Carena Urgent Care (CUC) provides you with 24/7 access to in-home medical treatment from a physician for urgent, but not life-threatening, medical concerns. This service helps you avoid unnecessary trips to the emergency room (ER) when your primary care provider (PCP) is unavailable, such as after-hours or on the weekends.

House calls last as long as needed, typically an hour, to ensure you understand your care plan, steps for follow-up, and what to expect as your medical condition improves.

In addition to providing you with medical care and education, Carena medical group providers can also help you find a PCP, identify health risks based on your medical history, and provide information and referrals to other appropriate F5 health and wellness programs.

The following are key member benefits:

• Receive prompt care for urgent, but not life-threatening, medical concerns.
• Avoid a more costly trip to the ER for matters that are not true emergencies (threaten life and limb).
• In-home visits allow ample time to ask questions and better understand resources for care.

Once you've called Carena, here’s what you can expect:

1. You'll speak with a Carena Patient Care Coordinator (PCC), who will have a provider call you about your medical concern. The provider may determine that the emergency room (ER) is the best option for you, or may provide you with tips on caring for your concern at home. Most of the time, however, the provider will arrange a time for a house call with you. If a house call is recommended, a PCC will collect the co-pay over the phone prior to your visit.
2. Typically, a Carena physician will arrive within two to four hours. If there are any schedule changes, the PCC will contact you to discuss your options.
3. The physician will treat your illness or injury in your home. Physicians can treat minor burns and musculoskeletal injuries such as sprains and strains. Additionally, they can stitch minor lacerations; provide care and wellness education for back, neck, or headache pain; address common illnesses such as viral infections; and perform certain laboratory tests, including blood draws.
4. In many instances, follow-up care is needed. If you do not have a primary care physician (PCP), a PCC can help you choose one and can even call you within two business days to help you schedule your follow-up appointment. Carena provides a summary report of your visit to your new or existing PCP.

Physicians do not carry narcotics and can't refill prescriptions written by another doctor.

Your primary care provider (PCP) is the best option for your routine and ongoing health needs. Use the emergency room or call 911 for situations that threaten life or limb. But for urgent concerns that occur when your PCP is not an option, consider Carena Urgent Care.

Some examples of urgent concerns that can be treated at home are:

• Minor cuts, scrapes, and burns
• Back and muscle strains
• Strep throat or ear infections
• Skin infections
• Persistent or worsening coughs and respiratory infections
• Wrist and ankle sprains

Carena medical group physicians can treat a wide range of urgent concerns at home. They carry an updated version of the traditional "doctor bag," filled with state-of-the art, portable tools to treat your medical conditions. With these kits, physicians have all the equipment they need to run in-home rapid tests for influenza, strep throat, and other medical issues.

If X-rays or other diagnostic tests are needed, Carena will coordinate scheduling of these tests with your primary care provider and share test results with him or her when they arrive.

While emergency rooms offer a wealth of technology for your medical needs, most non-emergent health concerns do not require the use of such equipment. That is one reason Carena Urgent Care is an effective and lower-cost alternative to the emergency room.

Carena medical group physicians are board-certified, specializing in Family Medicine. If you'd like to learn more about the Carena providers, please check out their bios.

Telephonic medical translators are available to help providers deliver care to patients who speak little or no English.

Patient Care Coordinators (PCCs) answer the phone and assist you with getting in touch with a provider. The PCCs are not clinically trained and therefore are not able to assess your health concern. Their job is to ensure that you are eligible for the service and to act as the liaison between the provider and the patient.

All F5 employees and their dependents who are members of either the PPC or PPC/HRA health plan administered by Aetna, and who reside within the Carena Urgent Care service area, are eligible to use the service. Patient Care Coordinators will verify eligibility prior to a house call.

The Patient Care Coordinator will need to collect some pertinent information to determine your eligibility and to share with the provider, including:

• Individual's name requesting home visit
• Address
• Date of birth
• Phone number
• An alternate phone number

Carena house calls are subject to the annual deductible and then paid at 90 percent. By contrast, a trip to the emergency room requires a $50 co-pay, is subject to the annual deductible, and then paid at 90 percent. A typical emergency room visit costs an average of 30 percent more than a Carena Urgent Care house call.

