Atlanta Women's Specialists takes great pride in its 40-year tradition of providing and advancing women's healthcare. As your Atlanta Ob/GYN, our physicians and staff are committed to excellence and innovation in medical care. As your obstetric and gynecologic healthcare needs change over time - from yearly checkups and contraception to pregnancies and, eventually, menopause - we're ready to serve you.

Office FAQs

Here you will find the answers to our most common questions. For answers not covered here, please contact us.


Front Office Questions

What hospital you we deliver at? Does Atlanta Women's Specialists deliver or plan to deliver at Northside Hospital Forsyth?
Atlanta Women's Specialists delivers babies at Northside Hospital in Sandy Springs. We do not currently deliver babies at Northside Hospital Forsyth.

Do you validate parking?
At our Meridian Mark location, paid parking is available under the building. The fee to park is $4. We do not validate parking.

At our Alpharetta location, plenty of free parking is available.

Can I have my screening mammogram before my annual visit?
If you are already an established patient of ours you can get your mammogram done prior to your visit. If you are going to Northside, please contact us via web message so that we can send a physician order to the radiology department. (They will not complete the mammogram without an order.) If you are new to Atlanta Women’s Specialists, we will give a mammogram order when you come in for your annual exam

What time is my appointment?
You can check the time of your scheduled appointment anytime by logging in to our My Health Record. If you do not have an account yet, you can also request an account from this link. For more information on My Health Record, go here.

Are you taking New Medicare patients?
No. Effective July 1, 2010, we do accept new Medicare patients.  In addition we are no longer accepting Medicare for any established patient.

Are you taking new Medicaid patients?
Yes. Atlanta Women's Specialists does accept Medicaid insurance for new and already established patients.

When will I get my lab results?
Since lab testing can take anywhere from one day to one month to report, here is a general time frame for most labs: blood work takes approximately a week, paps and biopsies will take approximately 2 weeks, and genetic testing approximately 3 to 4 weeks to report.

How will I be notified about my lab results?
If you have a My Health Record account, we will communicate with you through via web message. If you do not have a My Health Record account, we will mail your lab results via regular mail. You may also receive a call from one of our nurses to go over your results. If you have a confidential number we can call to leave results on your voicemail, please be sure to tell a nurse when you come in for your visit.

Where do you refer patients for mammograms?
Many of our patients get their mammograms at Northside Hospital's Radiology Department. We also refer patients to Breast Care Specialists.

How do I get a mammogram order?
We are happy to provide this for you. Here is some information on how to get one.
If you are here for an annual exam, be sure to ask your physician for a written order. You should save this and bring it with you when go for your mammogram.
If you prefer to get the mammogram done prior to your visit with one of our providers, send a web message to one of our nurses or call us at (404) 252-5196. We'll make sure the order is received in time for your test.

Why have I not gotten my mammogram results?
The radiology department will send you written notification of your mammogram results. Usually this information arrives within 4 weeks. If you would like to hear your results sooner, we would be happy to provide that information. Simply call the office or send us a message via your web portfolio and we will forward that information to you.

 

Questions about Ultrasounds

When do I get an ultrasound during my pregnancy?
The only routine scan is at 20 weeks to evaluate the baby and identify any potential problems. Other scans would be ordered if there is a medical indication. As we are one of the few accredited ultrasound facilities through the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, we follow the national guidelines for performing scans.

Do I need a full bladder if I am pregnant?
Yes, comfortably full. We suggest a glass of water before arrival and not emptying your bladder when you get to the office.

When can I know the gender of my baby?
At the 20- week anatomy scan, ask the sonographer if you want to know. She will be checking the baby carefully and can usually tell gender as well.

Are sonograms harmful to babies?
Not that we know of. Research continues, however, prudent use is considered safe.

Are sonograms and ultrasounds the same thing?
Yes, they are just different words for the same imaging technology.

Do you do 3D/4D scans here?
Not at this time. That technology is still in development with little true medical use now.

