Frequently asked questions.

Call 404-645-7150 and we’ll help you find the most convenient of our 9 metro-Atlanta offices. If you are already a patient, you can also send an appointment request through the MyChart portal. Those are the only two ways to book — we do not take appointment requests by email.

That depends on your insurance plan rather than on us. If your plan requires a referral, we’ll attempt to obtain it from your primary care physician before your visit. If your PCP doesn’t provide it in time, we’ll contact you for help or to reschedule, so you aren’t left with an unexpected bill. Not sure what your plan needs? Call 404-645-7150 and ask for billing. See insurance & billing.

A photo ID, insurance card, any required referral, your completed forms, a full list of medications and supplements, any recent records or labs, and a list of your questions.

Your physician reviews your history, performs an exam, and orders blood and urine tests. At a follow-up visit, your results are reviewed with you and your options are explained. See what to expect.

For follow-up visits, you’ll alternate between your physician and an advanced practice provider on our team — so when you check out after seeing your physician, your next visit is booked with an APP. Our APPs are nurse practitioners and physician assistants who examine, diagnose, prescribe and plan your treatment, and who work alongside your physician. Hospital follow-ups and nephrology education visits may also be with an APP. See what to expect.

Yes, for appropriate appointments. Ask whether telehealth is an option for your situation.

Download them from our Patient Forms page, complete them before your visit, and bring them with you. Once you have portal access — set up at your first visit — you can upload forms securely through MyChart instead. Please don’t email us anything about your health: ordinary email is not secure.

Georgia Nephrology uses MyChart to ask your care team a question, check a test result, request a refill, make or cancel an appointment, and send in your completed forms. It is not for urgent or emergency concerns — for those, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. Log in to MyChart, and see the Patient Portal Use Guidelines.

Most messages are free. A message exchange may be billed to your insurance if answering it requires clinical expertise and more than 5 minutes of your physician’s time. Check your plan to see whether a copay or deductible would apply.

For letters of medical necessity or forms your doctor must complete, please allow 2–3 weeks. FMLA forms take up to 10 working days and carry a $25 fee — see insurance & billing.

Use the Medical Records Release form on the Patient Forms page, or call 404-645-7150.

We accept most insurance plans. Because coverage can differ between plans from the same insurer, call 404-645-7150 with your plan details and we’ll confirm your coverage before your visit. See insurance & billing.

Please give us more than 24 hours’ notice if you need to cancel. For a no-show, or a cancellation inside 24 hours, we charge $50 for a new patient and $25 for an established patient.

We ask for any required payment at the time of service — your copay, or the full visit charge if you don’t carry insurance. We accept cash, check, and MasterCard, Visa, Discover and American Express. If you have an outstanding balance, our staff will let you know before your appointment.

We complete FMLA forms — please allow up to 10 working days, and there’s a $25 fee payable before completion. Georgia Nephrology does not complete long-term disability forms.

They’re set out on our insurance & billing page, and in the Policies & Procedures form on the Patient Forms page.

Ask your pharmacy to submit an electronic refill request — the fastest route — or send a request through the patient portal. You can also call 404-645-7150 and choose option 3 for the prescription refill line — that’s a voicemail line, so leave a message rather than waiting for someone to pick up. We address requests within 48 hours.

After hours or at weekends, the on-call physician can refill for up to 5 days to carry you to the next business day. During office hours, submit the request as usual and tell us it’s urgent.

No — controlled medications are refilled only during appointments, without exception.

If your medication needs a prior authorization renewed, that can hold things up. We submit these promptly, but the timing of the approval sits with your insurance company. Bringing all your medications — including over-the-counter ones — to every appointment helps us keep you supplied until your next visit.

Kidney conditions of all kinds — chronic kidney disease, high blood pressure affecting the kidneys, electrolyte problems, glomerular disease, kidney stones, and kidney failure, among others. See our services and conditions.

A nephrologist treats kidney function and disease medically; a urologist treats the urinary tract surgically (for example, removing kidney stones). They often work together.

In most cases, yes. Our physicians provide medical direction and care at more than 30 dialysis centers across metro Atlanta, so your care can stay connected. See dialysis care.

For a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. For an urgent concern after hours, call 404-645-7150 — our answering service will direct your concern to the on-call provider. Prescription refills are not handled this way: see insurance & billing for how refills work.

We have 9 offices across metro Atlanta — in Lawrenceville, Buford, Conyers, Decatur, Gainesville, Johns Creek, Lithonia, Monroe, and Snellville. See locations for addresses and hours.

On-site labs are available at Lawrenceville, Conyers, Decatur, Johns Creek, and Lithonia. See lab services.