What are your office hours?
Monday: 9:00am - 3:30pm
Tuesday: 9:00am - 3:30pm (only virtual/telemedicine appointments)
Wednesday: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Thursday: 9:00am - 6:00pm
Friday: Office Closed
Saturday/Sunday - Closed
What do I do if I need to reach the doctor after hours?
Dr. Schwartz is always oncall and he can be reached by our answering service after hours. Any patient that calls the office after business hours will be connected to our answering service. The answering service will then page the physician. For emergent after hours calls the patient should receive a call back within 15 minutes. For non-emergent after hours calls the patient should receive a call back within 30 minutes. If you do not receive a call back within those time frames we ask that you call the answering service back and notify them so they may page the doctor again.
If you are in the Emergency Room at HUMC, please notify them that Dr. Schwartz is your physician so they may page him.
Which hospitals are Dr. Schwartz affiliated with?
Hackensack University Medical Center
Holy Name Medical Center
How long will it take to get an appointment?
At Gary D. Schwartz MD, PC we try to schedule appointments around the patient's own schedule. Depending on the reason of your visit, same day or next day appointments are usually available. We do not double book our appointments so that patients are given the time and thoroughness they deserve.
How are medication refills handled?
If you require a refill other than at the time of your appointment, please contact your pharmacy and have them call our office. All refills are handled within a 24 hour period (electronically submitted to your pharmacy). If you have not seen us within a year we will call in a 2 week supply but ask that you make an appointment within that time frame. This is to ensure your safety and it allows us to properly manage your care. Patients that are on medication should be seen at least every six months for check-ups.
What is your office policy on test results?
If you have had lab work drawn, you will receive a copy of it in the mail along with further instructions regarding follow up appointments. If you have had a diagnostic test (CT scan, MRI, etc.) We require a follow up appointment regardless of the results to ensure a complete understanding of the results.
What can I expect if I am coming in for a pre-operative evaluation?
Depending on what type of surgery you are having and what the surgeon requests, you visit will include a History and Physical Exam. Further testing may be required (EKG, Chest x-ray, etc).
Will Dr. Schwartz make house calls?
This is on a case by case basis, dependent upon the patient's medical condition.
I have questions about my bills, who do I call?
Please contact office directly at: 862-244-9903.
How do I request my medical records?
If you are requesting your medical records be sent to another provider you must send us a signed release with that provider's information and the records will be sent directly to them. Please note that a fee will apply for copying of medical records specifically for your own records.
Can a doctor charge me for my medical records?
The Doctor may charge the patient to copy the records, which cannot be greater than $1.00 per page or $100.00 for the entire record, whichever is less. If the record is less than 10 pages, the doctor may charge $10. A "service fee" may not be charged apart from these amounts. Charges for copies of x-rays and other documents which cannot be reproduced by ordinary photocopying machines are to be charged at the actual costs to reproduce them, plus an administrative fee of the lesser of $10.00 or 10 percent of the cost of reproduction to compensate for office personnel time spent retrieving or reproducing the materials and overhead costs.
The Doctor has 30 days after he/she receives a written request from the patient, another doctor, an attorney, insurance company, or another family member if the patient expressly authorizes it. If the patient had provided a set of records from the patient’s previous Doctor, the patient has a right to have these included as part of the entire medical record. Physicians may not refuse to release a copy of a patient’s medical record if they are needed for on going treatment if the patient owes money for the medical services the physician provided. The physician, however, can hold the record until the patient pays for the costs to reproduce the record, providing the record is not required for on going medical care.
