

Know Your Co-Pay
Many HMOs require a co-payment, which is due at the time of the office visit. We will then bill your health plan for the remainder of the payment due. It is your responsibility to know the amount of your co-pay for each visit. Please consult your insurance card or insurance company to get this information if you cannot find it.

Know Your Deductible
You are responsible for a deductible at the beginning of each calendar year. After the deductible is met, you will be responsible for only a small portion of your bill.

Workmen’s Compensation Accident Insurance
The patient must provide all information including claim numbers and the insurance carrier’s name and address. This information must be given to the office staff before your appointment is booked.

Auto Insurance
The patient must provide all information including claim numbers and the insurance carrier’s name and address. This information must be given to the office staff before your appointment is booked.

We are currently not accepting any new patients.

To make an appointment, please call the office directly during Office Hours or through use of the Patient Portal. To access the Patient Portal, please go to our Home Page where there is a link. If you have trouble setting up the Patient Portal, please call the help desk at 617-636-5418. For a list of Office Hours, click here.

What to do if you can’t keep your appointment
If you are unable to keep a scheduled appointment please call the office at least 24 hours in advance. If that is not possible, please call as soon as possible. We even appreciate last-minute cancellations as this frequently allows us to accommodate patients with urgent medical concerns.

In a true medical emergency, go directly to the Melrose-Wakefield hospital emergency room. For urgent matters, click here.

E-mail Policy

Appointments will be accepted by phone or Patient Portal use only. An office staff member may need to speak with each patient before making an appointment in order to determine the best choice of action for each situation. For this reason we cannot accept appointments by e-mail. We appreciate your understanding in this matter.

In a true medical emergency, go directly to the Melrose-Wakefield hospital emergency room.

IF THE OFFICE IS OPEN

Please call the office to request an urgent appointment. We make every effort to see patients the same day of their concern. In a true medical emergency, go directly to the Melrose-Wakefield hospital emergency room.

IF THE OFFICE IS CLOSED

Our doctors take “call” on a rotating schedule and are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays.

To reach one of the providers during off hours for urgent matters, call the 781-245-0402 to page the on call provider. In a true medical emergency, go directly to the Melrose-Wakefield hospital emergency room.

Please tell the answering service secretary (not Dutton Family Care employees) your name, your primary care provider’s name, and the nature of your problem. The secretary will then forward the message to the on call provider. We do ask that you not call at night or during the weekends for routine matters such as prescriptions, refills, bills and appointments. These matters are more easily and efficiently handled during routine day-time business hours.

Answering Service Issues
We assume no responsibility whatsoever for the failure of answering service personnel (not our employees) to respond appropriately to an urgent situation. Therefore, in a true emergency, particularly if you are unable to reach the doctor, go directly to the Melrose-Wakefield hospital emergency room.

If you need to have a prescription refilled other than when you are visiting our office, please use the Patient Portal. To access the Patient Portal, please go to our Home Page where there is a link. If you have trouble setting up the Patient Portal, please call the help desk at 617-636-5418. The Patient Portal is the fastest, most convenient way to have your refills done but if you prefer to call our office, please have the following information ready:

• Your name
• Your DOB
• Your doctor’s name
• What prescription you want refilled
• Name and location of drug store

Please have your medicine bottle near the phone when calling so that all the information can be given to our secretary. Before calling for a prescription, check your prescription bottle to make sure you don’t already have refills left. It will say in small print on the bottle if there are refills left. If you have remaining refills, call the pharmacy to refill your prescription.

Please remember that we do reserve the right to refuse to refill prescriptions for patients we have not seen for some time, as the medications may no longer be needed or the dosage may be improper. We may ask you to be seen prior to the refill.

After hours
Please do not call the office after hours for prescription refills. Refills are more easily and efficiently handled during routine day-time business hours.

Some services or specialist referrals may not be covered by your health plan. If you want a referral to a certain specialist, please make sure that specialist is an “in network” provider for your particular health plan. Referral for specialists that are affiliated with Melrose Wakefield Hospital are in general much easier to get approved. Referrals for specialists that are not affiliated with Melrose Wakefield Hospital have to be approved by the medical director. This process can take up to 10 days and the medical director may deny your referral.

If the specialist you choose is not covered by your health plan you will be responsible for payment of the bill in full.

To obtain a referral please call the hospital referral line at 781-338-7100 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.