Patients will be called back within 24 hours advising them of the status of their refill request. Messages left on Friday after close of business (Noon) will not be addressed until the office reopens on Monday. When leaving a message regarding a refill, please leave your name, date of birth, medication you want refilled, and the name and phone number of the pharmacy you wish us to contact.

The office hours are Monday – Thursday, 8:00am – 5:00pm and on Friday, 8:00am – Noon. Dr. Bassett performs scheduled surgical procedures all day Monday, all day Wednesday and half day Friday (afternoon following clinic). Emergency surgical procedures are performed as needed throughout the week. The office is still open on surgery days. Dr. Bassett sees patients in clinic on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.

If during your office visit Dr. Bassett advises that you be referred for a diagnostic test / medical procedure (e.g. MRI, CT scan, Discogram, Myelogram, Bone Scan, etc.), we will do our utmost to schedule the test before you leave the office. Tests are generally scheduled within 7 days to allow time for precertifications or insurance approvals to be obtained. Emergency situations are handled in an appropriately different manner. We will make every effort to set up your radiologic/diagnostic test appointment during the morning hours and have you return that same day during the afternoon hours to see Dr. Bassett face-to-face for the results.

If you have medical insurance, it is advised to call the customer service number on the back of the insurance card and ask them if your specific insurance contract requires a referral from your primary care physician. Dr. Bassett does not require a referral from a primary care physician.

The office is very busy filling out a variety of forms on a consistent basis. These forms may be required by your workplace, an attorney, a disability company, or insurance company or some other facility or agency. Our office sets aside one day each week to complete forms (Wednesday), so please plan accordingly by allowing 7 – 10 business days for the process to take place. Forms can be time consuming and complex to properly fill out. The cost of filling out a form is $10.00 per page with the cost payable at the time the form is initially turned it. Mailed in forms must be accompanied by payment in order to be completed and sent out.

Almost all patients can get an appointment to see Dr. Bassett within two weeks. Requests for appointments accompanied by diagnostic test results showing herniated disc(s), spinal stenosis, fractures, or other emergency situations will be seen in the very next clinic.

Dr. Bassett is a board certified orthopedic surgeon with fellowship training in spinal surgery. He is a PMD, PPO provider. He is a private medical doctor and is part of the preferred provider organization. Dr. Bassett handles all general orthopedic surgery cases but is highly specialized in spine surgery. He is medically licensed in both Alabama and Mississippi.

Dr. Bassett handles a variety of acute, chronic, and traumatic injuries and disorders of the musculoskeletal system:

• Spine Surgery – specialty
• Orthopedic Trauma
• Fracture Repairs
• Hand, Wrist, and Finger Surgery
• Foot and Ankle Surgery
• Kyphoplasty
• Vertebroplasty
• Carpal Tunnel Release

Lumbar (back) and Cervical (neck) surgery – Laminectomy, Foraminotomy, Laminotomy, Discectomy, Osteotomy, Anterior Fusion, Posterior Fusion, Kyphoplasty, and Vertebroplasty.

Dr. Bassett treats a variety of spinal disorders such as herniated or ruptured discs, spinal stenosis, PARS defects, spondylolisthesis, scoliosis, compressed or pinched nerves, unstable spine, radiculopathy, sciatica and degenerative disc disorder.

Dr. Bassett accepts almost all federal, state and commercial/third party insurances. It is the responsibility of the patient to contact their insurance company to determine if Dr. Bassett is in-network or out-of-network for their specific insurance contract. Remember, Dr. Bassett is a PMD, PPO provider!

The following list is an example of just some of the patient insurance companies our office often deals with:

• BCBS (Alabama and all other states)
• Medicare
• Medicaid (Alabama and Mississippi)
• Tricare (Prime)
• Concentra
• AHS State Network of Mississippi
• Cigna
• Humana
• United HealthCare
• Health Choice
• Health Spring
• The Oath
• Great West HealthCare
• PHCS (Private Health Care System)
• Mississippi Physicians Care Network
• Phifer Wire
• Viva Health

Our office also accepts almost all worker’s compensation insurances, too.

If the request for your medical records comes from another doctor’s office, your records will be faxed to that office at no charge. If a copy of your medical records is requested by an attorney, an insurance company (including worker’s compensation), or by you, the patient, there is a nominal fee for that service. Please contact the office to discuss the costs involved.

Dr. Bassett performs almost all surgeries at Northport Medical Center, although he also performs minor procedures, such as carpal tunnel release, at the Tuscaloosa Surgery Center.

Northport Medical Center has been a part of the DCH Health System since 1992. The facility houses several important specialty services, in addition to a full range of inpatient and outpatient services. Northport also boasts a number of newly expanded, recently constructed and renovated operating room suites. The hospital handles almost 5,000 surgical procedures each year and admits over 8,000 patients on an annual basis.