FAQ

Do I need a doctor’s order to schedule an imaging study?

An authorized healthcare provider must order all of our examinations, and we do not perform a study without a copy of that order. Why? Having the order in hand not only insures that we know what your healthcare provider wants done – and why – but also allows us to communicate important information back to his/her office, so that you can get the appropriate care. This is also a legal requirement. How do you get the order? You may bring the order with you, or your doctor’s office may fax one or send an on-line requisition to us. If we receive the order in our office BEFORE your exam, we can investigate special circumstances or check with your provider then, saving time on the day of your appointment.

How much does an MRI Cost?

The cost of an MRI varies depending on the Procedure. Please contact our scheduling department @ Phone: 228-354-0251 for a detailed cost estimate. We will work with you to get you the care you need at a price you can afford. For a list of accepted insurance vist our Accepted Insurance Page.

How long does it take to get an appointment?

• Appointments may be made through a call to our Scheduling department:
  Phone: 228-354-0251
• by faxing in an order form:
  Fax: 228-396-3550
• or by filling out an online request form

Do you ever accept “Walk-Ins”?

We see patients Monday-Friday from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm. Walk-in patients can expect a short wait while we complete registration and scheduling steps before being fit into the exam schedule. Saturday appointments are also available. IMPORTANT NOTE: wait times may vary depending on already scheduled appointments. All exams should be scheduled in advance, since they may require specific preparation.

How do I find out how long my appointment will take?

Our center representatives can often advise you on planning for your visit to allow enough time for registration, any exam preparation, the exam itself and any post-exam period.

Please visit our Prepare for your MRI page for further information on certain imaging exams.

How soon will I know what my imaging study shows?

The Radiologists at The MRI Center will transmit their interpretation of the study images to the referring physician in 2 – 24 hours. Results of your studies and what effect those results have on your health care treatment must be discussed with your referring medical provider after he/she has received the Radiologist’s report. Our staff can answer routine questions about your study as it is given but cannot discuss results under any circumstance. If you have concerns or issues during the exam please let us know. Your input and feedback are always important to us.

Are all of your Physicians board certified?

All The MRI Center Radiologists are certified by the American Board of Radiology. In addition, many of the radiologists have completed fellowships and achieved additional certification in imaging subspecialties such as neuroradiology, thoracic (chest), musculoskeletal (human skeleton), breast and interventional imaging.

Information Needed for Scheduling Appointments & Obtaining Medical Records

The MRI Center only performs Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies; you must have an order from an authorized healthcare provider. We can make an appointment with you over the telephone before you actually present the order to us, but the order must be available for you to examine and read back to us in answer to questions from our schedulers.

To insure that you are scheduled for the correct study we ask for your help in providing the following information:

• The order from your healthcare provider for the imaging study you are scheduling
• If you will be submitting charges to your insurance provider, documentation showing your policy numbers and a contact number for the insurance company (so that we can get information in advance that lets you know what co-pays or deductibles will apply)
• When scheduling in person, a photo ID to identify yourself as the individual for whom the order was written

To request medical records, we will need you to:

• Complete an authorization for release of the records (included in the DOWNLOADABLE FORMS for PATIENTS section)
• Provide a photo ID to verify that you are authorized to receive the records