1-888-304-1800
Fax:
1-888-321-3171
FAQs
- Do I still contact my physician if I am experiencing a problem or symptoms in my pregnancy?
- Whom do I call if I have problems/malfunctions with equipment?
- When will my equipment be picked up?
- Who do I call if I need to order supplies, and how will they be delivered to me?
- Will my physician be notified of my progress, or if there is a problem?
- When and how often will a nurse come out to see me?
- If I have questions regarding my insurance or a bill, whom would I need to contact?
- Can I return any unused medication or supplies?
- How do I dispose of the biohazard container?
- How does Healthy Connections collect outcome data?
- How can I submit a question to be answered?
Do I still contact my physician if I am experiencing a problem or symptoms in my pregnancy?
If you have any acute symptoms that you believe are life-threatening, you should call 911 or whatever emergency services are in your area. However, if you are experiencing a problem related to the services Healthy Connections provides, please call our Call Center at 888-304-1800. Our Call Center is staffed 24 Hours-a-Day, 7 Days-a-Week. The Call Center is staffed with registered nurses skilled in high-risk obstetrical pregnancy and works in conjunction with your obstetrician to provide you with the best homecare experience. At times, Healthy Connections’ nurses may direct YOU to call your physician, other times they may send you to the hospital for further evaluation and call your physician to make him/her aware of the problem. Questions of a non-emergent nature that do not require an immediate response should be directed to the Call Center during normal business hours.
Whom do I call if I have problems/malfunctions with equipment?
Healthy Connections equipment is all FDA-approved. Before any of our pumps or monitors go to patients’ homes, they undergo preventative maintenance. We hope this will ensure that our equipment is in top working order. However, we are aware that at times, such sensitive equipment may experience some problems. When this occurs, please call our 24 Hour-a-Day, 7 Day-a-Week Call Center: 888-304-1800. These registered nurses will be able to contact our staff who will either need to replace the equipment or correct any problems that may have arisen. We do ask that all of our patients treat such sensitive equipment with care and respect so that Healthy Connections can continue to provide the best quality service to all of our pregnant patients.
When will my equipment be picked up?
When your services with Healthy Connections are completed, our Call Center nurses will typically notify the home office in the city where you reside. This office will contact you to arrange for pick-up at your home or the hospital. If you have delivered while still using Healthy Connections’ equipment, please do NOT leave this equipment at the hospital. They do NOT want to bear responsibility for it. If you have not been contacted by our offices within 48 hours after having your therapy completed, please call us as 866-425-3593 (Ext. 106) to make pick-up arrangements. Healthy Connections will begin a trial program of providing patients with pre-paid shipping containers to have our equipment sent back to us. This should minimize the time needed to get our equipment back. As well, we realize the demands that motherhood places on families with newborn babies.
Who do I call if I need to order supplies, and how will they be delivered to me?
Healthy Connections offices will contact you weekly to order supplies. Please try to note the quantity of each supply that you have (e.g. # of batteries, Sof-Sets, etc.) prior to their call. You will also need to check the Residual Volume on your pump (Nurses will teach you how to do this) so that the offices can calculate how much additional medication you may require. We attempt to ship supplies and medications to the patient at the beginning of each week. Healthy Connections realizes that this isn’t always possible, so we ask that you remain flexible.
Shipments typically come the day after the office has spoken with you, and usually arrive by UPS. Medications are kept cold in special insulated boxes with pre-frozen cold packs. If you are expecting a shipment, please refrigerate appropriate medications IMMEDIATELY! Medications have some tolerance to room temperature, but are best stored in colder environments. If you know you will be away from home the day the shipment is coming, please make arrangements with a family member or neighbor to bring these medications out of the heat/sun.
While we try to avoid having to deliver medications or supplies by courier, this may happen from time to time. Our drivers will identify themselves when bringing these supplies to you. Unfortunately, due to the nature of homecare, these courier visits may run late into the evening. Drivers will, however, attempt to contact you prior to coming to your home, so you are prepared for their visit.
Will my physician be notified of my progress, or if there is a problem?
Our Call Center nurses speak to your obstetrician and obstetrician’s office staff fairly frequently to change orders on patients, or to provide updates on patients' progress. Healthy Connections faxes weekly progress reports on our patients to patients’ physicians so they are apprised of your medication dosages and response to such. These reports also are often provided to the professional case management staff at your insurance company so they are aware of the benefits you are reaping from our services. Healthy Connections has the ability to contact your physician or those covering for him/her throughout the week, weeknights, and weekends. We do, however, attempt to minimize disturbing your physician during their off-hours except for patient emergencies.
When and how often will a nurse come out to see me?
Some of our patients begin therapy at home, while others begin therapy in a hospital setting in anticipation of discharge. This initial visit will be a fairly long assessment and will involve a great deal of teaching about the therapy you will be utilizing. Some of the therapies provided by Healthy Connections require only ONE nursing visit, while others require multiple visits. Additionally, the registered nurses who come to your home will notify you of scheduling a follow-up visit at the time they see you. If you feel that you require additional visits, you may contact the Healthy Connections Call Center at: 888-304-1800.
If I have questions regarding my insurance or a bill, whom would I need to contact?
Health insurance coverage has become much more complicated in the last several years with higher patient deductibles and co-payments. Many of our Healthy Connections pregnant patients have never had to use their insurance quite like they have in pregnancy and even fewer have ever had a homecare company visit them. Healthy Connections will always attempt to get your services with us authorized by your insurance company prior to starting therapy. Some private insurance companies can take days to make a determination about your care, but Healthy Connections will typically start therapy if it is truly necessary. We will attempt to work with your insurance company, doctor, and you to ensure that we can provide you with services at the most competitive rates. Our staff has experience in dealing with insurance companies and will do our best on your behalf.
Some insurance companies mandate that patients have a consultation with a high-risk obstetrician called a Perinatologist before they will authorize services for you. If this should occur, and your obstetrician schedules such a visit, please know that the quicker you can get this visit scheduled; the sooner authorization can be obtained for your services.
Any questions that arise regarding your insurance can be directed to Healthy Connections’ Billing Manager, Tandy Banks: 866-425-3592 (Ext. 102).
Can I return any unused medication or supplies?
Healthy Connections is prohibited from re-distributing any and all supplies or medications that have been sent to patients’ homes, even if they are unused. Healthy Connections has, however, worked with a group based in Houston that collects unused supplies and medications and offers them as charitable donations to poorer countries whose medical systems cannot meet all patient needs. If you do wish to return these supplies to us, please know that we will donate these to this group to benefit other patients abroad.
How do I dispose of the biohazard container?
When Healthy Connections makes arrangements to pick up our equipment and any unused supplies that you wish to have donated, we will also obtain any biohazard or sharps containers that contained used needles or intravenous catheters. Please have this ready for us when we arrive to make our pick-up.
How does Healthy Connections collect outcome data?
Healthy Connections is very interested in how our Moms and Babies do after they have been on service with us. On this website, we have two surveys that we would ask you to complete as soon as you complete service with us. One collects outcome data from your pregnancy (e.g. How and when did you deliver? How did your baby do?) the other asks questions about your satisfaction with various aspects of our services. Click here and you will be taken to this page to complete both forms. We appreciate your feedback and the time necessary to complete both of these surveys.
How can I submit a question to be answered?
Healthy Connections strives to provide information to any of our current or potential patients. If you have a general question to ask us, please feel free to email your question to us. Current patients please do not use this link to submit any supply requests or ask questions that may be handled immediately by our Call Center nurses who can be reached at: 888-304-1800. Thank you.