For Patients
Our experience matters. And so does yours.
We are thankful that you chose Southtowns Radiology for your medical imaging needs. Making sure you have a good experience starts with helping you feel prepared.
Below you will find information on getting ready for your procedure, what to expect when you arrive for your imaging, registration, insurances, paying your bill or getting answers to billing questions.
If you still have questions—we’re here to help. Give us a call at 716.649.9000.
Getting ready for your procedure.
It is essential that you have your script for your medical imaging exam. If you don’t have your script, please call the provider who ordered your imaging to ensure that one was faxed to our office for your appointment.
Our main fax number is 716.649.9005
Prior authorization is required for MRI, CT or PET/CT scans
Your referring doctor’s office is responsible for obtaining the pre-auth number. You may receive a phone call or letter from your insurance carrier informing you of whether the pre-auth was allowed or denied. We will schedule your appointment before you have the pre-auth number, but we cannot see you until pre-authorization has been obtained.
For Workers Comp Cases
You will need a claim number, the date of injury and the name of the workers’ comp carrier when scheduling your appointment. Please specify this is a workers’ compensation case when you are registering.
For Liabilities Cases
We don’t have any involvement in liability cases and cannot bill out for imaging services. You may have imaging done at our offices and pay up front and obtain a receipt for your own reimbursement in the case.
For No-Fault Insurance Cases
You will need a claim number, the date of injury and the name of the no-fault carrier. Be aware that per New York State law, this claim will show up under your insurance even if you are not at fault for the accident. Please specify that this is a no-fault case when you are registering and scheduling your appointment.
Special Instructions
Any special instructions for your procedure will be reviewed with you when you schedule your appointment. You may also receive a pre-registration phone call if there are any detailed instructions to review again. We will also review what your co-pay will be on the day of your exam. We accept HSA debit cards, as well as cash, check, Mastercard or Visa. We do not accept Discover or American Express.
What you should expect when you arrive at our office.
If you are not feeling well or are experiencing cold symptoms, please wear a face mask. Otherwise, masks are optional.
Upon arrival, you can check in with our receptionist—please have your script with you if it has not been faxed to our office.
If you need to change into a medical gown, we have changing rooms available for you. You are encouraged to please leave most personal items in your vehicle.
Registration
Once signed in with our receptionist, you will then meet with a Patient Registration Specialist.
Please be prepared with a copy of your:
- Photo ID
- Insurance Card
- Script from the provider ordering your study
- Any required payment
Please note: We are no longer able to bill you for your copayment or coinsurance payment. We will do our best to inform you of your financial obligations prior to being seen, however, it is ultimately your responsibility to understand your specific coverage provided under the health plan you chose to enroll in. You may be called prior to your visit to register before your appointment. Registration prior to your visit helps reduce the time spent in our office on the day of your exam, so you can expect a fast, efficient appointment with us. This also allows you to ask any questions you may have regarding the test you are scheduled for.
Understanding your medical imaging results.
One of our board-certified radiologists will interpret the images taken during your study. Southtowns Radiology will send a copy of the physician’s report to the provider who ordered your imaging and to any other provider you identify during your exam. With the exception of mammography, you should expect to hear results from your ordering provider.
If you are enrolled in HEALTHeLINK, your images and our radiologist’s report will be available for your healthcare provider to access and to review electronically in your record. Southtowns Radiology will also send the report to any other medical professionals, including specialists or primary care providers, that you indicated should receive a copy.
Your healthcare providers are able to access images taken, and our radiologist’s report, anytime via our secure physician portal. Southtowns Radiology can provide copies of your images on cd as requested by you or your provider.
Most images, and accompanying reports, are posted within 48 hours (or on our next regular business day on a Saturday or leading into a holiday). If you need a copy of your images for any reason, please request them by calling us at 716.649.9000.
Paying for your Medical Imaging
If you are interested in paying for your imaging out of pocket, please call our office at 716.649.9000 for cost, which is based on the study.
Our Cancellation Policy
If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment for any reason, please call our scheduling department at 716.649.9000. A cancellation fee will be enforced for appointments that are not kept. Your automated phone appointment reminder will serve to remind you of this policy and let you know how to change your appointment if necessary.
The cancellation fees are as follows:
- Special procedures which involve the radiologist / PA to be present: $75
- Procedures that require one-hour appointment, including MRI and CT: $50
- All other appointments: $25
- Unavoidable late cancellations may not incur these fees and will be up to the discretion of management.
Collections
We make every attempt to resolve overdue bills before sending them to collections. We encourage you to call our billing office to discuss any bill. Please communicate with us if you are receiving late notices or if there is an error on the bill, so we can resolve these issues in a timely way. You may set up a payment plan for any balance due. Once a bill goes to collections, you may still contact us to resolve the bill quickly.
For additional information on billing or online payments, visit our Billing and Insurance page.
HEALTHeLINK
Southtowns Radiology participates with HEALTHeLINK, a collaboration among hospitals, physicians, health plans and other health care providers in the eight counties (Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Wyoming, Alleghany, Genesee, Orleans) of Western New York State to securely exchange clinical information to improve the quality of care, enhance patient safety and mitigate health care costs.
Patient Bill of Rights & Privacy
We take your privacy and your rights as a patient very seriously. If you have questions as to how your information is shared or used, please download our Patient Bill of Rights and Privacy Policy.