Patient FAQ

Creating healthy communities, starting with you.

Katahdin Valley Health Center offers so much more than just medical, dental and behavioral health services. We are a Patient Centered Medical Home. This model is an approach to delivering high-quality, cost-effective primary care. Using a patient-centered, culturally appropriate, and team-based approach, the PCMH model coordinates patient care across the health system. The PCMH model has been associated with effective chronic disease management, increased patient and provider satisfaction, cost savings, improved quality of care, and increased preventive care.

Please browse this list of frequently asked questions here at KVHC. If you do not find the answers you are looking for, feel free to Contact Us to learn more.

KVHC is open to all – everyone is welcome! If you would like to choose KVHC as your new medical home, our team would be delighted to assist you. Please view our Become a Patient page or contact the team directly by phone at 1-866-366-5842. 

Appointments can be requested in a variety of ways: 

  • Stop in to your nearest KVHC location and ask to set up an appointment.
  • Call us at 207-538-3700 or toll-free at 1-866-366-5842 and speak with our Scheduling team. 
  • Patients can also request an appointment via the Patient Portal. Learn more here!

If you need to speak with your provider directly, scheduling an appointment is your best option. If you need assistance before your next appointment, please call us or send a message via the Patient Portal so we can help you as soon as possible. 

If it’s after 5:00pm and you need information or guidance from your provider – we can help! We have Open Access Walk-In Care available 7 days a week in our Houlton and Dover-Foxcroft offices. Open Access Walk-In Care is open later than our normal Primary Care hours. If our offices are closed, don’t worry! You can reach one of our On-Call providers after hours by dialing our normal office number and selecting the appropriate menu option.

We have Open Access Walk-In Care available 7 days a week in our Houlton and Dover-Foxcroft clinics. Walk-In Care is also available in our Ashland and Brownville clinics on Thursdays only. 

Our Open Access Walk-In Care and the KVHC Pharmacy are open to all – you do not have to be a patient of KVHC to receive service.

You can cancel your appointment by: 

  • Stop in to your nearest KVHC location and ask to cancel an appointment.
  • Call us at 207-538-3700 or toll-free at 1-866-366-5842 and speak with our Scheduling team. 
  • You can request a reschedule or cancellation from your e-mail or text appointment confirmation. 
  • Patients can also request an appointment cancellation via the Patient Portal. Learn more here!
You can view our Patient Bill of Rights at the following link: Click Here

KVHC offers two easy ways to communicate with their Care Team outside of your usual appointments. 

  • You can always call us at 207-538-3700 or toll-free at 1-866-366-5842, and ask to speak with a staff member. 
  • Patients can also use the Patient Portal to send a secure message to your provider. If you are not signed up for the Patient Portal, call today or ask to be signed up at the front desk during your next visit!

Yes! If you are signed up for e-mail or text notifications, and/or our Patient Portal, you will have the ability to complete a pre-check-in process to help reduce your wait when you come in for your appointment. 

Unless you have been given special instructions by your provider, we ask that all patients arrive at least 15 minutes early for their appointments to allow for enough time for check-in and any paperwork required. 

We’re sorry to hear that you had an issue during your latest visit. Please either fill out our Contact Form or call us at 207-538-3700 and let the phone operator know you need to speak to someone regarding an issue or concern. We’re here to help! 

If your provider has identified a need for you to have imaging, testing, or to consult with a specialist, here are the steps taken to set up your referral:

  1. First, your provider orders the referral. 
  2. The KVHC Referral Team gathers information from your patient chart that is required by your insurance and the specialist, hospital, or imaging facility
  3. All information is then sent to the specialist office, hospital, or imaging facility via electronic transmission. 
  4. The specialist, hospital, or imaging facility will review the information and begin the process of scheduling your appointment. They may reach out to you directly by phone or mail to schedule your appointment. 
  5. The KVHC Referral Team will make follow-up calls to the specialist, hospital, or imaging facility until an appointment is scheduled for you. 

If you do not use the KVHC Pharmacy, please ask for a refill during your next visit or call us at 207-538-3700.

If you use the KVHC Pharmacy, you can call us, ask for a refill at the pharmacy, or request your refill online using the KVHC Pharmacy App or by visiting refills.kvhc.org

Our KVHC Pharmacy offers a Pharmacy Savings Program that offers many generic medications for $4.99 for a 30-day supply and $10.99 for a 90-day supply. Ask our pharmacy staff for more information and to sign up. 

Our Patient Assistance staff can also offer prescription assistance, even if you do not use the KVHC Pharmacy. Please call 1-866-366-5842 Ext 325 for more information. 

The KVHC Pharmacy is open to all – you do not not have to be a patient of KVHC to receive service.

As soon as your lab results are available, you will be able to access them via the Patient Portal. If you do not have a Patient Portal account, call or ask to sign up for an account at your next visit. 

Once your provider has had a chance to review your results, you will be contacted by a clinical team member to go over the results. 

Your labs are sent to your portal in real time, which means that you likely see them before your provider.  Also, your provider needs results from all labs that were drawn in order to interpret them appropriately and make a plan, and the results do not all come in together.  
 
Though the lab will flag results that are outside of a standard reference range as “abnormal,” there are many factors that are taken into account, including other labs, to make a full clinical picture. 
 
