United states civil surgeon

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Patients will be charged a $20 missed appointment fee unless they cancel 48hr in advance by calling the office or sending a message cancelling the appointment to: askdrhernandez@yahoo.com

Dr. Oscar L. Hernandez

Family practice | internal medicine | metabolic and weight loss specialist | immigration services.

With over 30 years of experience practicing internal medicine and pediatrics, Dr. Oscar Hernandez has been serving families with excellence and compassion in all seasons of life.

Dr. Hernandez also offers executive care, cardiometabolic testing, direct patient care, weight loss services, immigration and pilot physicals.

Click below for more information

Contact

305-257-8041

(coming live January 1, 2023).

786-883-0268
askdrhernandez@yahoo.com
6705 Red Road
Suite 512
South Miami, FL 33143

Free parking on the fifth floor parking garage next to office door

Real reviews
Learn More About Dr Hernandez

“Man does not live by bread alone.” Matthew 4.4

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Life grinding you down? Everybody needs a little help!

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Weight loss

For over 20 years Dr. Oscar Hernandez has helped patients reach and maintain their proper weight.

The Problem Is Real

Overweight and obesity drive high blood pressure, diabetes, irregular periods and certain cancers including breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, kidney cancer and esophageal cancer.

We all know the dangers associated with obesity in terms of stroke, heart attacks and high blood pressure.

Resolve to Make a Change

If you have tried to lose weight in the past and failed Dr. Hernandez is an invaluable resource full of experience and knowledge concerning diet and proper medication use. There are many FDA approved medications for weight loss. Let him help you pick the right combination for you based on an extensive evaluation of your condition and the factors that drive your overweight or obesity condition.

Tired of Using Pills?

In many cases medications that are related to diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol could be stopped completely. Each case varies individually.

What to expect

In our weight loss program expect to lose approximately 10 pounds per month safely using eating programs designed for you by Dr. Hernandez.

And don’t worry about exercise programs. He will help you pick something that you can afford and stick to. The gym isn’t for everyone, but everyone can do some sort of activity. Start where you feel comfortable and take it from there.

Medications help but you must be willing to make a change. Are you ready?

If you think your time has come to make a real change concerning your health and proper weight click on the link below and fill out the readiness to change questionnaire. Bring it when you come to your appointment and Dr. Hernandez will discuss it with you. Be honest with yourself and lets start moving in the right direction. Every step counts, there is no small step.

University Of Rhode Island Change Assessment (uRICA) Scale

FEES

Weight management services are not covered by insurance. The initial consult including bloodwork and EKG runs $300.

There is a flat fee for each month you are in the weight loss program and that fee is $250 a month. It includes many of your medications. It also includes weekly visits with Dr. Hernandez.

You can come more often if you like and there is no additional charge, but most patients are expected to come to the office every week in order to maintain accountability and monitor progress.

Put your care in the hands of an expert. Waste no time. Now is the time to take control of your overweight and obesity condition.

CDC overweight and obesity.

Heart health and you

The heart is the subject of beautiful poetry and prose. But when it comes to your health, heart disease is America’s number one killer. Take it seriously. 

The Faces of Heart Disease

Heart disease has many faces. It can involve clogging of the tiny “coronary arteries” that feed the heart muscle its own blood supply so that it can pump and deliver blood to the rest of the body. It can be related to irregular heart rhythms, “arrhythmia”, that keeps the heart from pumping properly. It can involve swelling of the heart or the sac that holds it in the chest, “myocarditis” or “pericarditis”, and abnormalities of the heart valves as well as many other problems.

Dr. Hernandez can help diagnose, treat and refer patients with all kinds of heart illness so that they can enjoy long and healthy lives. 

Lifestyle

The driving force behind much of today’s cardiovascular problems stem from our lifestyle choices. Overweight and obesity problems, smoking and sedentary lifestyles can lead to high blood pressure and diabetes that damage the heart. 

Thankfully there are important steps you can take starting TODAY to improve your cardiovascular health and avoid heart attacks and strokes. 

