Treating you as much more than a patient.
Whether you’re new or have been with us for a while, you’ll realize our dedication to treating people well means being your partner in health, always.
New Patients
Find important medical forms, information on what to expect before your appointment and FAQs to help you during your visit.
Insurance
Buffalo Medical Group participates with most major insurance providers. See our full list of plans we accept.
FAQs
I understand that BMG is a group of doctors, but will I still be able to see my own primary care doctor?
You will choose a primary care physician in the Group and that physician will continue with you as long as you remain a primary care patient at Buffalo Medical Group. Your physician’s team may also include an advanced practitioner such as a nurse practitioner or physician assistant. Visits to SameDay Care and evening and weekend phone coverage may be handled by your primary care physician’s BMG colleague.
What is the difference between internal medicine and family medicine?
The primary difference between family medicine and internal medicine providers is that family medicine providers, depending on the provider, will treat children, young adults and adults. Internal Medicine providers generally treat young adults and older adults.
What is the difference between an MD and a DO?
Both MDs and DOs are licensed medical professionals who diagnose and treat patients for a variety of illnesses and conditions. Both MDs and DOs are trained as either primary care or specialty physicians. The primary difference between these medical professionals is that, while both are similarly trained, DOs receive special training in manual medicine treatment.
What is coordinated care?
The specialist(s) that you see will communicate all of their findings and recommendations back to your primary care provider (and vice versa). Within BMG the Specialists and Primary Care providers communicate seamlessly through your electronic medical record. All orders for medications, testing and treatment are placed within your medical record and once ordered that information is immediately available for viewing by the authorized providers assigned to your case.
BMG Specialists have agreements in place with our primary care division physicians on how your care will be managed. Your care is coordinated to minimize repeated testing, and to avoid confusion on follow up with your care. Generally speaking, your specialist will typically handle the follow up on those tests, results and medications used in the management of the complaint, illness or condition for which you see them. Please speak with your individual physician to discuss what is appropriate for your care plan.
Do we accept patients from Canada?
We do treat Canadian patients. Prospective patients from Canada can call our quote line at 716.630.1269 to make financial arrangements for their care.
Are you accepting new patients in primary care and specialty care?
We are continually accepting new patients in both primary care and specialty care. Certain high-demand specialties, like dermatology, may have longer wait times for an appointment.
What is BMG SameDay Care?
SameDay Care is a service for patients who have a BMG primary care physician. SameDay Care allows BMG primary care patients to be seen for non-urgent medical needs, usually on the same day they request help. Patients should contact their BMG primary care provider first to determine if a SameDay appointment is appropriate. SameDay Care is available at 295 Essjay Road, Williamsville.
What other services are provided other than seeing a doctor or midlevel provider?
Buffalo Medical Group offers a variety of services that complement our provider care. We have full-service diagnostic imaging, ancillary cardiology studies, pulmonary functions studies and physical therapy, along with an adult and pediatric sleep center. We also have pharmacy services, behavioral health, nutritional counseling and an in-house laboratory with on-site blood draw services.
Do you have a patient portal online?
We offer MyBMGChart that allows patients to view their personal health information through their computer, tablet or smartphone. Select benefits of MyBMGChart include the ability to view test results, your medical history and key information about your latest office visit, as well as request appointments and prescription renewals and message your provide with non-urgent medical questions. NOTE – MyBMGChart is not accessible outside of the United States.
How are appointment reminders handled at Buffalo Medical Group?
Appointment reminders are sent to patients when we have the appropriate phone number on file. Reminders may come as a call to your designated contact number or as a text message to your mobile phone. Please come about 15 minutes prior to your appointment, and if you are unable to keep your appointment, please provide at least 24 hours notice.
Why do you have centralized reception in your buildings?
Centralized reception provides an efficient way for patients to register for their appointment. In fact, whether you have either a single or multiple appointments at BMG, your paperwork and co-pay can be handled by the same reception staff person. You will also be given specific directions as to where to find your provider’s office location.
What do I need to do to give a family member access to my medical information?
