Family Medicine

A family medicine provider is a primary care provider (PCP) for people of all age ranges, male or female. A family medicine provider is trained to care for health maintenance and care of routine medical problems, as well as the diagnosis and treatment of complex diseases for the entire family. Your family medicine provider is a resource for medical advice and can meet most of your medical needs.

Please bring an updated medication list, a photo ID, insurance card and a list of questions you may have for the provider. If you are new to the clinic please bring a copy of your previous medical records. If the patient is under 18 an updated copy of immunization records is needed if new to the department. 

You may have had a recent change in medication from another doctor and it is important for us to have a complete and current list of medications including over the counter vitamins and medications you take only as needed.  Some medications may have negative interactions with other medications, so it is important for us to know what you are currently taking.

It is preferred that a parent or legal guardian attends the appointment with the child. If you are unable to attend your child’s appointment please have a phone number available where you can be reached.

Please contact our Release of Information Department.

Your PCP can have the “whole package” of managing your total overall health “picture.”

With an electronic medical record (EMR) providers have rapid access to information such as lab results, progress notes and x-rays in real time from anywhere in the McFarland network. An EMR allows for the management of a patient’s record from previous care at any location within McFarland Clinic. This not only enhances coordinated care but also increases patient safety because all of your information - from medications to routine health care visits - is in one place. 

Your provider will indicate when and how the test results will be available. If you have a MyChart account, most test results will be available to you via this online portal.

If you use a local pharmacy, the best way is to call your pharmacy first.  If you use a mail order, contact your primary physician’s office.  Certain prescriptions may require a written prescription that you will need to pick up and hand-carry to the pharmacy.

Contact the Family Medicine office where you wish to be seen - click here for a list of locations. If you are interested in obtaining a new Family Medicine provider in Ames, you may also contact our Patient Care Navigator at 515-239-4465 for help finding a new primary care provider.

A form is also available online for help finding a new primary care provider. Upon filling out this form, you will be contacted via phone to help you find the appropriate provider.

We will try to accommodate requests for appointments, but please know that your provider may have a full schedule, and that we may need to prioritize in order to take care of the most urgent health matters first. If your primary care provider is unavailable, another provider may be able to see you. If we are unable to see you today, we may refer you to Urgent Care in Ames or Marshalltown, which has only same day appointment scheduling. 

Our Business Services Department can answer all of your questions.