What is neurosurgery?

Neurosurgery (or Neurological Surgery) is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the entire nervous system including the brain, spinal column, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and extra-cranial cerebrovascular system.

What will happen on my first visit with the Neurosurgeon?

He will review your records and diagnostic testing, ask questions and perform a physical exam. After that, he will recommend a treatment, which may not always be surgery. He may recommend further testing, or a conservative treatment like physical therapy, epidural steroid injections, or a support brace.

What if I do not have insurance and cannot afford to pay for the entire cost of my first office visit?

Patients who do not have insurance and cannot afford to pay for the entire cost of the office visit are required to speak with our billing specialists BEFORE the office visit is scheduled to determine an acceptable payment plan.

What is an insured patient’s payment responsibility for an office visit?

Prior to seeing the doctor patients are required to pay the co-pay or coinsurance amount as stipulated by their particular healthcare plan.  We will advise you of what this amount is when your appointment is scheduled.

Does your office only accept patients who are referred from another doctor’s office?

Yes; you should not call to schedule your own appointment.  Your referring doctor’s office will call our office with the pertinent information to get the appointment scheduled.  Current diagnostics which are order by your referring doctor, such as MRI or CT/Mylogram, are required prior to the first appointment.

If my insurance does not require a referral from my primary care doctor to see a specialist does your office still require a referral?

Yes, we do require all patients to be referred from another physician.  This process simplifies our access to medical records and other information we may need prior to the patient’s appointment date.

Does your office take patients who have been injured on the job and are filing claims under the Workers’ Compensation program?

Yes, but the workers’ compensation patient must be referred from the treating physician’s office.

Do you take credit cards?

Yes; we accept VISA, Discover and Mastercard.  We also accept Care Credit.

Do I need to contact your office everytime I need a prescription refill?

No; our policy for prescription refills is that you contact the pharmacy and have them fax a prescription refill request to us between the hours of 8:00 am and 3:00 pm.  Once we receive the request we will get an approval from the doctor and fax it back to your pharmacy.  Please allow 24 – 48 hours for your refill and coninue to check with your pharmacy for the status.

Will I be able to return to normal activities after surgery?

It is our goal for all patients who are working before surgery to return to full-time employment after surgery.  Every patient’s recovery is different and we will customize your treatment plan according to your job requirements.

What is the recovery or down time from lumbar surgery?

The hospital stay is anywhere from overnight to 2 or 3 days.  Depending upon the type of surgery recommended your recovery time will vary anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks to 12 weeks for bone healing (fusion type of procedure).  You should not stay in bed for that length of time; you should be up and moving.  Most patient are able to do most normal activities of daily living (such as driving, grocery shopping, etc.) within the first couple of weeks.  However, we recommend that you avoid heavy lifting, bending and twisting activities.  Depending upon your job requirements, recovery for a fusion type surgery may require that you be off work for several months.  If your employer provides light duty work that does not require heavy lifting you may be able to go back to work in a few weeks.

What is the recovery or down time for neck surgery?

The hospital stay is usually over night.  Most patients are able to go home the  day following surgery.  Bone healing takes about 6 weeks and we ask that you take it easy during that time.  You should not stay in bed for that time.  Most normal activities of daily living are able to be done in just a few days after surgery.  We recommend that you avoid heavy lifting.  You may return to work in a few days depending upon the type of work that you do.  If heavy lifting is required you may need to be off work until the bone is completely healed.

What is the recovery time for carpal tunnel surgery?

This is an outpatient procedure.  The patient can resume most normal activities of daily living almost immediately.  We do ask that your refrain from lifting with the hand you had operated on for at least the first 2 weeks.  You can return to work almost immediately depnding upon the type of work that you do.  For occupations that require heavy lifting, you will most likely need to be off 4 – 6 weeks unless light duty work is available.

What will I need to do to prepare for surgery?

At the time surgery is scheduled you will be given verbal and written instructions.  All surgeries require pre-registration at the hospital within 1 week prior to the scheduled surgery date.  At pre-registration you will complete paper work for admission to the hospital, sign consents and discuss instructions.  From there, you will be directed to the laboratory, radiology and cardiology for required medical testing.  These test results are made available to your surgeon to review to determine readiness for surgery.  If there is a problem with any of the tests, you will be contacted with instructions.

Who will contact my insurance company?

Our office contacts the insurance company for two purposes.  We will obtain prior authorization for the surgery and surgery benefits will be obtained through verification of coverage.

What hospital will I go to?

Dr. Oishi operates at Providence Medical Center, Fishpond Surgery Center and Waco Surgical Center depending upone the type of surgical procedure.

Does your office charge a fee to complete FMLA and disability forms?

We complete the first form at no charge.  There is a charge of $15 for every subsequent form.  The fee is payable prior to the completion of the form.  Most patients pay the form completion fee when they bring the form to our office.