When you are notified of your labs, the nurse may tell you that they are normal, even if you see things outside of that range.  This is because those results are not clinically significant, and nothing needs to be done to address them.

The first step in getting your medical records is to complete and sign a Release of Information form. This form is available at any KVHC location, on this website (Click Here to Access), or if you call our Medical Records department we will be able to mail or e-mail you a copy of the form. 

Once the Release of Information form is received, our Medical Records Team will review. If found to be accurate and complete, the release will be processed and the records will be sent to the identified party on the release. 

Once a release of information has been received by KVHC and determined appropriate, your medical records will be released within 7-10 business days. If you have not received your medical records request within two weeks of your request, please contact our Medical Records department at 207-538-3700 ext. 120 for an update on the status of your request. 

If your child due for their well child visit, please schedule a well child appointment with their primary care provider and bring the sports clearance form with you to the appointment. 

If your child has already had their well child visit, please provide the sports clearance form to the KVHC location where their primary care provider is located. Please allow at least five business days for the form to be completed. You can pick the form up at the location, have it faxed to the school, or mailed to you directly. 

We accept most insurances, though you may have higher copays/deductibles if the plan is an out of state or not in network plan or an employer plan preferred network. We are in network with all plans licensed in the State of Maine including Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, United Healthcare, Harvard Pilgrim, Martin’s Point, Medicare, Medicaid, Wellcare, Patient Advocates, Northeast Delta, Empire, Unum, Liberty Mutual, Dentemax, Premier Eyecare, Davis Vision, Spectera, Eyemed, Mutual of Omaha, and Envolve – just to name a few. We are also an Optum VACCN Mission Act Clinic for Urgent VA Medical. 

Your deductible is the amount of money that you must pay out of pocket before your insurance will pay any expense for a covered claim.

A co-payment or copay is a set/fixed amount that you pay for a medical service or prescription, as deemed by your insurance policy. 

Co-insurance is your share of the costs of a healthcare service, as deemed by your insurance plan. Co-insurance is usually listed as a percentage of a visit you will owe above and beyond a copay or deductible. 

Yes, we accept most insurances. However, privately owned insurance plans (Employer-sponsored plans) can deem KVHC as “in network, but not preferred” which may leave you with higher deductibles and/or coinsurance or copays. Employer sponsored plans determine which entities are in network and/or preferred. A call to your plan administrator is the safest way to determine if you would have to pay higher out of pocket expenses if you choose to use our services. 

Yes, you can! If you need help paying for services, KVHC offers a Sliding Fee Discount Program. If you are eligible, your bill will be discounted depending on your income level. We also offer time of service discounts for patients who wish to pay for their services on the day of the visit.

Yes, please be sure to bring your most current Primary and Secondary insurance cards with you to your appointment. 

We accept cash, check, Mastercard, Amex, Visa, Discover Flex, HSA, credit/debit, and we can also arrange payment plans. 

Yes, you can pay our bill through our secure Patient Portal. 

If you are the policy holder and guarantor on your account, you are responsible for paying all of your bill that is not covered by insurance or the KVHC Sliding Fee Discount Program. 

KVHC offers customizable payment plans. These can be set up as automatic payments with a debit or credit card. 

Please notify your employer immediately and follow their instructions. 

Yes, if your immunization needs are work-related or for continuing education (college or trade school). However, based on whether or not your employer has agreed to pay for these services, you will be responsible for the cost at the time of the service. 

We provide a wide range of services – please see our Occupational Medicine page for more details. 

Please call us at 207-538-3700 ext. 229 and we will help your organization enroll, provide purchase order information, and discuss our available services in detail. 

At this time Katahdin Valley Health Center does not provide prenatal or obstetric care but will make a referral for you to see an obstetric provider of your choosing in the case of pregnancy.  Our providers perform regular gynecological exams and offer other reproductive services such as pre-conception planning, pregnancy testing, contraception, emergency contraception, and testing for sexually transmitted diseases.

KVHC partners with several area schools to provide various services. Please contact your school or KVHC to learn if our services are available at your child’s school. 

KVHC Thanksgiving Closures

All Katahdin Valley Health Center clinics and pharmacies will be CLOSED on November 28-29th in observance of Thanksgiving, with the following exceptions:
 
  • Walk-In Care and the KVHC Pharmacy in Houlton and Dover-Foxcroft will be OPEN each day from 11am-7pm
 
Please call us at 1-866-366-5842 for any urgent matters. Thank you!

KVHC CARES Feedback Form

Let us know what you think! Please tell us about your recent visit to KVHC. 

Please do not ask health care questions on this form. If you have an emergency, please call 911. 

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I am satisfied with my care at KVHC:
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Question of the Month November 2024

Please answer the question(s) below. You may then enter your contact information for a chance to WIN a $25 food gift certificate!
(All participants must be 18 years or older, and must reside in Aroostook, Penobscot, or Piscataquis County to be eligible for the gift certificate drawing.)
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KVHC CARES Feedback Form

This form is for feedback only, please do not ask medical questions.
If you have a medical emergency, please call 911.
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
I am satisfied with my care at KVHC:
If you would like to be contacted by a KVHC representative about your experience today, please leave your name and e-mail address below.