Traveling to see us? Please read this important information

If you are not local to the Seattle area and are traveling to see us for a consultation, there is some important information of which you need to be aware.

Many people from outside the Seattle area who wish to make an appointment with us have fairly complicated or long-standing foot issues.  This means that these problems often require longer than average appointments and usually multiple appointments are necessary.

If you are traveling to see us we want to ensure that it is a great experience and a worthwhile investment.  The following information should help you decide if it is worth the time and expense to travel to see us and to make your appointment as beneficial as possible should you decide to come.

Try to Find a Podiatrist Closer to Your Home

It is rare that foot problems can be solved in one visit.  Rather than traveling a long distance to see us we first recommend that you try to find a podiatrist who can take care of your problem closer to your home. A good place to start is our list of out-of-state podiatrists.  While we make no guarantees of the quality of treatment provided by these other podiatrists, these are providers who we understand to have good reputations in their own communities. If you don’t find someone on the list near you, then we don’t know of anyone in your region.

Appointment Length and Deposit

Our standard initial appointment is 30 minutes long. If you have a very long history or a very involved problem then it is best that you schedule an extended 45-minute appointment.  This is the longest appointment we can schedule for a first visit.

If you would like to schedule an extended initial appointment please let our receptionist know. To reserve an extended appointment we require a $250 credit card deposit.  This will be refunded as soon as you and / or your insurance has paid for your initial office visit and any other services rendered. If you fail to show for the visit or cancel with less than 48 hours notice (not including weekends) then the deposit is non-refundable.

Arrive Early

Plan to arrive 30 minutes prior to your appointment. We tend to start our appointments on-time and if you are late it will cut into your appointment time. Allow plenty of time to get here. Seattle traffic can be horrible.

Credit Card on File is Required

We require a credit card on file if we are billing insurance for you.  Once your insurance has paid their portion you will receive notice that your credit card will be billed in 5 days for your portion of the bill. The credit card is then automatically charged for the remaining balance.

If we are not billing insurance payment in full is due at the time of service. We do offer self-pay discounts.  Our prices can be found here.

Use Us for Consultation Only

If you are traveling from a distance to see us, it is best to use your visit with us as a consultation or second opinion but have treatment done elsewhere. We will provide you and your podiatrist with a complete report and recommendations for treatment. Because foot problems usually require multiple visits, however, it is best to find a podiatrist closer to your home to provide ongoing treatment.

Foot Orthotics

Because we are one of the few clinics to specialize in biomechanics and orthotic therapy we have many patients who wish to travel to see us for foot orthotic therapy. This can be problematic, however, as orthotics often need to be modified or adjusted several times in order to achieve optimal clinical benefit and comfort. For this reason we recommend that if possible you have orthotic therapy provided closer to home.

Learn here what questions to ask to find expert orthotic therapy in your region.

Proper orthotic therapy is very hands-on. We have learned over time that trying to provide expert orthotic therapy for those who are not local can be frustrating for both the patient and for us.

If you absolutely want us to make your orthotics, we have some specific conditions for those who are not local. These must be agreed to prior to making your orthotics.

  • No guarantee of comfort or function. For those who live locally we will always guarantee comfort of the orthotics, but this is predicated on the patient being able to make at least 4 visits back to see us for adjustment of the orthotics within the first 90 days of receiving their orthotics. It is rare that patients require 4 adjustments but it does happen occasionally.  Unless you can can commit to at least 4 visits back to see us in the first 90 days after receiving the orthotics, we cannot make the comfort guarantee.
  • Adjustments are done only during office visits with the patient present. We do not accept orthotics being mailed in for adjustment.
  • There is an additional charge of $15 to ship the orthotics to your home in the contiguous states. This is charged by our orthotic lab. This cost will be higher for shipping to Alaska, Hawaii and outside of the United States.
  • While most adjustments can be done in our office while you wait, some require a few days to complete.
  • You will likely need new shoes to fit your orthotics. They may, but we don’t know how well your shoes fit and many shoes will simply be too small to accept an orthotic. Also, if you have a fairly serious biomechical issue, you may require a larger than average orthotic.
  • Even if we are making specialty orthotics, for example for dress shoes or ski boots, you may still require new dress shoes or ski boots to accommodate your new orthotics.

Come Prepared

  • Please bring with you copies of your previous doctor notes, xrays on disks, xray reports, CT and MRI reports. Don’t assume that if you request them to be sent to us that they will arrive on time. Be sure to bring them with you physically to the appointment.
  • We also request that you provide a one-page summary and time line of your condition including all treatments that have previously been tried.
  • Bring any custom or prefabricated orthotics you have used to your appointment
  • Bring a selection of common shoes that you wear. We only need one side of each pair.

Phone and Virtual Visits are Not Available

We currently do not offer phone or virtual follow-up visits except for patients who are located within the state of Washington.  Otherwise, follow-up must be done in-person in our Seattle clinic. If you have short follow-up questions after your visit you can email us through our patient portal.

Where to Stay – How to Find Us

The closest hotel to our office is the Silvercloud on Broadway.  If you are staying near the airport you can take Link Light Rail to within a few blocks of our office. Directions and travel information can be found here. The Capitol Hill Station is the closest light rail station to our office. From there it is a 15 – 20 minute walk or you can take the street car.