If you have general questions regarding this benefit or an issue with claims, you may contact Neil Smith, F5's benefit advocate at ClearPoint at 206-962-2018 or benefitsquestions@f5.com. You can reach him Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (PST).

Carena Urgent Care has been designed for urgent, but not life-threatening, medical concerns when your primary care provider (PCP) or urgent care center is not available. For routine health needs, the best option for care is usually your PCP. Developing a good relationship with your PCP is one of the best ways to get and stay healthy.

Carena Urgent Care should not be used in a medical emergency. If you feel you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the emergency room. Some examples of emergencies are:

• Chest pain
• Loss of consciousness
• Severe shortness of breath
• A substantial cut or wound

Additionally, Carena is not an option for treating pregnancy-related issues or infants younger than three months of age who have fevers higher than 100.4° F. We also cannot treat minors unless the parent or legal guardian is present. Carena medical group providers cannot refill prescriptions written by other doctors and do not carry narcotics.

Not necessarily. After speaking with you by phone, the Carena provider may refer you to the emergency room, recommend watchful waiting until you can see your primary care provider, or provide self-care tips.

Delivering care at home, rather than in your office, ensures patient privacy.

Members with urgent health concerns are encouraged to refrain from coming to work and to be seen by their primary care provider (PCP). This benefits both the employee and the health of co-workers. If you feel that you may be too sick or injured to go to work, and your PCP is unavailable, then you are encouraged to call Carena Urgent Care and a physician may be dispatched to treat you in the comfort of your home.

The Patient Care Coordinator will establish a time for the house call and provide the name of the physician scheduled to see you. You can learn more about the Carena providers on the bios page. For security purposes, all physicians carry an identification badge.

Prior to your visit, you may be given specific instructions for self-care. In addition, you may want to do the following before the physician arrives at your home:

• Locate your insurance care.
• Turn on the porch and driveway lights if it is dark.
• Secure pets in another room, if appropriate.
• Take a few minutes to print out and complete the Patient Registration Form and review the Elliott Bay Medical Group Notice of Privacy Practices. If you don't have access to Adobe PDF Reader, you can download it for free here.

In the event a home visit is recommended, the Patient Care Coordinator will work with you to establish a mutually acceptable time for the physician's arrival. This will typically be within two to four hours of your initial assessment.

Yes, as long as they are covered members under the Aetna PPO or PPO/HRA plan and the symptoms are urgent in nature, as determined by the attending physician.

Carena medical group physicians will write prescriptions as necessary to treat the condition that prompted the visit, and may dispense limited medication at the time of care. Physicians cannot order prescription refills and will not provide a prescription without a visit. They do not carry narcotic medications.

If you have not already completed the Patient Registration Form prior to the physician's arrival, they will ask you to complete one after their arrival. They will also collect your insurance information at that time. If your insurance information is not available or eligibility is in question at the time of the visit, you will be asked to sign a waiver accepting responsibility for the medical charges.

Aetna will be billed directly; you will not need to submit paperwork to Aetna.

No. Carena medical group physicians cannot act as your primary care provider. They are not available for follow-up care, ongoing medical needs, or prescription refills. This service is designed so the physicians are only available for urgent medical situations.

In many instances, follow-up care is necessary. In the event you do not have a primary care provider (PCP), the Patient Care Coordinators may help you choose one and can even help you schedule your follow-up appointment with your new PCP. Carena will provide a summary report of your visit to the new or existing PCP.

Medical records related to your visit will be sent to your primary care provider within five business days of the visit.

The physician will provide a postage-paid survey to you at the end of your visit. Carena encourages every patient to send visit feedback for consideration in evaluating program performance. All surveys are anonymous.

Like the care delivered by any provider, house calls are confidential. No personal health information will be shared with your employer and they will not know you have received a house call.

Carena Urgent Care (CUC) provides members with 24/7 access to in-home medical treatment from a physician for urgent, but not life-threatening, medical concerns. This service helps you avoid unnecessary trips to the emergency room when your primary care provider (PCP) is unavailable, such as after-hours or on weekends.

