From the moment you arrive at Ascension Pain Specialists, you will be welcomed like family into our office. After checking in at the front desk, we will hand you an iPad tablet to provide general information about yourself and the reason for your visit. Our friendly staff is always available to assist you with any difficulties. No stack of papers to fill out – we are entirely paperless!
Once checked-in, we will either take you to one of our brand new exam rooms or our state-of-the-art procedure room, depending on the reason for your visit. If you are arriving for a procedure, please see our special instructions below on how to prepare for the day of your procedure.
We consider it a great honor to care for our community and want all our patients to feel like they’re a part of our family. Therefore, Dr. Agarwal will gladly spend as much time as necessary to address all your questions and concerns. New patient office visits typically last 45 minutes, established patient office visits last 30 minutes and procedures last anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes. For your convenience and safety, we offer telemedicine visits when appropriate.
If you have any additional questions or concerns in between office visits, Dr. Agarwal can always be reached through our online patient portal, OnPatient (www.onpatient.com). We encourage all our patients to sign up for OnPatient to easily communicate with us, schedule appointments, access your medical records, and pay bills.
Frequently Asked Questions
The only health insurance plan that we accept is Medicare. We offer cash-pay services to all other patients. Please call us at 626-514-1188 or email us at info@ascensionpain.com to get out-of-pocket pricing information.
Patients are typically seen in our practice by referral from another physician. However, patients interested in regenerative medicine consultations and treatments for sports injuries do not require a referral. Patients with accepted insurance plans or self-pay may be self-referred.
Regardless of the type of appointment, please have your valid picture ID, insurance information, and form of payment in hand. We collect all co-pays at the time of your visit and only accept credit card.
For initial visits, please also bring:
- All medications you are currently taking in their original bottles
- Medical records from the physician who referred you to us
- Imaging studies (e.g. X-rays, ultrasounds, CT scans, MRIs, etc.) done prior to visiting us
For follow-up visits, please bring updated medications, medical records, and imaging studies if applicable.
We kindly ask new patients to arrive 30 minutes early to allow enough time to register in our system. Established patients, please try to arrive at least 15 minutes early.
We respect your time and want to be mindful of your other commitments. Therefore, a “no-show” fee of $25 may be assessed to you if cancellation notice is not given to our clinic at least 24 hours in advance. We will waive this fee if the next appointment is kept.
We do not validate parking. Parking is conveniently available at the Walnut Plaza for $1.50 per 20 minutes, with a daily maximum of $12. Cash only.
Preparing for Your Procedure
After checking in, we will bring you to an exam room where your vital signs will be gathered and current medications verified. We kindly ask that you wear comfortable clothes and keep unnecessary valuables at home.
Dr. Agarwal will evaluate you to confirm the procedure, discuss the steps involved along with the expected outcomes and the potential risks, as well as answer any remaining questions you have. You will then sign a consent form, allowing us to proceed.
For most procedures, you will then be taken into the procedure room and positioned on a special table. We utilize either ultrasound or fluoroscopy (X-ray) to perform our procedures. Your blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen levels will be monitored throughout the procedure.
After completion of the procedure, you will be monitored for any side-effects. You will then be given follow-up instructions.
Yes. To ensure your safety after the procedure, it is our policy that you have a responsible adult accompany you home afterwards. Ride-sharing (e.g. Uber, Lyft) is not an acceptable means of transportation after a procedure. Arriving without an acceptable driver will lead to cancelation and rescheduling of your procedure.
Anxiety about your procedure is normal. However, we will thoroughly explain your procedure and answer any questions you may have before proceeding. Most of the procedures we perform are quick with minimal discomfort and can be done by simply numbing the skin of the area we are working on with local anesthetic. Sedation is typically unnecessary.
However, if Dr. Agarwal decides that sedation is necessary for your procedure, we will prescribe a one-time, oral anti-anxiety and oral pain medication for you to take just prior to your procedure. You will be responsible for filling these prescriptions on your own before your procedure. We do not carry these medications in our office.
If you receive sedation for your procedure, you will NOT be able to eat or drink for 6 hours before the procedure and you will not be able to drive, operate machinery, or work for the rest of the day.
Do NOT take any blood thinning medications such as Plavix, Pletal, Coumadin, Lovenox, and similar medications that “thin” the blood or block your platelets from acting normally. Please inform our office if you are taking blood thinning medications. If it is safe to do, and if we have written approval from the physician prescribing your blood thinner, we will coordinate stopping this medication 3-10 days before your procedure. Never stop taking a blood thinner on your own, without permission from your prescribing physician.
Please also let us know if you are taking Aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, or other anti-inflammatory medications and supplements such as vitamin E or fish oil; these may also need to be stopped before certain procedures.
Medications for other health conditions (e.g. high blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid, etc.) may be continued as normal.
From the time you check-in to the time you check-out will typically take 1-1.5 hours. Appointments typically run on time, but unexpected delays occasionally occur. We appreciate your understanding.
Insurances Accepted
Insurances Accepted
To streamline your experience with us, please download our PDF patient forms before your first visit. Your comfort will always be our first priority at Ascension Pain Specialists.
Our Care Philosophy
We believe in deliver uncompromising, excellent treatment options at all times. We strive to deliver quality care with state-of-the-art technology.
No-Judgement Zone
We listen to our patients to develop a personalized treatment plan that meets their individual needs.
We believe in educating our patients on the different treatment options available. We are here to help you live pain-free, from start to finish.
Insurances Accepted
Important Notice
The only health insurance plan that we accept is Medicare. We offer cash-pay services to all other patients. Please call us at 626-514-1188 or email us at info@ascensionpain.com to get out-of-pocket pricing information.