How do I make an appointment? My time is spent being 100% present with my patients in the office. You can reach me by calling, texting or emailing me. Call or text at: 918-813-3996. You can email me at pratistha.strong@gmail.com. Please be sure not to put any private health information on your initial email. Please be aware that I may be seeing another patient. I will contact you back as soon as I can.
New patients can call me and make an appointment. I don’t have any employees, so you just need to contact me.
For returning patients, make an appointment with me for your future visits, especially if we know you already need a follow-up appointment before you leave. We usually leave about the last 15 minutes of each visit for all of the administrative items.
What if I have a medical emergency or urgent medical need and I can’t get a hold of you?
- If you have a medical emergency please immediately obtain professional medical care at the closest Emergency Department.
- If you have an urgent medical need please immediately obtain professional medical care at the closest Urgent Care clinic.
What should I bring to my appointment? To make the most of our time together, I have a few forms that need to be filled out prior to our visit. As of today, 8/5/18, this webpage is still under construction. For now, I will email the forms to you or provide printed out forms that you can pick up.
Please bring any other pertinent health information. For example, any previous labs, any imaging, hospitalization paperwork, previous urgent care visits or anything else you think would be helpful such as sleep logs or blood pressure logs.
What should I expect for my first appointment? Our thorough, initial interview may lasts up to 60 minutes. It is a chance to tell your story and be listened to. Our aim is to create a thoughtful and holistic plan that reflects your life and health goals.
How often should I come in for visits? This is up to the individual, depending on the complexity and depth of your health concerns, and ultimately your goals. When treating chronic health problems, our visits should generally be more frequent.
The following is a general guide for frequency of visits…
Come in once yearly if you are:
- Super healthy/Have no new health goals
- Take no medications
- Have no change in health over the last year
(Goals: Physical exam, yearly labs, preventative screening needs, check vitals)
Come in twice yearly if you are:
- On medications but stable
(Goals: Refill prescription(s), assess effectiveness, check for major changes in health)
If you are starting a new medication for a new problem, I suggest appointments every 1-2 weeks until stable, then monthly, every 3 months, and every 6 months for maintenance.
Note: Everyone is different and I look forward to customizing a plan for you!
I want an earlier appointment. Is there a wait list? If you want to come in earlier, please ask at least 24 hours ahead of time. If there is a vacancy, I will contact you to let you know.
How do we review labs? In person! Labs provide us crucial information about your health. I want my patients informed and to understand what it means and how it contributes to their chief complaint. I use the information to create a treatment plan and want to be able to discuss this in person so your questions are answered. Sometimes this may involve new medications, supplements, lifestyle modifications, and education. I don’t want you confused or worried.
Do you accept Health Insurance? No. At this time, I do not accept insurance. I have a direct-pay system. In other words, you pay me for my time and expertise. I may provide you a Super Bill, at your request, so that you may provide this to your insurance company.
What if I have Medicare? I can still see you, but the visit is charged to you directly. I have opted-out of Medicare. In order for you to see an opted-out physician, Medicare requires a private contract between you and your physician stating that you understand that the physician will be not be reimbursed by Medicare, and that you agree not to submit charges to Medicare for reimbursement. However, lab work, immunizations, imaging, and other services ordered by myself to be done at outside facilities will be covered by Medicare, if they deem it medically necessary. You will receive a formal contract at your first visit and it will be renewed annually.
How do I get prescription refills? All prescriptions need monitoring for therapeutic effectiveness and potential side effects. This is a part of medical treatment. If you don’t have refills, you most likely need a follow-up appointment. This is purposeful to prompt us to review our treatment goals. Please make an appointment before you run out of your prescription medication. Refills require time, evaluation and management, so please respect the process. I will review my notes and I may deny prescriptions because of lack of follow up information. I will not refill prescription medications if you have not been seen by me in the past year.
If I have to cancel, what do I do? Please do this as early as possible. I respectfully ask for at least 24-hour notice.
What happens if I don’t show up to my scheduled appointment and fail to notify me? I will be sad. I want to see you, but I understand that life happens. I forgive once. The second time, I charge $50 fee. The third time, I feel that we are not a good fit and I will no longer be able to see you. It is a missed opportunity for other patients who want to be seen.
Do you do physicals, Paps, sport & school physicals? Yes! I recommend an annual physical. It is a full head-to-toe exam. Questions on guidelines/recommendations, we can discuss individually.
I need a referral. How do I obtain one? Referrals require that I assess you and document why I think a certain therapy is necessary for your health condition. I need to evaluate you in person in order to send a proper referral. Referrals may often expire. Please make an appointment if you need a referral.
Do you see patients for acute visits? Yes. Please feel free to contact me and see if there are any openings in the schedule. I try to leave time for these types of appointments. Sometimes there are last-minute openings.
What is a preventive health visit? The goal is to prevent disease by having visits with your health care provider – including a physical exam and usually labs – to ensure your body is healthy.
What about controlled substances? These medications require more monitoring than non-controlled prescription medications. The goal is to use controlled substances sparingly. If the prescription expires you need to come in for a visit; I will not automatically refill controlled substance prescriptions.
A few examples include: narcotics, many pain medications, ADHD medications, testosterone, and certain sleep medications are classified as controlled substances. Controlled substances are prescription medications that are designated by the DEA and there are specific rules for prescribing and dispensing them.
What if I have paper work that I need you to fill out (e.g. FMLA, biometrics for a third party)? Please schedule an office visit. Paperwork is cumbersome and I will need your help with the answers. Often these types of forms require vitals, physical exam, labs, etc.
I want you to be my health care provider but I love my other doctor—can I see you both? Of course! I can send notes as you request and try and collaborate your care.
What if Dr. Strong is not in town? I will let all of my patients know as soon as possible if I have a planned or unplanned event that will require me to leave the St. Louis area.
For planned events I will do my best to make all the appropriate accommodations for my patients prior to my departure.
For unplanned events I will also do my best to make all the appropriate accommodations for my patients prior to my departure. However, I please ask for your patience and understanding during the unforeseen circumstances.
NOTE: In the event of a medical emergency or urgent medical need please go to the closest Emergency Department or Urgent Care clinic.