Forms can be completed online through the patient portal or you can print them from our website and bring them with you to your appointment.
Category: Patient Resources
Second Opinions
We are proud to offer special visits for second opinions. This can include thyroid ultrasounds and or thyroid biopsies when questions arise about management of thyroid cancer and thyroid nodules. We can do it in person in the office or via Telemedicine. Please be sure to provide us with your records so we can review each case as accurate as possible.
Self Pay Patients
We understand how difficult it is to have good insurance coverage or to have insurance at all. In order to accommodate this issue, we provide services for patients without insurance, and we have created special cash pay prices for office visits, lab test results and procedures. Please inquire with us about the special pricing.
Cash prices can also apply for telemedicine visits.
Virtual Visits
Appointment Information
New Patients
For all new patients who want to request an appointment, please send an email to info@txendocrine.com
Please provide your complete name, date of birth, diagnosis or reason for your visit, the name of the referring physician and your insurance information. Include a telephone number where you can be reached and we will call you back within 48 hours.
Established Patients
Please request your follow up appointment by sending us a message via The Portal or by calling (713)800-6212.
Thank you for choosing us to help with your endocrine care!
Please arrive 10-15 minutes early for your appointment for registration and to fill in a health questionnaire.
The day of your first appointment:
- Directions and parking rates. Click here for more information.
- We will call you 3 days before to confirm your appointment. Please be available.
- Remember to bring your insurance card and picture ID with you.
- Please bring your medications bottles.
- Be ready to provide a detailed past medical history. You can fill the new patient medical
- form before your appointment located in the forms-download section.
- We need to have your records the day of your visit and preferably in advance.
- If you are a diabetic, please brings at least 1 week of blood sugar records.
For Returning Patients:
- Please be considerate. We have a LONG waiting list of patients.
- Don’t make an appointment until you are sure of your availability.
- If you need to cancel, please do so as early as possible.
- If you have labs done in between visits, is wise to bring us a copy
- Remember to bring your medications bottles to all your visits.
- If you are a diabetic, please don’t forget your blood sugar records.
- We can arrange for preclinical labs. Call us a few days in advance.
- Remember to bring your insurance card and your picture ID to all your visits.
- Please update any changes in your contact and insurance information.
Medication Refills and questions:
- Please ask your pharmacy to send us an electronic request. If your pharmacy is not able to send an electronic request, please leave a message on the clinic voicemail. Please allow two business days to solve non urgent calls.
- Outside those hours, you can leave us a message.
- The emergency number is not available for medication refills.
A cancellation fee will be applied to cancellation done the same day of the appointment.
Emergencies
If you experience a life threatening event, don’t lose time.
Call 911 directly and proceed to the closest Emergency room.
For After Hours Urgent Calls
- Call (713) 800-6212
- This line is not for medication refills.
- Don’t forget to leave a call back number.
- The doctor on call will return call you back promptly.
- If the doctor does not call within 10 minutes, please call again.
- Sometimes, we could not understand or we received the wrong call back number.
We care about you! Please let us know how we are doing.
Houston
Houston is the most populous city in the state of Texas and the fourth largest city in the United states. It is the most ethnically diverse city in the United states and it’s home to many cultural institutions along with the largest Medical Center in the world, where we have the privilege to see patients from around the city, the estate of Texas and the world. For a link that has some general ideas about the Texas Medical Center please click here.
The city extends over a large surface and it may be confusing to the newcomer, but the warmth of the Houstonians overcome the distances. We have many Cultural attractions both int he museum district as well as in the Theater district. It is worthwhile to the visitor to plan ahead a visit to this amazing sites. We are also home of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, where the Mission Control Center is located. For the visitors interested in a high end shopping experience, the Galleria district is the place to visit.
Our economy is solid and it’s very diversified with a broad industrial base in energy, manufacturing, aeronautics and transportation. It also leads in Healthcare and oilfield related businesses and has the second most Fortune 500 headquarters of any U.S municipality within it’s city limits (after New York City) The port of Houston ranks first in the United States in international waterborne tonnage handled and second in total cargo tonnage handled.
During different times of the year, we have events that are worth considering like the Houston Rodeo or many sporting events including games from our main teams: Texans (NRG stadium) Houston Astros ( Minute Maid Stadium), Houston Rockets (Toyota Center) and the Dynamos (BBVA Compass Stadium).
A great place to plan your visit to Houston and see what events are available is the visit Houston link: Houston Hotels, Things To Do, Events, Restaurants & Vacation Planning.