I am not pregnant. Why do I have to have an internal or vaginal scan?
With sound waves, the closer you are to a structure or organ, the better it is visualized. Transvaginal scanning provides much better images of a non-pregnant uterus and ovaries.


Questions about your Lab Tests

When will I get my lab results?
Lab testing can take from one day to one month to report. Here is a general time frame for most labs: blood work takes approximately a week, pap smears and biopsies will take approximately 2 weeks, and genetic testing approximately 3 to 4 weeks to report. There are exceptions.

How will I be notified about my lab results?
If you have a My Health Record account, we will communicate with you through via web message. If you do not have a My Health Record account, we will mail your lab results via regular mail. You may also receive a call from one of our nurses to go over your results. If you have a confidential number we can call to leave results on your voicemail, please be sure to tell a nurse when you come in for your visit.

Are my labs (pap, blood work, cultures) included in the charges I receive from Atlanta Women's Specialists?
Lab charges are billed separately to you by the reference laboratory or in certain instances by Phytest (on behalf of Atlanta Women's Specialists). The lab tests are not performed in our office; they are actually performed by a third party reference laboratory (Lab).

If you have health insurance, your charges will be billed to your insurance company. If you do not have health insurance (or lab tests are not covered), the Lab will mail you an invoice 2 to 3 weeks after your date of service.

Note: We use the following reference labs: Quest Diagnostics Laboratory, Laboratory Corporation of America (LabCorp) , Genzyme Genetics Laboratory and Northside Hospital Laboratory.

I will need to have blood drawn on a specific day of my cycle and I'm wondering if I could get my blood drawn closer to my home or office?
Our reference labs do operate Patient Service Centers throughout the metro Atlanta Area. Go here for a list of patient service centers for Quest Patient Service Center. Or call 1 (800) 377-8448 for their Locator by Zip Code service.

For Labcorp Patient Service Centers visit this link Or call 1 (888) 522-2677 for their Locator by Zip Code Service.

A list is also available from our nurses. Feel free to ask when you are in the office or send a web message to your provider's medical assistant. We will provide you with a location list and if you decide to go there instead of the office, we can fax a test requisition to that location.

I have received an invoice from the lab and have some questions.
If you have received an invoice from one of our reference labs, Quest Diagnostics Laboratory, Laboratory Corporation of America, and Genzyme, and have questions, contact our Laboratory Manager, Gail McCorvey. You may send a web message through you're My Health Record web account or call (404) 252-5196, ext. 1149 for assistance.

If lab tests are not included in my bill from Atlanta Women's Specialists, how are they billed?
When a lab test is ordered by one of our physicians, we send it to a third party reference lab for analysis. The Labs we use are: Quest Diagnostics Laboratory, Laboratory Corporation of America, (LabCorp), and Genzyme Genetic Laboratory. Frequently, your health insurance plan determines which lab we must send your specimens to for analysis. We include instructions to the Lab on how to bill for the tests. Insurance coverage is used to guide this instruction.

If you are covered by an HMO or POS plan, the Lab will bill your insurance company directly for your lab tests. If the insurance company pays part of the bill and transfers a balance to the patient, the Lab will send a bill directly to you. This bill will come from the Lab and will include information on the claim. It will also include information on how to contact the Lab if you have questions.

If you have a PPO plan, a traditional indemnity insurance or are paying out of pocket (self-pay) for your lab tests, the Lab will bill Atlanta Women's Specialists for your lab tests. After we are billed by the Lab for your tests, we will send a bill to either your insurance company or to you. If it is sent to your insurance company, they will either pay the entire bill or pay part of it and transfer the balance to you. If a balance is transferred to you, we will send a bill to you. This process is handled on our behalf by Phytest, a billing agency that specializes in lab tests ordered by physicians. The invoice you received from Phytest will have their name and ours on the bill.

For more information about your Phytest bill, please contact the Phytest, Customer Service at (404) 943-0205.