To allow and/or obtain access to a family member’s medical record, the individual allowing access will need to complete a Health Care Proxy form available on this website. Also, access to portions of your electronic medical information can be granted through the MyBMGChart proxy request for adults, or the MyBMGChart proxy request for minor forms, also available on the website.
What hospitals are you affiliated with?
We are primarily affiliated with both Catholic Health and Kaleida Health hospitals.
Do you use hospitalists?
Yes. Buffalo Medical Group has offered hospitalist care for quite some time. These on-site teams of specialists—trained in hospital-based medical care—are available around the clock to handle routine, as well as emergent care needs. BMG’s hospitalist service is available at Buffalo General Medical Center, Mercy Hospital of Buffalo, Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital and Sisters of Charity Hospital. For heart and stroke-related care, we recommend you seek treatment at either Buffalo General or Mercy Hospital. For non-heart and non-stroke medical care, we suggest care at Sisters Hospital or Millard Fillmore Suburban.
Are e-visits available?
E-Visits are available for non-emergency acute issues that require same-day attention. E-visits are available for both our primary care and OB-GYN divisions.
How can I get involved to help enhance the patient experience?
PFAC: The Voice of Patients & Families
The Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) is dedicated to enhancing the patient experience and focusing on healthcare through the eyes of our patients.
We are inviting patients to join the PFAC to help bring positive changes to Buffalo Medical Group, which will improve upon the patient experience, allow us to deliver high-quality care, and treat our patients well. This is your opportunity to make a difference.
Important Changes to Messaging for Medical Advice
MyBMGChart messaging is a tool for simple, non-urgent messages about existing health problems. As health care providers, we understand that communication between patients and their care teams is essential for high-quality medical care. One of the many ways to connect with Buffalo Medical Group providers is through MyBMGChart messaging, which is designed for simple, non-urgent messages about existing problems.
Our providers now receive nearly six hundred thousand MyBMGChart messages each year. Some of these messages are complex and would be better handled through an in person, office or telemedicine visit so that we can provide the care our patients expect and deserve. That’s why we’re clarifying our standards for MyBMGChart messaging.
Patients can still use MyBMGChart messaging for follow-up questions from a recent visit and simple questions about existing problems like scheduling appointments and medication refills. However, starting June 1, 2024, we’re asking patients to use office or telemedicine visits to get a medical diagnosis or treatment for new problems and complex issues. MyBMGChart remains an option, but if your message is about a new health concern, or a change in your condition that requires your providers to spend five minutes or more of their time and their medical expertise, it may be billed to insurance as a “medical advice message.” Copays and deductibles may apply.
Click on Question for answer
Why is BMG Making This Change?
The original intent of MyBMGChart messaging was to provide patients and their personal representatives with a simple tool for communicating non-urgent messages about existing problems. Over the past decade, health care providers across the nation have seen a dramatic increase both in the number of messages sent by their patients and the level of complexity of those messages.
By billing for medical advice messages, we are following other health care providers across the country in refocusing MyBMGChart messages to be used as originally intended – for non-urgent, simple messages about existing problems.
For many health care providers across the nation who have implemented a similar change, only 1-3% of messages were billed as Medical Advice Messages. Most messages will continue to not be billed.
How Much Will I Be Charged for MyBMGChart Messaging?
If a message response requires the medical expertise of your provider and five minutes or more of their time, they will determine whether the message exchange should be billed to insurance.
If the message is billed to your insurance, you will receive a message back from your doctor along with a response to your question letting you know it will be billed. Even if a message is billed to insurance, many patients won’t have to pay an out-of-pocket cost. For those who do, these costs can vary by insurance plan.
What Types of Messages Will Be Billed as Medical Advice Messages?
Providers can bill your insurance for complex messages that require medical expertise and five minutes or more of their time. Examples of message responses that may be billed to your insurance include:
- Reviewing medical records
- Providing a diagnosis
- Assessing a new issue or symptom
- Adjusting medications
- Chronic disease check-ins or changes in a chronic condition
- Changing a treatment plan
- Referring to services, testing or imaging
- Other complex medical advice
What Types of Messages Are Not Billable?