Public transportation is not very practical in Houston. For this reason to ride in cabs or other services like uber and lyft may be a quick solution or to rent a car. There is a train like that joints downtown and The Medical Center. Please see Parking and transportation under patient resources
It is always easy to choose from a hotel near the medical center to stay, some of them are waling distance to our office. Many of the search engines for hotels make it very easy to find.
Thyroid Ultrasound and Thyroid Biopsies
Ultrasound Examination
Ultrasound examination is the most accurate and useful imaging test to detect nodules or lumps within
the thyroid gland. Ultrasound procedure uses sound waves to produce images of the thyroid gland and
the images can be captured to assess the size, shape, structure and any abnormalities of the thyroid gland. Accurate measurement of the size of the thyroid nodules can be made using ultrasound imaging. It also assists in evaluation of the variations in the thyroid tissue such as enlargement caused by goiter and decrease in size caused by inflammation, and can differentiate between solid, fluid filled or complex type of thyroid nodules.
Thyroid ultrasound is recommended by your doctor in following conditions:
If a thyroid nodule can be felt on physical examination
In suspicion of hormonal disorder of the thyroid gland
In swallowing disorders
If you are at a high risk for thyroid cancer with family history of thyroid malignancy and radiation
therapy to the neck during childhood
To evaluate changes in the size of thyroid nodule during follow-up
To monitor your condition after surgery for removal of thyroid gland
The role of ultrasound in diagnosis of thyroid conditions is complex and involves detection of the
thyroid and neck masses, distinguishing between benign and malignant nodules, and guidance during
fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy and percutaneous treatment.
Thyroid Biopsy
Biopsies of the thyroid gland are very important procedures that can clarify the nature of a nodule to decide if it is benign or a cancerous tumor of the thyroid.
It is done in our office as an outpatient procedure much more comfortable that having to check in in a hospital for a procedure. The procedure takes only a few minutes and it’s done guided by ultrasound imaging to ascertain the accuracy of the sample.
It uses local anesthesia so it’s painless. Does not require any special preparations and does not require that the patient fasts before the procedure. The patient can resume usual activity as soon as the biopsy is finished. The results will be available within one week and will utilize DNA analysis of the sample if necessary.
FAQs
FAQs
What should I bring with me when I come for a scheduled office appointment?
Apart from medicare and your insurance information
- Referral letter from GP, family physician or other doctor
- Medicare card, DVA card, pension card
- Have your Private Hospital Insurance information with you
- Reports, X-rays, MRI’s, CT scans etc and any other relevant information
Are my medical records kept private and confidential?
Your medical file is handled with the utmost respect for your privacy. Our staff is bound by strict confidentiality requirements as a condition of employment regarding your medical records. Ordinarily we will not release the contents of your medical file without your consent.
Do I need a referral to make an appointment?
Most medical specialists will accept only referred patients. This is partly to try to ensure that the specialist you are seeing is appropriate for you and your condition, and also because Medicare pays higher rebates for specialist services if you have been referred.
How can my family doctor help me to obtain specialist medical care?
Before seeing any medical specialist, it is always preferable to talk to your own family doctor, who can discuss your condition with you and advice on whether any specialist care is appropriate. If it is, he or she can help you to choose the specialist best suited to your needs. Your family doctor can help the specialist to care for you better by providing relevant information about your health. Communicating with the specialist will also enable your family doctor to care for you better during and after your specialist treatment.
What should I expect during first visit?
During your initial visit, the doctor will explain the specific test or procedure you want, help you visualize the results and go over the risks. He may do a physical examination and ask you a bunch of questions. Once you go and have the test done then he will decide what your diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
Useful Links
Diabetes
- American Diabetes Association
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- Diabetes Health
- Insulin Help
Endocrine in General
Thyroid
Nutrition Information
External Content Disclaimer
*Please note that pages of this site may be linked to other websites, which may have different terms of use and privacy practices than Privia Medical Group. Privia does not own, control, manage, supervise, direct, or otherwise have involvement in such other websites or the content of such websites. Privia is not responsible for the content of any linked websites. Privia is not acting as an agent for these websites, nor does Privia endorse or guarantee, in any way, their websites, content, or products. Privia makes no representation or warranty regarding the accuracy of information contained in linked websites, takes no responsibility for the use of copyrighted or otherwise protected materials on such linked websites, and has no control over the privacy practices or use of user information at such linked websites.
Patient Fact Sheets
To learn about a variety of hormone-related conditions and how to treat them, please select the links below. Hormone Health Network fact sheets and patient guides are developed by experts in the field of endocrinology. Our goal is to provide you with resources to foster communication with your physician and help you make informed decisions about your health.
Click here to view a list of available Patient Guides.
