Important Things to Know About IBD

• If you are ill or are having side effects between 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM on a weekday call your assigned nurse. If you are thinking of going to the ER, call your nurse first because we will try to see you right away. If you cannot reach us and you are seriously ill, go to the ER right away.
• When you call the IBD Program be prepared to tell us exactly what symptoms you are having or give specific details about your concerns. Please have your date of birth and a list of your current medicines. When you call, you will speak with the administrative assistant who will give the message to your nurse. We will make every effort to get back to you as soon as we can. Make sure we have your correct phone number and an alternate number so we can reach you.
• If you call before 12 NOON with an urgent issue, we will make every effort to return your call by the end of the day. If for some reason you cannot reach us, and you are seriously ill, please go to the ER right away.
• Routine calls will generally be returned within one business day.
• If you have an urgent question after 4:30 PM on a weekday or on the weekend, call the gastroenterology and hepatology on call service at 410-328-5780 and ask for the gastroenterologist on call.
• Keep in mind that if you are admitted to the hospital due to a flare of IBD, your outpatient IBD gastroenterologist may not see you day to day in the hospital. One of the IBD specialists on our team will see you and oversee your care while you are in the hospital. This doctor will be in touch with your outpatient doctor about your care, as needed.
• If you need to be seen right away, one of our four physicians may be able to see you the same day or within a day or two. Our physicians provide care for urgent visits as well as routine visits during clinic hours and will work closely with your IBD doctor, who will always be in charge of your care.
• Always tell us about any new health problems you have or any ER visits or hospital stays.
• Please try to bring records about your hospital stays to your visits with us. The most important records to bring are the discharge summary and reports of any tests, such as endoscopies, operations, biopsies, CT scans, MRIs, and blood tests.
• For medicine refills, call 410-706-3387. Please call at least 2 working days before you will run out of your medicine. If you use a mail order service, please call at least 3 weeks before you need the refill so there is enough time for your medicine to be mailed.
• If you have a change in address, phone number or health insurance, please give the new information to our administrative assistants at toll free 410-706-3387 Monday to Friday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. If you are taking an immunosuppressive medicine we need to be able to get a hold of you quickly. For example, the results of your lab tests may indicate that the dose of your medicine needs to be changed. For this reason, please call our office as soon as you can to give us your new contact information.
• We encourage you and your family to become members of the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) ccfa.org. The CCFA is a very helpful resource for anyone living with inflammatory bowel disease. Your nurse or doctor can tell you more about this group.