Place Your Care in the Hands of an Expert

Dr. Oscar Hernandez has helped thousands of patients to control their weight, diabetes, blood pressure and to develop healthy lifestyles that include smoking cessation and activity programs so that they can make the most of life’s beautiful gift: the heart. 

Diagnostic services in the office include many cardiovascular exams including EKG, echocardiography, holter monitoring, vascular studies and referral for stress testing and Cardiac Pet Scan with Coronary Artery Flow Reserve, the most advanced test for patients at intermediate risk of coronary artery disease. 

Put your care in expert hands. Make an appointment today to start your journey to a healthier heart. 

Learn more about heart disease
Learn more about Cardiac Pet Scans with Flow Reserve

Executive and Direct Patient Care

What Is “Direct Patient Care”?

Direct patient care is a growing part of the healthcare industry where patients directly contract with their physician for their primary ambulatory clinical care. A low monthly fee assures them quick and timely access to care with a $30 co-pay per visit.

 What Is Included?

Any office visit with the clínical team, including Dr. Hernandez, is covered and you can usually reach him after hours personally through your HIPPA compliant SPRUCE link.

Telemedicine services are included and all in house diagnostics including blood tests are are offered at significant discounts.

Who Needs “DPC” Services?

Direct care and executive care services are excellent options for busy patients “on the go” who self insure, participate in medical sharing plans like Medishare or Liberty Health Share, have high deductible insurance plans or plans that limit coverage to catastrophic care.

Don’t be discouraged from seeing Dr. Hernandez because you fear the prices of coming to the doctors office. This flat monthly fee takes the guesswork out of your access to care.

All Our Patients Get Red Carpet Care

Patients receive a discrete phone number to call for these concierge services and we have special staff assigned to care for your particular needs.

Fees

Monthly fees are taken from your preferred credit card Hint Health System and require a one year commitment:

Single patients: $125.00

Family up to four first degree relatives: $300.00

Additional family members: $25.00

Direct Primary Care

Diabetic care

Sugar and spice may not be so nice if you have too much sugar in your blood, an illness known as Diabetes. There are many types of diabetes, but the most common one in overweight and obese adults is Type II. 

Thankfully there is effective treatment that can prolong your life and help you feel well. 

Expert Guidance from Dr. Oscar Hernandez

Dr. Hernandez has cared for diabetic patients for over 30 years and is an expert in the use of oral and injectable medications for diabetes control, prevention of diabetic kidney disease, heart disease and neurological complications. 

In the past there were great expectations for new medications besides insulin and some of the older oral medications. The future has arrived. There is now a full menu of medications for diabetes, and picking these medicines specifically for your condition is key. 

SGLT 2 inhibitors, GLP 1 agonists, Insulin in it’s many formulations, biguanides, beta cell agonists, Kerendia to prevent kidney disease and many other medications add to the confusion about what is best for you. Let Dr. Hernandez be your expert guide. 

Prevention is Key

Diabetics need special eye examinations yearly, special kidney tests yearly, special blood tests at least 4 times a year (Hemoglobin A1C measurements), surveillance for neurological and cardiovascular complications and special attention to their vaccination status. For your convenience, Dr. Hernandez performs many of these preventive measures in the office, and his specialized staff processes referrals for services not performed in house. 

Learn more about diabetes
Learn more about diabetic kidney disease

schedule an appointment

Remember the best way to make an appointment is to make one when you are leaving the office so that your slot is secure.

But sometimes you may need to make an appointment later at your own convenience.

Tired of waiting on hold for your next appointment?

Scheduling an appointment has never been easier. Click the icon below and it will direct you to our colleagues at “Zocdoc“. Follow the directions to make an appointment with Dr. Hernandez. You’ll be asked for your insurance information to ensure that we take your coverage before you make an appointment. If the system does not allow you to make an appointment please call us immediately so that we may make any corrections.

Click the link below:

schedule an appointment

Immigration

Openning January 2023

Dr. Oscar Hernandez is certified as an United States civil surgeon and has been providing immigration physicals for residency status as well as citizenship evaluations.