Fact Sheet Categories:
- Adrenal and Pituitary Disorders
- Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders
- Diabetes
- Growth Disorders
- Hormone Abuse
- Menopause and Women’s Health
- Men’s Health
- Osteoporosis and Bone Health
- Thyroid Disorders
External Content Disclaimer
*Please note that pages of this site may be linked to other websites, which may have different terms of use and privacy practices than Privia Medical Group. Privia does not own, control, manage, supervise, direct, or otherwise have involvement in such other websites or the content of such websites. Privia is not responsible for the content of any linked websites. Privia is not acting as an agent for these websites, nor does Privia endorse or guarantee, in any way, their websites, content, or products. Privia makes no representation or warranty regarding the accuracy of information contained in linked websites, takes no responsibility for the use of copyrighted or otherwise protected materials on such linked websites, and has no control over the privacy practices or use of user information at such linked websites.
Conditions
The endocrine system is a complex group of glands that helps to control reproduction, metabolism, growth and development through substances called hormones. It also controls the way you respond to your surroundings and provides the proper amount of energy your body needs to function. Sometimes the glands of the endocrine system are impaired and can cause a hormone imbalance. This hormone imbalance (or endocrine disease/condition) can affect your health in many ways, and some endocrine system diseases/conditions are more serious than others.
Visit the following resources to learn more about the endocrine system and hormone health:
- Cardiovascular Endocrinology
- Cushing Syndrome & Endocrine Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Female Reproductive Health Problems
- Growth Disorders
- Male Reproductive Health Problems
- Menopause
- Osteoporosis
- Pituitary Disorders
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
- Reproductive Endocrinology
- Thyroid Conditions/Disorders
- Other Conditions
External Content Disclaimer
*Please note that pages of this site may be linked to other websites, which may have different terms of use and privacy practices than Privia Medical Group. Privia does not own, control, manage, supervise, direct, or otherwise have involvement in such other websites or the content of such websites. Privia is not responsible for the content of any linked websites. Privia is not acting as an agent for these websites, nor does Privia endorse or guarantee, in any way, their websites, content, or products. Privia makes no representation or warranty regarding the accuracy of information contained in linked websites, takes no responsibility for the use of copyrighted or otherwise protected materials on such linked websites, and has no control over the privacy practices or use of user information at such linked websites
The Endocrine System
The endocrine system is one of the body’s main systems for communicating, controlling and coordinating the body’s work. It works with the nervous system, reproductive system, kidneys, gut, liver, pancreas and fat to help maintain and control the following:
- body energy levels
- reproduction
- growth and development
- internal balance of body systems, called homeostasis
- responses to surroundings, stress and injury
The endocrine system accomplishes these tasks via a network of glands and organs that produce, store, and secrete certain types of hormones. Hormones are special chemicals that move into body fluid after they are made by one cell or a group of cells. Different types of hormones cause different effects on other cells or tissues of the body.
Endocrine glands make hormones that are used inside the body. Other glands make substances like saliva, that reach the outside of the body. Endocrine glands and endocrine-related organs are like factories. They produce and store hormones and release them as needed. When the body needs these substances, the bloodstream carries the proper types of hormones to specific targets. These targets may be organs, tissues, or cells. To function normally, the body needs glands that work correctly, a blood supply that works well to move hormones through the body to their target points, receptor places on the target cells for the hormones to do their work, and a system for controlling how hormones are produced and used.
What could go wrong? Endocrine system diseases and disorders happen when one or more of the endocrine systems in your body are not working well. Hormones may be released in amounts that are too great or too small for the body to work normally. These irregularities are also called a hormone imbalance. There may not be enough receptors, or binding sites, for the hormones so that they can direct the work that needs to be done. These hormone imbalances may be the result of a problem with the system regulating the hormones in the blood stream, or the body may have difficulty controlling hormone levels because of problems clearing hormones from the blood. For example, a hormone imbalance may occur if a person’s liver or kidneys are not working well, resulting in a hormone level in the bloodstream that is too high.
If you or your primary care physician suspects that you have an endocrine disorder, you may need a specialist called an endocrinologist. An endocrinologist is a specially trained doctor who diagnoses and treats endocrine system diseases, which are diseases that affect your glands and hormone levels. They know how to treat conditions, which are often complex and involve many systems and structures within your body. Your regular doctor refers you to an endocrinologist when you have a problem with your endocrine system.
Insurance & Fees
Become a Patient
New Patient Appointments
New Patients
For all new patients who want to request an appointment, please Click here to complete the APPOINTMENT REQUEST FORM.
You can also send us a message by clicking on the “Message us” button that is on the bottom of the screen.