Out Of Town Patients Process
1. Free MRI Review*
Patients who are considering least invasive spine surgery with Dr. Rodriguez can contact his office or fill out our pain evaluation form, and submit their latest MRI on our website. A free MRI Review is offered to potential patients before traveling to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This review allows Dr. Rodriguez to review your MRI, to see if you are a good candidate for surgery. If after the MRI review Dr. Rodriguez feels he can help the patient with a least invasive surgical option, our staff will contact you to set up a personal in-office consultation or virtually online (Louisiana, Texas, Ohio, South Carolina, Alabama, and Mississippi residents only).
2. Verification Benefits and Financial Obligations
Dealing with your insurance companies doesn’t have to be difficult, and frustrating for patients. At ISI we are dedicated to offering our patients the highest level of service. We understand that our service continues far beyond your experience in our facility, and we want to make sure that your needs are being met. We will verify your insurance coverage and benefits prior to your office visit and will mail you a form explaining this in detail. It is our goal to provide a good faith estimate of your out-of-pocket expenses, so there are no surprise bills.
We are happy to work with insurance companies that offer out-of-network benefits. We do not participate in Medicare, Medicaid, or replacement plans. We do work with lending institutions that may be able to offer you a variety of financing options.
Once a treatment plan has been determined there may be additional testing or diagnostic injections needed to determine an exact surgical procedure required and fee. If this is required, Dr. Rodriguez’s staff will arrange this for you.
3. In Person Spine Consultation
Dr. Rodriguez’s consultations last up to 45 minutes. During the consultation, he will review all the patient’s imaging tests, medical records, radiological tests and his findings in precise detail. Dr. Rodriguez will also do a physical examination as part of his routine consultation. Next, he will make recommendations on how you can benefit from least invasive surgical intervention. He will explain each option and address your questions and concerns so that you may make the most informed and educated decision.
4. Traveling To International Spine Institute
The International Spine Institute has two offices conveniently located within a few minutes from Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport in Baton Rouge, and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, in Metairie, Louisiana. We offer least invasive options to patients locally and throughout the United States, Canada and internationally.
5. Procedure and Recovery
Dr. Rodriguez provides all patients undergoing surgery with personalized instructions, and pre-operative and post-operative recommendations. Your procedure will be performed at one of our local outpatient surgical centers where Dr. Rodriguez is on staff and has privileges.
After your surgery, Dr. Rodriguez and his physician assistants are available to answer any questions, concerns, and needs you have. Once you have been discharged from the hospital, it is recommended you return to your hotel to rest. The next morning you may meet with Dr. Rodriguez or his physician’s assistant to be checked one more time before being cleared for travel. In order to avoid surgical site infection, you may visit our office to have your dressing changed if needed.
6. Financial Assistance
For our patients who will have difficulty paying medical fees not covered by their insurance provider, or even for some of those who do not have any insurance coverage at all, our financial assistance group works with our patients to make sure the treatment fees are as affordable as possible. We do this by working in cooperation with our commercial partners to help secure the best rate possible for any financing you require. We’re here to help lessen the burden of the surgical fees as much as we possibly can.
* The MRI Review is an informational review of the MRI images and report that you provide to us and is not a form of diagnosis. A diagnosis and final treatment plan for which you may benefit from at International Spine Institute can only be made after Dr. Rodriguez performs a physical examination at one of our offices in Louisiana. The Free MRI Review has no value and will not be billed.