You do not need to be a patient at the office in order to receive his services.

If you need to make an appointment for your immigration needs please call the office or send a message to our email – askdrhernandez@yahoo.com.

FEES, TESTS AND VACCINATIONS

Remember that insurance does not pay for these physical exams and evaluations. The flat fee for residency physical examinations is $350 and includes your tetanus vaccine if you need one. It also includes the bloodwork that will be needed on the typical immigration physical including a syphilis test, gonorrhea and chlamydia test, and tuberculosis test.

Be sure to bring any vaccination record that you might have. It will be very important in your evaluation and may help you save quite a bit of money.

You may need specific vaccinations that we do not offer at the office. Dr. Hernandez will advise you where to go for these vaccinations but usually they include local drug stores like CVS and Walgreens.

If your tuberculosis test comes back positive you will probably be asked to follow a course of treatment that you can get through your personal physician or Dade County public health facilities. You can also get the treatment at our office at a special discounted rate.

Click the link below for more information about the requirements concerning immigration physicals.

SPECIAL CITIZENSHIP EVALUATIONS

If you or a loved one are applying for citizenship and need special exemptions to take certain citizenship tests like those concerning history and English proficiency Dr. Hernandez will need to administer a history and physical evaluation that would include the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale. In addition Dr. Oscar Hernandez may ask you to perform blood work that is not included in the price of this specific evaluation.

Sometimes you will be asked to do a CT scan of the brain or MRI and this would require additional expense on the part of the applicant. Although we do not do CT or MRI tests in the office we can recommend local diagnostic centers that have special pricing and are certified by the American College of Radiology.

The price for these special citizenship evaluations is $450.

OUR PLEDGE TO YOU

If for some reason your application is declined for medical reasons and you need to resubmit the application there is no additional charge on our part. We will be happy to review, revise and provide a new and revised application you within 12 months of your initial evaluation.

US citizenship and immigration services

Basic Med Pilot Physicals

For over 20 years Dr. Oscar Hernandez has treasured the beauty and privilege of flight.

As a private pilot with an instrument rating and twin engine endorsement he has flown high -complexity high-performance airplanes with family and friends for business and pleasure.

Dr. Hernandez understands the importance of safe guarding your privilege to fly as well as the public safety.

If you are a pilot who needs help with a Basic Med application Dr. Hernandez is there to help. Some personal physicians refuse to sign off on these applications for fear of liability and simply not understanding aerospace physiology and the medical aspects of flight.

Now you have an uncle in the business. Dr. Hernandez can help you through the process. Signing off on your documents could be easier than you thought after he performs a thorough review of your situation, medical records and your application. Upon your approval he can discuss specific issues with your personal physician and help you optimize your best health in the flight environment.

BasicMed Pilot & Physician Guide

Sign up for health updates

Dr. Hernandez frequently sends messages to his patients to inform them about the latest health topics. These usually come out once or twice a month and are short messages with links for those who want more information about the topic at hand.

Previous topics have included many pointers about Covid, flu season, irregular periods, fever in children, recurrent back pain, shortness of breath, asthma, diabetes, and weight loss. Your contact information will be added to our HIPPA compliant email lis using the Constant Contact platform when you provide written authorization.

Send a message to askdrhernandez@yahoo.com asking for your authorization form and you will be enrolled at no cost. And remember, you don’t have to be a patient at the office to get these timely updates.

So invite your friends and family to sign up even if they have another doctor! There is always something to talk about so don’t be left out. Sign up today to receive these brief timely messages. Topics are well researched with references for your review.

Get the information from a source you trust, your personal doctor with years of experience in training.

Insurances

By January 2023 our patients can expect that we will be participating in the following insurances, and the list grows daily:

  • Aetna

  • AvMed

  • CIGNA

  • Devoted Health Plan

  • Doctors health plan

  • Health Sun

  • Florida Blue

  • Oscar

  • Simply

  • Solis

  • TRICARE

  • United

Liberty Healthshare patients and Medishare patients will always have our services available.

