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Clinic Principles and Policies (updated October 2023)

  • Partnership:  I partner with you and approach you as a whole person. I expect you to be engaged in your health and open to considering all aspects that affect your wellbeing.
  • People often ask what to call me. You can call me Dr. Lubinski, Dr. L, or Dr. Lissa. My last name sounds like “Loo-BIN-skee.” My first name sounds like “Melissa” without the “Me.”
  • Annual visits are typically an hour long, and visits for chronic health issues are typically 30-45 minutes. For unplanned illness/injury, 15-minute visits are available typically the same day or next day—please call/text to request if needed. If you ever need help with scheduling, just call or text us, and my Office Manager will be happy to help.
  • Please cancel/reschedule visits 24 hours in advance to allow space for other patients to be seen.
  • How to get in touch:  The safest, most effective way to take care of a medical problem or prescription is in a visit (in person or telehealth). My goal is to have ample visit options. Your patient portal is for updating me with non-urgent information, uploading medical records you might have, and for self-booking. I will also share results with you through your patient portal. Voicemails and text messages are answered by my Office Manager typically within 1-2 business days. Response times vary with inclement weather, school closures, community health outbreaks, or family illness. You will be notified as quickly as possible if such delays are expected. Whenever you contact the practice, if you don’t get a response when you expect to, it is your responsibility to contact us again. 
  • Emergencies:  Call 911 or go to the nearest ER. You may alert me so I can help the doctors with your care. If you ever experience thoughts of self-harm, please call Peninsula Behavioral Health at 360-457-0431 or Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.
  • Urgent Issues:  I cannot guarantee urgent care services, though I do my best to address unplanned illness/injury when it comes up. There may be times when you need seek urgent care at another facility, such as a local walk-in clinic. If you have a non-emergency medical problem that cannot wait until the following weekday, please call and press 1 to leave an urgent voice mail with a typical response time of 3 hours or less. Please remember that all phone calls after hours go to my cell phone, and my ringer is on all night.
  • Medication Refills: For your safety, medications are refilled at clinic visits only. If you are running out of a medication, it's time to schedule a visit. I do not refill medications based on pharmacy refill requests because they are often wrong, which leads to medication errors. 
  • Controlled Substances: Long-term controlled substances for pain or anxiety are typically not prescribed. Buprenorphine is an exception to this policy. Long-term use of controlled substances requires a signed Patient Agreement and periodic urine drug testing unless the situation involves end-of-life care.
  • Medical Records:  Please request your records to be faxed to me at 360-775-2125 from previous doctors and all specialists you see. Medical record request forms are available at any medical facility and on my website (https://www.lissalubinskimd.com/current-patients.html).  
  • Paperwork:  Letters, forms, and other paperwork required for work, school, disability, or legal purposes will be completed together at a scheduled visit to ensure this is completed accurately and promptly. This often takes place in a 15-minute phone visit, though visit type and length vary depending on the need.
  • Prior Authorizations:  This happens when an insurance company, to save money, does not pay for a test or medication I ordered without requiring I go through additional steps. It can take anywhere from 20 to over 60 minutes of my, or my office manager’s, time. Once we complete the additional steps, the test or medication will either be “approved” or “denied.” Approval or denial has nothing to do with “how well” we complete the steps, but rather, what rules your insurance company has in place for your problem, test or medication, and your individual plan. If your insurance denies the test or medication that I thought you needed, we can discuss alternative ways of getting the test or medication you need in the most affordable way possible.

Access to your patient portal: Elation Passport

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When you join this practice, you will have unlimited access to your own health record through the patient portal called Elation Passport. Once you are invited to log on for the first time, you will have the ability to log in (and reset your password) anytime you want. Through Elation Passport, you can self-book appointments, message Dr. Lubinski for non-urgent updates, and receive messages from Dr. L about your test results. This patient portal is private and follows the HIPAA laws for privacy of patient health information. Elation Passport messages are checked weekly, though the volume of messages often means that a brief visit is almost always a faster way to take care of a problem or medication refill. Elation is also how we connect for telehealth visits!

How do I contact Dr. Lubinski? 

  • You can call or text us anytime. Messages will be answered by my Office Manager, Sarah, within 1-2 business days. 
  • Medical questions, problems, and prescriptions are addressed in visits (in person or telehealth). You can book your visit through your Elation Passport, or you can call/text to request a visit.
  • You can use Elation Passport for non-urgent health-related communication with Dr. Lissa. Messages are checked weekly on Wednesdays.
  • For an urgent health problem (response needed same day), CALL and press 1 for an urgent message, so we can address your need as quickly as possible. 

Documents for the Practice
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