What Should You Expect On Your First Visit With Us?

At Serenity Family Chiropractic, our examinations procedures are geared toward detection and correction of the vertebral subluxation. The procedures we use are therefore specifically selected for your spine and nervous system health. This initial visit may take up to an hour so we ask that you plan accordingly.

Payment

Payment is expected at time of service. We accept personal checks, cash, all credit major cards. A 4% customer service charge will apply to all credit card payments. This service charge is to cover the rising costs of credit card processing fees. This fee is not greater than we pay for the convenience of accepting credit cards. If you pay with cash, check, or use a debit card, you will not incur this fee. 

You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.

• You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.
• Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.
• If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.
• Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.

For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.

Consultation

You will then be taken into our examination room for the consultation with Dr. Palmer. This is the most important part of your visit because this is when the doctor will determine if chiropractic si right for you and your health concerns. During the consultation, Dr. Palmer will ask questions about your current health challenges as well as any you have experienced in the past including past auto accidents, sports injuries and/or surgeries.  Please bring a current list of medications you may be taking, if any.

Examination

A physical and neurological examination will follow your consultation. Dr. Palmer will use varying orthopedic tests related to your health concern as well as palpation of your spine. Palpation essentially is checking your spine by hand. Through palpation, Dr. Palmer can determine spinal position or possible curvatures, the individual motion each vertebra, and muscle tone. This examination will help Dr. Palmer to rule out any conditions that require an immediate medical referral and to determine the right course of treatment(s) for you.  

Xrays

Spinal X-rays may be taken depending on your age, and situation. There are many reasons why we would not take x-rays on certain patients including pregnancy, most children, more recent spinal x-rays from another health care provider. Aside from these situations, x-rays are a common part of the examination process when looking for vertebral subluxations. X-rays give us important information including the position of the spinal bones, and the quality of the spine and safety of adjusting your spine. X-rays also tell us the relative length of time subluxations may have been involved in your spine.

With this important information we can make a more accurate determination of the type of adjustments your spine needs as well as the ongoing frequency of your care. Your x-rays will be explained to you and covered in detail at your Report of Findings. You will be scheduled for your Report of Findings within a few days of your initial visit. This visit is your most important visit and may take up to 30 minutes. It is at your Report of Findings that we will give you a care plan and go over any special instructions you will need to obtain your health goals.