FAQ's

Your records are a permanent part of the medical records at the LoneStar Foot & Ankle Group. We are mandated by state law to keep the original records, including x-rays.

We will be happy to copy the records upon receiving your written request. We charge only a copying fee, as required by the state statute. You will be notified of the total fee before your records are copied.

Reports and medical records concerning your health will not be released to an insurance company or any third party without your authorization. Please call 817-573-3338 for any medical records questions

If you require imaging services, we have the capability to provide many of these within our office. Specialized x-rays or MRI studies may be necessary. If so, we will schedule these for you.

If blood work is necessary, you will be referred to a laboratory where it will be done, and reports will be sent to us.

No refills will be given after hours or on weekends. Every effort will be made to respond to calls as they come in, however, refill orders may not called in until the next business day. To avoid being without your medication completely, please call our office several days before your supply runs out. You can also request a refill through our secure Patient Portal. You will be required to complete a brief registration process the first time you use the Portal.

Assistants will handle all incoming telephone calls for physicians. This allows the physician to attend to his office patients with a minimum of interruptions. Please be patient; all phone calls will be returned as soon as possible. In many cases, the assistant will be able to help you. If they cannot, they will refer your call to the physician. If there is an emergency he or she will contact the physician immediately.

You can also send in questions to your physician through our secure Patient Portal.

A fracture is most often diagnosed by x-rays and can vary greatly in severity and appropriate treatment options. We offer specialized care for fractures through our Fracture Express service.

Fracture care is subject to special global or surgical package rules, regardless of whether these services were provided at the hospital or in the office.

The fee for fracture care can typically include the following:

• An exam for diagnosis and decisions about the best treatment options
• Cast application for the initial work of applying the cast. Subsequent applications are reported and billed separately.
• A ‘fracture code’ will be assigned based on the injury site, type of fracture and whether the treatment is closed or open. Open treatment is usually performed in an operating room at a hospital or outpatient surgery facility. Closed treatment is often done at the emergency room or in the office. However, because fracture treatment is considered “major surgery” by the federal and AMA coding systems, it will often be reported as “surgery” on your insurance company’s explanation of benefits.
• Casting supplies for the initial cast. Any additional supplies needed at later office visits are billed separately.

Most fractures will require several postoperative visits which are included at no charge in the fracture/surgical fee if related to the same diagnosis. The allowed postoperative/global days may vary anywhere from 45 to 90, depending on each insurance company’s definition.

Any x-rays needed are reported and billed separately.

Certain serious fractures may need additional surgery or procedures, such as physical therapy. There are special rules our office is required to use to report those services.