How do I set up/change/cancel an appointment?
Please call the office directly at 215-289-4434 to set up, cancel, or reschedule an appointment.
If you are calling to cancel, please call as soon as possible.
Please be reminded that we do take walk-ins for established patients from 8-11am and 1-4pm.
How will my medical care be taken care of after office hours?
After hours, Dr. Mercado or Dr. Bossbaly will be available by phone to handle urgent medical needs. To reach the physicians after regular business hours you can call our office at 215-289-4434 and dial zero once prompted.
IF YOU HAVE A LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESS OR INJURY PLEASE CALL 911
How do I refill a medication? What about Pain Medication refills?
If you need a refill on a medication, please call the office at 215-289-4435 and a message will be sent to the physician. It is important that you give us at least 4 hours to answer the message. Please try not to wait until you are completely out of the medication before requesting a refill.
If you need a refill for a PAIN MEDICATION, you must come in and follow-up with the physician. All visits must be every 30 days. There are some guidelines when getting refills for pain medications: Early refills will generally not be given, original containers of medications should be brought to each office visit, and all controlled substances must be obtained at the same pharmacy. Should the need arise to change pharmacies, our office must be informed.
How do I get a copy of my records or release my records to another physician?
Signed authorization to transfer medical records is required for all requests. This can be done by: In person, or by mail.
Jeanes Physician Office Building
7500 Central Ave, Suite 203, Philadelphia, PA 19111
By Fax: 215-289-7442
Charts are copied as quickly as possible, but may not be ready for 1-3 business days. Various copy requests may have associated fees to complete; we follow the ACT 26 Medical Records Charges. Storage: some charts may need to be requested from storage, if non-urgent we will request these charts once per month, if urgent we will send special requests.
How do I obtain a referral to a specialist?
Some insurance plans require a referral to a specialist. In order for one of our physicians to approve a specialist visit, the patient must have been seen for the relevant medical condition in the past. If one of our physicians has recommended you to see a specialist, you can call our office at 215-289-4434 and we can have the referral ready for pick up, mail the referral out, or fax it directly to the specialist.
Please allow a minimum of 2 business days for completion of referral.
How long have the physicians been in practice?
Max E. Mercado, M.D. has been in practice since August of 2001.
Jose A. Bossbaly, M.D. has been in practice since September of 1986.
How long does it take for a form to be completed and is there a charge?
All forms must be approved by the physician before being completed, if approved all forms take up to 48-72 hours to be completed.
One page forms $5.00
More than one page forms are $15.00
What hospitals are the physicians affiliated with?
Max E. Mercado, M.D. is affiliated with: Jeanes Hospital, 7600 Central Ave., Philadelphia PA 19111.
Nazareth Hospital, 2601 Holme Ave, Philadelphia PA 19152.
What are considered non urgent matters?
Non urgent matters would include:
- Renewal of prescription
- Referrals
- Appointments
Please call the office during normal business hours for any of the above matters.
Do the physicians speak Spanish?
Yes! All of our physician and staff are fluent in english and spanish.
Do you take walk-ins?
Yes! We take walk-ins ONLY FOR ESTABLISHED PATIENTS, from 8-11am and 1-4pm. WE DO NOT TAKE WALK-INS FOR NEW PATIENTS.
Is your office handicap accessible?
Yes, our office is handicap accessible. Our parking lot has handicap spaces and our building has ramps and elevators to assist anyone who is physically disabled.
How do I resolve any billing inquiries?
Any billing inquiries can be handled by our Billing Department. You can call the office directly at 215-289-4434 and ask for billing and you will be transferred.
How much is my co-pay?
Your co-pay varies depending on the type of insurance you have. For the most part, the co-pay amount for an office visit will be on the front of your card. However if the insurance card is older, the amount could have changed. To get the most accurate co-pay information you should call the member services number on your insurance card.
If there are any costs, how do I make a payment?
We accept cash, credit cards (Visa, Master Card, and Discover), checks, and money orders. Payments should be received upon conclusion of visit or before the next appointment.
Do I have to pay for my visit at the time of my appointment?
We require that you pay your co-pay at the time of your appointment. If you are a cash patient you must pay for your visit at the time of your appointment.All balances must be paid at the time of your appointment.
Will my health insurance pay for everything?
Generally yes, your health insurance company will cover the whole cost. However, there are some instances where it is not completely covered. Please contact your insurance company to learn about your benefits and coverage.
Does your practice draw blood?
Yes we can draw blood. The blood is drawn in our office but is processed by Quest Diagnostics and Labcorp. Please be reminded that some health insurances do not work with Quest Diagnostics and there are certain lab orders that cannot be performed in our office; however there are plenty of lab patient service centers that we can refer to in close distance.
How do I find out about any lab or diagnostic imaging results?
Lab results are processed as quickly as possible but could take up to one week.
For abnormal labs, we will call the patient as soon as the labs are received to schedule an appointment to see the physician. No abnormal results will be given over the phone. Diagnostic Imaging results can also take up to one week after the test has been completed to arrive at our office. For abnormal diagnostic imaging, we will call the patient as soon as is it received to schedule an appointment to see the physician. No abnormal results will be given over the phone.
You are also more than welcomed to call the office during regular business hours and a message will be sent to your physician.
How often should I get my blood work checked? (Diabetes or Cholesterol)
For Diabetes it is recommended every 3 months.
For Cholesterol it is recommended every 6 months.
How do I prepare for fasting lab tests?
If you are coming in for a blood test that requires you to be fasting, please do not eat or drink anything for 8 – 12 hours.
DO NOT FAST FOR MORE THAN 12-hours.
When should I go to the emergency room?
If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room:
- Cardiac chest Pain
- Severe abdominal pain
- Severe difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Sudden dizziness, weakness or loss of coordination or balance
- Sudden blurred vision or loss of vision
- Numbness or weakness in your face, arm, or leg
- Sudden, severe headache
- Coughing up or vomiting blood
- Severe burn
- Seizures
What is a normal blood pressure?
- HIGH Blood Pressure Symptoms can be: Stress, Sedentary, Bloated, Weak
- LOW Blood Pressure Symptoms: Tired, Dizzy, Fainting
- Systolic - Diastolic
- 210 - 120 - Stage 4 High Blood Pressure
- 180 - 110 - Stage 3 High Blood Pressure
- 160 - 100 - Stage 2 High Blood Pressure
- 140 - 90 - Stage 1 High Blood Pressure
- 140 - 90 - BORDERLINE HIGH
- 130 - 85 - High Normal
- 120 - 80 - NORMAL Blood Pressure
- 110 - 75 - Low Normal
- 90 - 60 - BORDERLINE LOW
- 60 - 40 - TOO LOW Blood Pressure
- 50 - 33 - DANGER Blood Pressure
What is a good glucose reading? Fasting and non-fasting?
The American Diabetes Association suggests the following targets for most non-pregnant adults with diabetes:
Before a meal: 70-130
After a meal: <180