Frequently asked questions
Amethyst Medical Group offers a unique type of medical practice that is designed to allow your physician to limit the size of the practice to several hundred patients instead of several thousand patients. By reducing the practice size, your physician is able to offer same-day or next-day appointments with almost no waiting time, longer, more thorough and relaxed patient/doctor visits, enhanced access to your physician during off-hours, and other important healthcare amenities. In addition each patient of Amethyst Medical Group is entitled to a comprehensive physical examination.
What services are provided as part of my annual fee?
- An extended annual comprehensive physical examination
- Same-day or next business day appointments
- Daytime access to your physician via phone or e-mail. Emergency on-call access to your physician (or partner) on evenings and weekends
- Little or no waiting time
- Longer appointments for the most effective care
- Easy and secure access to your own personal medical information (a CD is provided to you after your annual physical)
- A strong focus on preventive medicine and long-term health and wellness
- An advocate to work directly between you and your specialist
Who will serve as the covering physician when my physician is not available?
When your physician is not available, we have partnered with Sierra Care Physicians Call Group. For practical reasons, each doctor must reserve the right to designate one of our other qualified physicians to perform any and all services when the need arises.
How do I schedule an appointment with Dr. Loesch?
Established patients (already part of Amethyst Medical Group) may call the office at (530) 798-5003 to schedule an appointment, or email a request for appointment availability (let us know what dates and times work for you) and we will contact you with the most appropriate options. We ask that you clarify the purpose of your visit so that we may schedule an appropriate appointment time and length of visit. (e.g. annual physical vs. diabetes, etc).
What should I expect at my first appointment?
At your first appointment, you can expect to meet one-on-one with Dr. Loesch in order to evaluate your medical and wellness needs. You and Dr. Loesch will discuss your medical history and comprehensive lab work will be performed. Also at this time, a customized treatment plan designed by both you and Dr. Loesch will be created that will specifically address your needs.
What if I have a medical question before my next visit?
If you have a general medical question you can either use our online patient portal option to send a question to one of the triage medical assistants or contact them via the phone by calling (530) 798-5003. Please call between 9:00am-5:00pm Monday through Friday. Non urgent questions will be answered within 24 hours. *The Medical Assistants review all questions with Dr. Loesch before replying.
If you have a life threatening emergency, please call 911. If you have a medical emergency during business hours, please call the main number (530) 798-5003, our office staff will assist you. They will assess your situation and if necessary schedule a visit based on that assessment.
Who do I contact for billing questions?
If you receive an invoice from Amethyst Medical Group, please contact our office at (530) 798-5003. All laboratory, ultrasound, mammogram, biopsy, and pap smear testing done through our office is billed separately by the company that performs the test. If you have questions about an invoice from one of these companies, please contact them directly.
The best way to avoid billing problems is by making sure that we have your most current insurance information. If your insurance changes, please let us know as soon as possible either at your next visit or by sending us a copy of your new card. Please mail to our office or fax it to (530) 470-8963 attn: Noel, Office Manager.
What is the MDVIP, Inc. Membership Program?
In return for exceptional preventive care, patients participating in MDVIP affiliated practices pay a membership fee of $125 to $150 a month annualized at $1,500. Patients receive an Executive Style Wellness Physical, which includes personal and family history, identification of risk factors, laboratory testing, EKG and screenings related to mental status, exercise, nutrition and sleep; vision, hearing and pulmonary function testing; and review of all medication.