House calls last as long as needed, typically an hour, to ensure you understand your care plan, steps for follow-up, and what to expect as your medical condition improves.

Carena medical group physicians can also help you find a PCP, identify health risks based on your medical history, and provide information and referrals to other appropriate drugstore.com health and wellness programs.

To use Carena Urgent Care, drugstore.com members call 1-866-898-1750 to speak with a Patient Care Coordinator, who will begin the process of contacting a provider to speak with you.

The following are key member benefits:

• Receive prompt care for urgent, but not life-threatening, health concerns.
• Avoid a more costly trip to the emergency room for matters that are not true emergencies.
• Be given ample time to ask questions and better understand resources for care with unhurried, in-home visits.

Once you have contacted Carena, here is what you can expect:

• You will speak with a Carena Patient Care Coordinator (PCC), who will have a provider call you about your concern. The provider may determine that the emergency room (ER) is the best option for you, or may provide you with tips on caring for your concern at home. If appropriate, the provider will arrange a time for a house call with you.
• Typically, a Carena medical group physician will arrive within two to four hours. If there are any schedule changes, the PCC will contact you to discuss your options.
• The physician will treat your illness or injury in your home. Physicians can treat minor burns and musculoskeletal injuries such as sprains and strains. Additionally, they can stitch minor lacerations; provide care and wellness education for back, neck, or headache pain; address common illnesses such as viral infections; and perform certain laboratory tests, including blood draws.
• In many instances, follow-up care is needed. If you do not have a primary care provider (PCP), a PCC can help you choose one and can even call you to help you schedule your follow-up appointment. Carena provides a summary report of your visit to your new or existing PCP.

Physicians do not carry narcotics and cannot refill prescriptions written by another provider.

Your primary care provider (PCP) is the best option for your routine and ongoing health needs. Use the emergency room or call 911 for situations that threaten life or limb. But for urgent concerns that occur when your PCP is not an option, consider Carena Urgent Care.

Some examples of urgent concerns that can be handled in the home are:

• Minor cuts, scrapes, and burns
• Back and muscle strains
• Strep throat or ear infections
• Skin infections
• Persistent or worsening coughs and respiratory infections
• Wrist and ankle sprains

Carena medical group physicians can treat a wide range of urgent concerns in the home. They carry an updated version of the traditional "doctor bag", filled with state of the art, portable tools to treat your medical conditions. With these kits, physicians have all the equipment necessary to suture minor cuts, deliver nebulizer treatments for asthma, and obtain lab samples in the home. They can also run in-home rapid tests for influenza, strep throat, and other medical issues.

If X-rays or other diagnostic tests are needed, the physician will coordinate scheduling of these tests with your primary care provider and share results with him or her when they are available.

While emergency rooms offer a wealth of technology for your medical needs, most non-emergent health concerns do not require the use of such equipment. That is one reason Carena Urgent Care is an effective and lower-cost alternative to the emergency room.

Carena medical group physicians are board-certified doctors who specialize in Family Medicine. To learn more check out the provider biographies.

Telephonic medical translators are available to help physicians deliver care to patients who speak little or no English.

Patient Care Coordinators (PCCs) answer the phone and assist you with getting in touch with a provider. The PCCs are not clinically trained and therefore are not able to assess your health concern. Their job is to ensure that you are eligible for the service and that you questions are within the scope of services offered. If you are requesting a house call, the PCC will arrange for a Carena medical group provider to promptly return your phone call.

All drugstore.com employees and their dependents who are members of either the EPO or PPO health plan administered by Aetna, and who reside within the Carena Urgent Care (CUC) service area, are eligible to use CUC. Patient Care Coordinators will verify eligibility prior to a house call.

The Patient Care Coordinator will need to collect some pertinent information to determine your eligibility and to share with the provider, including:

• Individual's name requesting home visit
• Address
• Date of birth
• Phone number
• Alternate phone number

A visit for an eligible PPO or EPO plan member will be covered at 80 percent after the deductible has been met. By contrast, the copay for ER visits without admission is $100 for EPO plan members, with the remainder covered at 80 percent. For the PPO plan, an ER visit is covered at 80 percent after the deductible. This does not apply to non-emergencies seen in an ER, which are not covered for EPO plan members, and are covered at 50 percent after deductible for PPO plan members.