Liberty Healthshare

If you do not see your insurance on the list above do not worry. Call the office because new plans are added on an ongoing basis and the list above is not exhaustive.

Consider the benefits of direct patient care and concierge/executive services

Some patients prefer to pay a monthly fee in order to get their care instead of using traditional insurances. It is not a service that everybody wants but it is available to our patients and is less expensive than you might expect. Click the link in the home menu to learn more.

Could you benefit from executive or direct patient care? Learn more about DPC/EXECUTIVE Services at the link below:

AAfp Direct primary care

Services offered

We offer quality in-house diagnostic services for your convenience.

Home sleep apnea testing using the ARES watermark system.

Electrocardiography

Hearing screens with electronic audiometry.

Tympanometry.

24 hour pressure monitoring.

Holter monitoring.

Spirometry and oximetry.

Adult vaccinations.

In-house echocardiography, ultrasonography, and vascular.

In-house radiology services are no longer offered at the new office.

Women’s health

We are proud to offer comprehensive care for the entire family including care that is focused on women’s needs.

Routine Care

Menopause, osteoporosis prevention and treatment, menstrual cramps, irregular periods, family planning, mammography, Pap smears, and common infections are handled through our office without a need for specialty referral. We are happy to refer patients for these services with obstetrics and gynecology colleagues at their request or after evaluation with Dr. Hernandez.

Menopause and hormone replacement treatment

Dr. Hernandez also offers hormone replacement therapy for post menopausal women as well as breast cancer risk assessments.

Female sexual desire disorder

Comprehensive evaluation and referral for women with low sexual desire is also offered in the office. This is often a multi factorial challenge that requires thoughtful and sensitive care. Let Dr. Hernandez walk you through the process.

Map

Request a telemedicine visit

Dr. Oscar Hernandez is proud to offer telemedicine visits that are HIPPA compliant and protect your privacy.

How can telemedicine help?

Telemedicine visits do not address every healthcare problem but are convenient and useful for reviewing lab and diagnostic results, addressing simple symptoms like urinary tract infections, minor colds, eye irritations, allergies, skin problems and other minor illness.

Dr. Hernandez is well experienced in telemedicine care and has offered it when patients are away on travel and for his international clients. The Covid pandemic has brought telemedicine services to the forefront, but Dr. Hernandez has been using telemedicine access for his patients for many years.

How to enroll

If you wish to enroll for telemedicine services just send an email to the office and we will enroll you at no charge. Send your message asking for your free enrollment by sending a message to “askdrHernandez@yahoo.com”. They will schedule your visit and you will receive a message through your phone number asking you to enroll in the Spruce health platform. It is simple, safe and fast.

How do I schedule a telemedicine visit?

When you need a telemedicine visit with Dr. Hernandez, simply call the office and let them know that you are enrolled in the system. They will schedule your visit, process your copayment and send a claim for a telemedicine visit to your insurance if applicable.

And remember, telemedicine visits are available at no additional charge for Executive care and DPC patients. If you need more information about these services click the icon on the home page.

request a telemedicine visit

This is how we roll

Let’s face it. When we understand how the office works things roll a whole lot smoother. So let’s follow these simple rules so we can help all our patients get quick and efficient care:

1. PLAN YOUR VISIT

Expect your visit to last about 15 minutes if you are a return patient or 30 minutes for new patients. If you come for an annual or preventive care visit let’s do preventive care and make a followup appointment for more in-depth evaluation and treatment of chronic illness. Make a short list of your main concerns so that we can focus on what is most important for you.

2. WE WILL FIT YOU IN

It is best to make an appointment, but if you have an urgent matter we will do our best to fit you in. Your wait will be longer and you will not be seen based on your arrival time but on the nature of your urgency. Others may come with or without an appointment and pass before you because we believe they are sicker.