We expect that most messages we receive and respond to WILL NOT be billed to insurance. Health care providers across the country that have launched similar programs have found that less than 3% of messages are billed.
If your provider deems your question is too complex to address properly via medical advice messaging, they may ask you to schedule an in person or telemedicine visit to address your concern. You will not be billed for this type of message.
In addition, you will not be billed if your provider initiates the MyBMGChart Messaging exchange (i.e., only provider responses as part of a MyBMGChart message exchange that you started may be billed).
Messages that we receive most often and will continue to not be billed, include:
- Scheduling appointments
- Requesting prescription refills
- Asking about an issue you saw your provider for in the last seven days, including in-person and virtual video visits
- Giving a quick update about your health to your provider
- Questions about most lab and imaging results that do not change your treatment plan
- Messages that only take a few minutes to answer
Why are we implementing this new billing practice?
MyBMGChart messaging is great for simple questions about your care. However, over the past decade, we have seen a dramatic increase both in the number of messages sent to our providers and the level of complexity of the messages. Particularly, complex messages that require medical expertise are better suited for a face-to-face interaction with your provider, through an office visit or telehealth visit.
By billing patient insurance for complex messages that take provider time and medical expertise, we hope to reset the types of questions patients send via MyBMGChart and ensure that our providers have the appropriate time to spend on their response. Quick questions like appointment scheduling, prescription refills, and health updates will continue to not be billed.
What happens in the 5 minutes and what is medical expertise?
Message responses that require medical expertise and five or more minutes of your provider’s time may be billed as medical advice messages.
Medical expertise means that your provider is using their medical training and decision-making to respond and make a recommendation, change to your treatment plan, or referral to a new specialist or service.
During the 5+ minutes that your provider is reviewing and responding to your message, they may:
- Open and review your medical record
- Check your current medications and make adjustments
- Review your specialty providers and appointments
- Provide recommendations, a diagnosis, or changes to your care plan
Will subsequent messages on the same topic be billed?
Only new, complex messages that take your provider’s time and medical expertise to respond to, including detailed reviews of your medical record, adjustments to your treatment plan, or referrals to additional services, may be billed.
If the message is about the same topic within 7 days, there will not be additional billing.
Is there a time limit? What if I get billed for an “old” message?
Buffalo Medical Group providers will not bill your insurance for their response if their response is not provided within 3 business days after you sent the message.
How will patients be notified when a message will be billed?
We are using a variety of notification methods to alert patients about this new process. All notifications will include a link to our website with information about billing practices. The notifications include:
- A patient’s MyBMGChart landing page will have a prominent box that explains the new change.
- Patients will receive an automated message in the MyBMGChart Message box, alerting them of our new approach.
- Patients should receive a message from their provider if a response to their message required five minutes or more of the provider’s time and expertise, resulting in a possible charge to their insurance.
Will I know when I send a message whether my provider may bill for it?
Providers will review each MyBMGChart message they receive and determine whether their response requires medical expertise and 5 minutes or more to respond. In their response to your message, they will inform you if that response resulted in a bill being sent to your insurance.
Won’t this raise health care costs?
We believe most MyBMGChart messages will NOT be billed to our patients, as similar health care providers who have launched this same approach have found that less than 3% of message responses are billed to patients’ insurance.
For those message responses that are billed to patient insurance, most patients will be charged their typical copay or deductible. The charge is typically lower than in-person and virtual video visits.
Is this equitable? Could this harm communication with the care team?
Our intention is not to reduce our patients’ communication with their providers but rather to ensure providers can spend appropriate time reviewing and responding to complex messages, and to ensure our patients’ needs are met in the appropriate care setting.
We will be closely monitoring the types of messages that are billed and will be adjusting our policies if we detect any trends that show inequities or barriers to care.
Any billing questions may be directed to our Customer Service specialists at (716) 630-2600.
Are MyChart messages virtual care?
Messaging providers has become a popular way to seek medical advice, especially with the recent demand for virtual health care options. As a result, in addition to covering in-person visits, insurance companies now cover:
- Video visits, including On-Demand Video Visits
- Telephone visits
- Medical advice messaging (through MyBMGChart)