What is an endocrinologist and what do they do?

An endocrinologist is an internal medicine physician who completes two to three years of additional medical training specializing in the actions of hormones. Hormones are chemical signals made by the body, and endocrinologist specialize in diagnosing and treating medical problems that arise from either too much or too little hormone production by the body. By talking to and examining patients, endocrinologist can often tell if there is a “chemical” cause for a patient’s symptoms. The endocrinologist then performs blood tests to confirm this abnormality.

Do I need a referral to be seen by Dr. Bharaktiya or Dr. Splenser?

Typically a referral from your primary care provider is necessary to make sure you have a medical reason to be seen in our office. Medicare, for example, requires a referral from your primary care provider. However, some insurances allow self-referral by patients to specialist. We suggest you check with your insurance company or contact our office to help you determine this.

What should I do BEFORE coming to my appointment?

Please have your primary care provider fax a referral and your relevant prior records to our office.

You may also bring:

• Photo ID and your insurance card
• New patients are also asked to fill out and complete the new patient information packet forms and bring them to your first appointment. This will speed up your check-in time. Click here to download the form.
• Any additional documents, lab results, radiology reports/documents pertinent to your case.
• Please bring a detailed list of your medications or the actual bottles and boxes to all medications and supplements you take for the doctors to review(ONLY for first visit).
• If you are a diabetic patient, please bring your glucometer(s) or any blood sugar logs for the doctor to review for at least 1-2 weeks.

Which insurance companies do you accept?

We accept the following insurances:

• Aetna HMO and PPO
• Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO
• Memorial Hermann Physicians Network
• Cigna HMO and PPO
• MultiPlan
• Medicare
• Texas True Choice
• Tricare
• United Healthcare
• Medicare Advantage PPO

Can my primary care doctor, or family doctor, help me in seeing an endocrinologist?

It is a good idea to discuss your endocrine concerns with your doctor, so they can start possible evaluation and treatment. In addition, your primary doctor can help the specialist by providing relevant information about your health, and, if necessary, a referral to see one of our endocrinologist. If you do not need a referral based on your insurance, then feel free to contact our office with your health question and we can let you know if our physicians can help.

How long do I have to wait to be seen for the first time?

Our goal is to provide optimal care in a timely manner. New patients referrals are reviewed daily and Dr. Bharaktiya and Dr. Splenser try to schedule new patients based on severity of illness as soon as their schedules allow. However, there are times when sicker or more urgent patients are seen first. Our staff tries to schedule patients as soon as possible and will try to accommodate most patient’s needs.

What should I expect during the first visit?

Your initial visit is a chance for both you and your doctor to get to know each other. The doctor will review your medical history, ask you questions, perform an exam, and then discuss with you diagnostic and treatment options for your condition. You may be asked to get blood work or other studies after the initial visit based on available information from your referring provider.

If I often feel fatigued or have problems with weight control, can an endocrinologist help me?

Yes, there are a number of medical conditions and hormonal disorders that can cause fatigue or weight problems. Seeing an endocrinologist may identify one of these disorders, or help exclude any serious medical problems that may be causing weight gain or fatigue. Most importantly, in certain cases there are medical treatments for weight gain and fatigue.

What should I do if I cannot make my appointment and need to reschedule?

We understand that sometimes things come up and patients need to reschedule. Please be considerate of other patients and the doctor’s time and call as soon as possible to cancel and reschedule your appointment. We often have a waiting list of patients that need to be seen, and require reasonable notice to utilize these cancellation spots effectively.

Is there a cancellation fee?

If a cancellation is done more than 48 hours in advance, no fee will be charged. However a fee of $50 will be charged for any ESTABLISHED/FOLLOW-UP visit cancellation, and $100 for any NEW patient cancellation done less than 48 hours in advance. These fees will also apply for patients not showing up to their appointments, so a no-show fee of $50 will be charged for an established patient, and $100 for a new patient that does not show up.

I keep hearing about osteoporosis and weak bones in women. Should I see an endocrinologist?

Absolutely. Our bones and skeletal system are very complex and constantly changing, and endocrinologists specialize both in diagnosis and treatment of bone disorders such as osteopenia (weak bones), osteoporosis (more severe weak bones), and evaluation of patients with frequent bone fractures. Most fractures--including hip fractures--are often very preventable if weak bones are diagnosed and treated BEFORE a fracture occurs.