Union General Hospital Patient Access Director: Amy Hyatt
Chatuge Regional Hospital Patient Access Director: Trish Wilkes
Outpatient Registration operates Monday through Friday from 6:00am to 5:00pm. Scheduling and Precertification opens from 8:30am-5:00pm weekdays, in order to maintain the same hours as physician’s offices. Both departments close on holidays that are observed by the physician’s offices. Of course, emergency department registration and inpatient admissions are open around the clock, 365-days per year.
Scheduling
Typically the ordering provider will forward an order to the desired facility using one of our four available options outlined below. Upon receipt of the order, the scheduling team will engage the patient directly to book the appointment and will work to coordinate a mutually beneficial date/time. Order submission options are as follows:
- Fax Information:
- Union General: Faxed orders for procedures that require appointments should be sent to the Call Center via 706-439-6163. Orders for walk up testing should be sent directly to the Registration office via 706-439-6405
- Chatuge Regional: All faxed orders should be sent to 706-439-6809
- PowerChart Order: Entered electronically through the Cerner EHR system
- Direct Messaging: Via EHR to ughsched@uniongeneral.cernerdirect.com
- Order Transfer: Transfer scripting for select offices. Interested providers may contact the IT department for inquiries
Patients should be notified by the ordering provider to contact the call center if they have not received a call within two business days. The direct line to the Union General Call Center is 706-439-6450. To reach the Chatuge Regional Scheduling Department call 706-896-2222 and select the scheduling option.
Providers also have the option to call in and make an appointment on the patient’s behalf once an order has been successfully transmitted to the Call Center. This is the recommended method for stat procedures.
Patients may call in to schedule their own appointments provided they have a legible and compliant provider order in hand that they will submit to the hospital at or prior to time of service. An exam cannot be scheduled until a provider has issued an order.
Copays and Deductibles
Our department collects copayments and deductibles at time of service.
Advance Directives
A set of written instructions that a person gives to specify what actions should be taken for their health if they are no longer able to make decisions due to illness or incapacity. The instruction appoints someone, usually called an agent, to make such decisions on their behalf. All patients are asked upon inpatient admission if they have completed advance healthcare directives. If they have not, they are asked if they want information about advance directives. We have packets in both English & Spanish that walk them through the process. When patients do have them, we scan them into the medical record & keep a hard copy stored in the office (for downtime operations). Advance directives can be brought to the admissions office any time, so patients don’t have to wait until they have an emergency. Patients may access the website link below to review and/or print the Advanced Directive Booklet.