3. PLEASE DO NOT CALL TO SEE IF YOUR LABS OR OTHER DIAGNOSTIC REPORTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED

Do your tests at least one week before your appointment so that they will have been reported to us. If you come for an appointment and the results have not been reported to us we will do our best to get the report while you are in the office.

4. BE RESPONSIBLE WITH YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS

We do not do prescription refills over the phone and do not respond to the pharmacy’s request for refills. If you have a chronic condition your medications are filled for 90 days when you come to see us. That means we expect to see you every 3 months to monitor your chronic condition and refill your medications. If you know your meds are running out make a timely appointment to see the doctor so he can keep an eye on you and assure no changes are needed in order to t take good care of you. If you are on multiple medications we will help arrange for all your meds to be on the same refill schedule.

5. ALLOW 4 DAYS FOR REFERRALS

Some insurance companies will allow us to make referrals immediately before you leave, others take longer. If we can make the referral and give you the authorizations you need before you leave we will do it. Otherwise allow 4 days for referrals to be approved by your carrier. AT YOUR REQUEST we can email you the information you need but you may also come to the office to pick up the documents if you prefer.

6. WE CHARGE $35.00 TO FILL OUT FORMS

Except for disabled parking permits, vaccination forms and school physical forms there is a document charge as noted above. Filling out forms is not a service covered by carriers. They take time and analysis by the physician in order to understand the form and fill it out correctly. Immigration documents carry different charges.

7. CO-PAYMENTS

Co-payments, deductibles, pending balances and other anticipated costs will be collected prior to seeing the doctor.

8. STAFF DOES NOT GIVE DIAGNOSTIC RESULTS OVER THE PHONE

If you had blood work or other diagnostic tests done the doctor will be happy to review results with you during your next appointment or via TELEMEDICINE visit if your insurance covers that service and your usual office co-payment will be collected. The physician reserves the right to call any patient he believes has an urgent report that must be discussed immediately without asking the patient to make an appointment.

If you have no medical insurance talk to us about direct patient care contracts and executive care. A monthly fee will give you access to the doctor and significant discounts on all in-house services.

Executive and direct patient care

Fee Schedule

Many diagnostic and laboratory services are available at our office. If your insurance does not cover these services or your copays are high you may want to obtain these services in our office but can get them anywhere you want with Dr. Hernandez’s prescription. 
 
If you participate in our Executive Care or Direct Patient Care (DPC) program services will be available at a 30% discount to the fee schedule noted below: 
 

Heart Tests  

   EKG – $75.00
   Holter Monitor – $100.00
   Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring – $100.00
 

Sleep Tests

    ARES home sleep test – $300.00
 

Respiratory Tests

    Spirometry – $150.00
    Oxymetry – $10.00
 

Laboratory 

Many tests are available, call for specific pricing. Here are some of the common ones: 
 
   CBC –
   CMP – 
   FULL LIPID PANEL – 
   TSH – 
   FREE T3/4 – 
   25 OH VITAMN D – 
   UA – 
   URINE CULTURE – 
   PAP SMEAR – 
   VAGINAL CULTURE – 
   THROAT CULTURE –
   COVID ANTIBODY TEST, IGM AND IGG – 
   PSA  – 
   HEPATITITS A – 
   HEPATITIS B – 
   HEPATITIS C – 
   HIV TEST – 
   URINE CHLAMYDIA AND GONORRHEA – 
   RPR  (SYPHILLIS TEST) – 
   SERUM HCG TEST, QUALITATITIVE (BLOOD PREGNANCY TEST) – 
 

Echocardiography

(read by Board Certified Cardiologist) 
 

Ultrasonography

(all tests read by Board Certified Radiologist)
 
    Carotid studies – 
 
    Arterial Dopplers – 
 
    Venous Dopplers – 
 
    Complete Abdominal Ultrasound including Aortic Aneurysm Screening – 
 
    Renal US – 
    
    Thyroid US – 
 
    Pelvic US – 
 
    Scrotal US – 

Press below to read an interview with Dr. Oscar Hernandez done by voyage magazine in 2017.

voyage magazine