In an effort to provide and maintain adequate access to ASH contracted providers, the following standards outline ASH's member/insured access to contracted providers.

Routine appointments: Contracted providers are expected to be able to schedule patients for routine, non-urgent appointments within seven days from the time the patient calls for the appointment.

Urgent appointments: Contracted providers are expected to be able to schedule patients for urgent appointments within 24 hours from the time the patient calls for the appointment.

In-Office Waiting: Patients are not to wait more than 30 minutes from the time of their appointment to the time they are seen by the contracted provider.

Access to Provider: Contracted providers are to be available to members/insured 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This means that providers must either see the patient, schedule an appointment with the patient within the above timelines, or direct the patient to seek other medical care as medically indicated.The contracted provider may opt to utilize an answering service, answering machine, or paging system for this last service.

Answering Machine: Contracted providers are to maintain an answering machine or answering service to receive telephone calls from members twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week. The message content must include the following information:

• A statement that, for any medical emergency, the patient should call 911,
• Instructions for how the patient may leave a message for or contact the provider,
• A statement that such messages will be responded to within twenty-four (24) hours.