Carena Urgent Care has been designed for urgent, but not life-threatening, health concerns that strike when your primary care provider (PCP) or urgent care center is not available. For routine health needs, the best option for care is usually your PCP. Developing a good relationship with your PCP is one of the best ways to get and stay healthy.

Carena Urgent Care should not be used in a medical emergency. If you feel you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the emergency room immediately. Some examples of emergencies are:

• Chest pain
• Loss of consciousness
• Severe shortness of breath
• A substantial cut or wound

Additionally, Carena is not an option for treating pregnancy-related issues or infants younger than three months of age who have fevers higher than 100° F. We also cannot treat minors (those younger than age 18) unless the parent of legal guardian is present. Carena medical group physicians cannot refill prescriptions written by other doctors and do not carry narcotics.

Will I get a house call every time I call?

Not necessarily. After speaking with you by phone, the Carena medical group provider may refer you to the emergency room, recommend watchful waiting until you can see your primary care provider, or provide self-care tips.

Delivering care in the home, rather than in your office, ensures patient privacy.

Members with urgent health concerns are encouraged to refrain from coming to work and to be seen by their primary care provider (PCP). This benefits both the employee and the health of co-workers. If you feel that you may be too sick or injured to go to work, and your PCP is unavailable, then you are encourages to call Carena Urgent Care and a physician may be dispatched to treat you in the comfort of your home.

The Patient Care Coordinator will establish a time for the house call and provide the name of the physician scheduled to see you. If desired, you can learn more about the physicians who will conduct the house call and see his or her photo by visiting the bios page.

Prior to your visit, you may be given specific instructions for self-care. In addition, you may want to do the following before the physician arrives at your home:

• Locate your insurance care.
• Turn on the porch and driveway lights if it is dark outside.
• Secure pets in another room, if appropriate.
• Complete a patient registration form.

In the event a home visit is recommended, the Carena medical group provider and patient will establish a mutually acceptable time for the physician's arrival. This will typically be within two to four hours of calling.

Yes, as long as they are covered members under the Aetna PPO or PPO/HRA plan and the symptoms are urgent in nature, as determined by the physician.

Carena medical group physicians will write prescriptions as necessary to treat the condition that prompted the visit, and may dispense limited medication at the time of care. Physicians cannot order prescription refills and will not provide prescriptions without a visit. Carena medical group physicians do not carry narcotic medications.

What paperwork is required and how is my insurance billed?

After the physician arrives, he or she will ask you to complete a patient registration form and collect your insurance information at that time. If your insurance information is not available or eligibility is in question at the time of the visit, you will be asked to sign a waiver accepting responsibility for the medical charges.

Aetna will be billed directly; you do not need to submit paperwork to Aetna.

Note: The processing of EPO plan members' claims may result ina home-mailed communication incorrectly stating that benefits for this service have been denied. If you do receive this, rest assured that your claim will be paid at 80 percent after the deductible has been met. You DO NOT need to take further action to correct this and you will receive notification of the correct assignment of benefits on your Explanation of Benefits shortly hereafter.

No. Carena medical group physicians cannot act as your primary care provider. They are not available for follow-up care, ongoing medical needs, or prescription refills. This service is designed so the physicians are only available for urgent medical situations.

In many instances, follow-up care is necessary. In the event you do not have a primary care provider (PCP), the Carena medical group physician will help you choose one. If needed, a Patient Care Coordinator will call you to help you schedule a follow-up appointment with your new PCP. Carena will provide a summary report of your visit to your new or existing PCP.

Medical records related to your visit will be sent to your primary care provider within five business days of the visit.

The physician will provide a postage-paid survey at the end of your visit. Carena encourages every patient to send your visit feedback for consideration in evaluating program performance. All surveys are anonymous.

Like the care delivered by any provider, house calls are confidential. No personal health information will be shared with your employer and they will not know you have received a house call.