Frequently Asked Questions

You have questions…We have answers.

Yes, a referral is required from your primary care physician or specialist before your first visit. Please have a PCP fill out and fax this form to 978-641-3997. Call our office if you have any questions at 978-254-4983. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please dial 911.

We are happy to offer same-week appointments in most cases – please give our office a call at 978-254-4983 to check our current availability.

Patients may send a secure message through the Patient Portal, or by calling our office at 978-254-4983.

Prescriptions can be refilled by calling our office Monday through Friday, from 8 am-4 pm, or by sending a secure message through our Patient Portal.

We accept the following: 

  • Boston Medical Center/BMC Health Net (BMC)
  • United Health Care (UHC)
  • Always Health Partners (My Care Family, Neighborhood Health Plan)
  • Masshealth (Medicaid, MH Limited, Partners Health, Steward Health Choice, Network Health)
  • Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS)
  • Tufts Health Plan, Tufts Public Heath Plan (Network Health)
  • Harvard Pilgrim Health Plan
  • Unicare
  • Aetna
  • Medicare
  • Veterans Affair
  • Optum VACCN
  • NH Medicaid
  • Well Sense Health Plan NH
  • Anthem BCBS
  • Senior Whole Health
  • Fallon
  • Humana
  • New Hampshire Healthy Families
  • Health Plan Inc
  • UMR
  • Navicare (Fallon)

After we’ve secured a referral from your primary care doctor or specialist, we will schedule your appointment and also request your records so your InCare provider is fully prepared to talk about your needs.  When you arrive, you’ll have a few quick forms to fill out, and then you’ll be ready to go! After your appointment, you can sign up for our Patient Portal, an easy tool to connect to our office anytime and send messages, view test results, or make a request for a prescription refill.

A phone call within 24 hours of your appointment is required for cancellation. If we do not receive a phone call, it will be counted as a “no-show”. After two “no-show” appointments, you will be allowed to make a same-day appointment only. You may go back to scheduling ahead of time after a year of no missed appointments.

If you have a medical emergency, please dial 911. If you are feeling unwell, please proceed to your local emergency room.

A highly trained doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating diseases of the lungs.

We recommend making an appointment to meet with a pulmonologist if you have been experiencing shortness of breath, chronic cough, chest pain, or have brought up blood or sputum when you cough.

 

This depends on your diagnosis. Some patients are seen every few months, while others only need an annual visit. We recommend scheduling an appointment if you have experienced any of the symptoms listed in the answer above so a proper diagnosis can be made.

  • Pulmonary Rehab
  • Different types of inhalers
  • Oxygen

A doctor that specializes in sleep disorders, such as Sleep Apnea, Snoring, Narcolepsy, and Restless Legs Syndrome.

You will fill out forms, have your vital signs taken, and meet with a sleep specialist to go over your symptoms. Your doctor may order further testing, if needed.

  • CPAP
  • Mouth Guards
  • Implantable Device

The providers at InCare are recommending that all patients receive the vaccine.

If you have wondered what COVID-19 (the disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2) does to your lungs or what COVID lung is, you are not alone. 

COVID-19 stands for Coronavirus Disease 2019; the SARS-CoV-2 virus causes it. The most common symptoms of COVID-19 include: cough, fever, trouble breathing, muscle aches, headache, sore throat, nausea, diarrhea, and loss of taste or smell. Additionally, the virus can change or mutate into new strains.

The virus typically spreads if a person infected with the virus coughs, sneezes, or talks close to other people. The virus will then travel through tiny fluid particles into other people’s lungs. Hence, the virus can spread quickly among people who live together or work together in close contact. If you touch a surface with the virus, then touch your mouth, nose, or eyes, you can get the virus this way.

In most people, your symptoms will get better over a few weeks. A smaller number of people can get very sick and you may be admitted to the hospital or even to the intensive care unit (ICU). The medical field and doctors are still learning the long-term effects of COVID-19. If you are either older or with underlying other health issues such as chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, severe heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, hypertension, and obesity, you are at a higher risk of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19. 

If your symptoms are not severe, contact your doctor by phone first. If your symptoms are severe, call 911 for an ambulance to take you to the hospital. 

You should get tested if possible. Try to self-quarantine and monitor yourself for any symptoms. Stay at home as much as possible and stay six feet away from others. If your test is negative, you may not need to quarantine for a total of 14 days. Check with your doctor for their advice, and you should continue to monitor your symptoms for 14 days. 

You can obtain a COVID-19 test by finding a professionally run resource that will swab inside your nose or mouth.

More info: Massachusetts Department of Public Health About COVID-19 Testing Resource

 

There are two types of tests: Nucleic acid and Antigen. The nucleic acid test looks for the genetic material from the virus. The antigen test looks for proteins from the virus. The antigen test gives results much faster, but it is less accurate than the nucleic acid one.

  • Practice social distancing: also called physical distancing, stay away from all people who don’t live in your household. Avoid gatherings with people, even if in small groups. 
  • Wear your face mask anytime you leave your house. Confirm your mask covers your nose and mouth. This way, you are protecting yourself from getting the infection from anyone around you, and if you have the virus and you don’t know, you are protecting others from getting it from you. 
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water.
  • Avoid or limit traveling during the pandemic.
  • Avoid touching your face, including your mouth, nose, and eyes.

If you have a mild disease, such as fever and cough, you can rest at home without trouble breathing. It takes about two weeks for people to feel better, but that varies from one person to another. 

 

If you are having trouble breathing, then you will need to stay at the hospital. You may need to be in the ICU. The staff at the hospital will then monitor your breathing and give you the support your body needs. You may need to be on oxygen, and in severe cases, you may need to be on a ventilator, “a breathing machine.” Doctors might recommend certain medicines that seem to help with COVID-19. These medicines are not without side effects, so the risks and benefits will always have to be weighed by your treating doctor.

Post-COVID-19 refers to symptoms of COVID-19 lasting longer than 12 weeks, which is more common if you have had COVID-19 and were required to be admitted to the hospital, especially if you were admitted to the ICU. Symptoms may include fatigue, trouble breathing, cough, chest pain, headache, continued loss of smell or taste, muscle aches, diarrhea, and sweats. Other people may have anxiety, depression, or symptoms related to PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). 

 

It is not clear when these symptoms get better and over what period. The improvement varies from one person to another. Your individualized treatment will include recommendations by your doctor to address whichever symptoms you have. You may need pulmonary rehabilitation, physical and occupational therapy, and treatment for anxiety or depression.