Center for East-West Medicine

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I need to know before my first new patient appointment?

• Please arrive 15-20 minutes before your scheduled appointment to allow for check-in, completion of paperwork, obtaining vital signs and reviewing your medications.
• Please complete the pre-visit questionnaire(Link downloads document) (Link opens in new window) before your visit (PDF printable from home or in clinic)
• Please bring a list of your main concerns and specific requests (referrals, refills, etc) to be discussed during the visit.
• Please bring in the bottles of all your medications or an updated medication list to all visits. This includes over the counter, supplements, and herbal products.

If I want to get in touch with my doctor, what are my options?

You may call and leave a message. Phone messages and inquiries are handled by the UCLA Patient Communication Center (PCC). When contacting the PCC, please provide as much information as possible (e.g. How were you hoping we could help with this concern?). Please allow up to 24 hours for a response during business hours.

You may communicate with the office through the myUCLAhealth electronic portal. This is only for non-urgent concerns. Please allow up to 48 business hours for a response. Communications are typically brief in nature. Our team is able to provide limited medical information electronically (for safety and legal reasons) and if more extensive discussion is required, we strongly encourage coming for an appointment in person.

How do I sign up for the myUCLAhealth electronic portal, and why is it useful?

You will receive a code when you check out at the front desk after your visit with the physician. You can use that code to register and create a log-on username and password through the myUCLAhealth(Link is external) (Link opens in new window) website.

The myUCLAhealth electronic portal is useful for many reasons. You may book or cancel appointments. The physician may release labs, imaging, and test directly to you rather than sending it by mail. Finally, you may ask NON-URGENT and simple medical questions (not for making appointments) through a messaging option.

If my provider is not in or I cannot get a same day visit with my provider, what are my options? What if I need after hours care?

Weekdays: We strive to offer same-day appointments in our office Monday-Friday. Call during normal hours to request an urgent appointment: 310-998-9118. You may be seen by your PCP or one of the other primary care physicians in our clinic.

Evenings/weekends: Our colleagues offer access to after-hours care at one of our immediate care locations.  Find an immediate care location near you.  UCLA Hospital ERs offer fast-track service for minor injuries and illnesses. Please note, that visits to the ER generally cost more than those to a doctor’s office or an urgent care/immediate care center.

For serious and life-threatening concerns call 911.

What are your policies with arriving late or no show?

Late Arrival Policy:

• Please be aware that if you arrive late for your scheduled appointment, you may wait to be moved to the next open slot or worked-in between other patients, as time allows. Your visit may be of shorter duration.
• You may also consider rescheduling your visit to a time that works best for you.
• If you are more than 15 minutes late for a 30 minute appointment or more than 30 minutes late for an hour long appointment, we may ask that you reschedule your appointment.

No Show / Late Cancel Policy:

• Please make every effort to alert us at least 24 hours ahead of a cancellation before your scheduled appointment.
• Repeated no-show or late cancellations take valued appointment slots from other patients, and if frequent, this may result in dismissal from clinic.

What type of insurance plans do you accept?

We are a medical office; patients are billed for an office visit along with any additional services rendered.  Services provided are billed to your insurance as a courtesy.  Please note that it is the patient's responsibility to confirm with their insurance carrier if UCLA Health is a network provider under their plan prior to services rendered. Patients are responsible for balances not covered by their insurance.

Insurance we DO accept:

• HMOs (UCLA Medical Group)
• Most PPOs
• Medicare

Insurance we DO NOT accept:

• Out-of-Network Medi-Cal/Medicaid
• Out-of-Network Health Plans

We will make every effort to bill insurance. However, patients will be responsible for services that their insurance does not cover. If you have any questions regarding billing or payment, please contact the UCLA Patient Billing Office at 310-301-8650.

Do you do immunizations/vaccinations in the clinic?

Routine immunizations/vaccination and screening tests are available in our clinic.

HMO patients: Patients will need to have authorization before receiving vaccinations in our clinic. Our staff can help submit the authorization request when appropriate.

Medicare patients: Patients are encouraged to obtain vaccinations/immunizations through retail pharmacies.

PPO patients: Patients will need to contact their insurance carrier to verify coverage before receiving vaccinations in our clinic

Physician pledge: We strive to minimize unnecessary laboratory testing, imaging studies, use of medication and referrals. We will discuss with you our rationale for any diagnostic test or intervention that we recommend with the ultimate goal of improving your health and well-being.