The PSI Difference

Has your primary care physician made it clear that you can choose where you are referred for orthopedic and urologic care, MRI, clinical lab work, and outpatient surgery?

The truth is that you have every right to ask for a referral to the service providers at Pacific Surgical Institute - including Longview Orthopedic Associates, Longview Urology, Pacific Imaging Center and Pacific Surgery Center. If you have not been offered this option, be sure to ask your primary care physician for an explanation. Exercise your right to select medical services provided by experienced physicians, technicians and nurses at the region’s most modern facility.

What myths about health care are making the rounds, and what do I need to know to make an informed decision?

Myth #1 - You can get in more quickly to see an orthopedist at Peace Health than at Longview Orthopedic Associates. NOT TRUE. Not only do LOA physicians see patients in a timely manner, in many cases you don’t need a referral from your primary care physician in order to make an appointment. If your insurance is included on the list below, you can avoid the hassle and expense of an initial visit to your primary care physician. Simply call LOA at 501.3400 to make an appointment.

Myth #2 - When it comes to training and experience, all of the orthopedists in the area are equally qualified. NOT TRUE. The physicians at Longview Orthopedic Associates are the only local orthopedic surgery group offering sub-specialty emphasis and practice focus in sports medicine, foot and ankle surgery, hand surgery, and joint replacement/reconstruction.

Myth #3 - The physicians at Longview Urology and Longview Orthopedic Associates only handle procedures that can be done at Pacific Surgical Center. NOT TRUE. All of the physicians at Longview Urology and Longview Orthopedic Associates are credentialed to perform surgeries at both St. John’s Hospital and Pacific Surgical Center (PSC). If an overnight stay is necessary, they will handle your case at St. John’s. If no overnight stay is requiired, it may be possible to have your surgery done at PSC on 9th Avenue in Longview.

We are contracted with the following insurance carriers:
· Care Oregon
· Community Health Plan of Washington
· Department of Labor and Industries
· DSHS
· First Choice
· Great West
· HealthNet
· Kaiser Permanente (referral needed prior to scheduling an appointment)
· Medicare
· Molina
· OMAP (Oregon Medicaid)
· Pacificare
· PacificSource
· Premera Blue Cross
· Providence
· Railroad Medicare
· Regence Blue Cross/Blue Shield - Washington and Oregon
· Secure Horizons - Oregon
· Tricare/TriWest (Champus)
· Uniform Medical
· US Dept. of Labor
· (Misc. Insurances)

We are also negotiating contracts with the following insurances:
· United Healthcare
· Aetna

What is Pacific Surgical Institute?
PSI is a state-of-the-art medical facility that opened at 625 9th Avenue in Longview in June 2006. The 40,000-square-foot building houses seven service providers. Longview Orthopedic Associates, Longview Urology, Northwest Medical Analytic Laboratory, Longview Physical & Sports Therapy, and Flourish Skin & Laser are established businesses that have relocated to PSI. Pacific Surgical Center and Pacific Imaging Center are new ventures.

What are the benefits for patients?
PSI offers multiple services at one site, which means less driving time and less hassle for you. For example, patients undergoing a procedure at our surgery center can have their pre-surgery lab work done at Northwest Medical Analytic Lab and MRI scans conducted at Pacific Imaging Center. Our building is modern and comfortable, and we have plenty of convenient parking.

Can I have work done at PSI, even if my physician isn’t a tenant there?
Absolutely. If anyone says that you must schedule appointments with an orthopedist, urologist or gastroenterologist in Vancouver or Centralia, they aren’t being truthful. Pacific Surgical Institute delivers the aforementioned services, along with outpatient orthopedic, urologic, GI, gynecologic, podiatric, plastic surgery, and ear/nose/throat procedures.

How experienced is the staff at Pacific Surgical Institute?
Our staff is knowledgeable and experienced. The physicians at Longview Orthopedic Associates and Longview Urology are the most experienced orthopedists and urologists in the area. Likewise, the GI physicians who perform procedures at our outpatient surgery center are the most experienced gastroenterologists in the Lower Columbia region. At Pacific Surgical Center, our nursing staff has extensive experience, with many having both operating room and recovery room certification.

What services are offered at Pacific Surgical Center?
PSC is an outpatient surgery center featuring three operating rooms and an endoscopy suite. Board certified or board-eligible physicians perform procedures such as:

• Arthroscopy (hand/wrist, knee, shoulder, and ankle/foot)
• Rotator cuff and shoulder stabilization surgery
• Carpal tunnel surgery
• Cystoscopy (bladder examination)
• Bladder suspension
• Lithotripsy (kidney stone treatment)
• Kidney and prostate cryotherapy
• ESWL
• Colonoscopy
• Upper endoscopy
• Ear/nasal/sinus surgery
• Bunion surgery

These procedures do not require overnight stays.

What advantages does Pacific Surgical Center offer?
Procedures performed at outpatient surgery centers are traditionally 30 to 50 percent less expensive than similar procedures performed at hospitals. They also require less of your time. In addition, outpatient surgery centers have an excellent record when it comes to patient satisfaction, with 96 percent of respondents saying their treatment was outstanding.

But if a patient has insurance, does the cost of the procedure really matter?
Most insurance carriers do not cover the entire expense of outpatient surgeries. As a result, patients are responsible for at least a portion of the cost. Pacific Surgical Center can save you money without sacrificing quality. Also, if your insurance company is billed for a lesser amount today, you can expect fewer rate increases in the future.