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Referring Provider FAQs
Referring patients to us is straightforward and designed to fit seamlessly into your workflow. You can submit referrals by phone, fax, or through your EMR system. We only require basic patient demographics, the extremity/extremities to be tested, and your clinical question or suspected diagnosis—no lengthy forms or complicated paperwork. Our fillable and printable Patient Referral Form is available online and ready to be printed, signed, and faxed.
Once we receive your referral, you have two scheduling options: 1) your staff can call us directly to arrange the appointment, or 2) we can contact your patient to handle scheduling. Either way, we typically schedule patients within 7 business days of receiving the referral, with urgent cases accommodated sooner. Our staff will assist with patient insurance authorization requirements if needed.
- Phone: 800-224-1807 or 731-664-0899
- Fax: 731-664-0946
- Website: www.nerveandmuscle.com
Please include the initial diagnosis, clinical question to be answered, or relevant symptoms or to rule out a possible diagnosis. The more clinical context you provide, the more focused and valuable our electrodiagnostic evaluation will be for your treatment planning.
We understand the importance of timely results for your patient care decisions. Once we see your patient, our standard turnaround time for electrodiagnostic reports is 24-48 hours for routine studies.
While our scheduling capacity varies by location—as some of our six clinics operate on different schedules throughout the week—we typically can accommodate urgent referrals within 2-3 business days.
For truly emergent cases requiring immediate diagnostic input (such as suspected Guillain-Barré syndrome, acute severe radiculopathy, or cases where surgical decisions depend on electrodiagnostic findings), please call us directly at 800-224-1807 and speak with our scheduling team. We’ll work with you to find the fastest available appointment across our network of locations.
We also welcome physician-to-physician consultation before or after the referral. If you’d like to discuss the clinical situation or optimal timing for testing, our physicians are available to return your call. Simply request a physician callback when you contact us.
We focus exclusively on electrodiagnostic testing, allowing us to provide the most accurate and comprehensive EMG and NCS evaluations possible. Our detailed reports include precise diagnostic findings to guide your treatment planning. Our electrodiagnostic physicians are always available for physician-to-physician consultation calls to discuss cases and help you interpret findings in the context of your patient’s overall clinical picture. When calling to discuss a specific case, please provide the name and birthdate of the patient to the receptionist who answers.
Yes, all of our physicians have completed residency training in either neurology or physical medicine and rehabilitation and are board-certified or board-eligible in their respective specialties. Each physician has received extensive specialized training in electrodiagnostic medicine, including advanced EMG and NCS techniques. What sets our team apart is that we practice exclusively in electrodiagnostic medicine; our physicians perform only EMG and NCS testing day in and day out. This exclusive focus, combined with our collective experience since 1989, ensures that your patients receive evaluation from physicians who have dedicated their entire practice to mastering these specialized diagnostic techniques.
While non-physician practitioners who perform EMG and NCS are skilled professionals with specialized training, medical doctors bring additional advantages to electrodiagnostic testing. Physicians have extensive training in anatomy, pathology, and differential diagnosis, allowing them to identify a broader range of potential causes for your symptoms, including complex neurological conditions, systemic diseases, or rare disorders that might be overlooked. Their comprehensive medical background enables them to provide the referring physician with more detailed diagnostic insights and recommendations. This thorough evaluation ensures the referring doctor has the complete information needed to develop the most appropriate treatment plan for their patient’s specific condition.
We evaluate the full spectrum of neuromuscular disorders including carpal tunnel syndrome, ulnar neuropathy, radiculopathies, peripheral neuropathies, plexopathies, myopathies, and neuromuscular junction disorders. Our experience spans from routine entrapment neuropathies to rare conditions like motor neuron disease and inherited neuropathies.
At Bingham Nerve & Muscle, we accept nearly all forms of health insurance including Medicare, Medicaid (Tennessee and Mississippi Medicaid plans), TriCare, and VA Community Care Network (VCCN). We are also in-network with most commercial carriers (e.g., Cigna, United Healthcare, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Oscar, and Ambetter). Our insurance team verifies benefits and obtains prior authorizations when required. We’ll contact you if there are any coverage issues that might affect your patient’s care or your referral decision.
Absolutely. We encourage physician-to-physician consultation, especially for complex or unusual cases. You can reach our physicians directly through our primary phone line (800-224-1807) or email (info@nerveandmuscle.com) to request a consultation. We’re happy to discuss findings, recommendations, or answer any questions about the electrodiagnostic results.
Yes, we have a patient education section on our website. In addition, we have a comprehensive patient FAQ (25 Frequently Asked Questions) section on our website. The FAQ section explains the purpose of EMG/NCS testing, what to expect, and information to help reduce patient anxiety and improve compliance with the referral.
You can reassure your patients that modern EMG and NCS testing is much more comfortable than they may have heard or imagined. At Bingham Nerve & Muscle, we use the latest electrodiagnostic equipment and refined techniques that significantly minimize patient discomfort.
During the EMG portion, we use very thin needles (like acupuncture needles) that are inserted just under the skin into the muscle. Most patients describe this as feeling like a brief pinprick. For the nerve conduction studies, patients feel small electrical pulses that last less than a second—most compare it to brief static electricity or tingling sensations.
The overwhelmingly consistent feedback we receive is that patients were pleasantly surprised by how tolerable the testing was. Nearly all tell us afterward that “it wasn’t nearly as bad as I expected” and that they were worried unnecessarily. Our experienced staff also provides ongoing reassurance and explanation throughout the procedure to keep patients comfortable and informed.
You can confidently tell your patients that while there may be minor, brief discomfort, the testing is very manageable and much more comfortable than most people anticipate.
Patients should continue with their medications as prescribed. We safely perform EMG/NCS on patients with bleeding disorders and those on anticoagulation therapy, including warfarin and newer agents.
Yes, we routinely test patients with cardiac implantable devices. Our equipment and protocols are designed to be safe for patients with pacemakers and defibrillators.
Absolutely! We welcome the opportunity to meet with you and your team to discuss how our electrodiagnostic services can benefit your patients and integrate seamlessly into your practice. Our physicians are happy to visit your office to explain our testing capabilities, review our referral process, discuss clinical scenarios where EMG/NCS testing is most valuable, and answer any questions you or your staff may have.
To schedule a visit with one of our physicians in your area, please contact our Practice Administrator, Emily Fly, at 800-224-1807 or email her directly at EF@nerveandmuscle.com. Emily will coordinate a convenient time for one of our physicians in your region to meet with you. We value building strong collaborative relationships with our referring providers and look forward to supporting your patient care.
Normal electrodiagnostic studies don’t rule out all neuromuscular conditions. We’ll discuss the limitations of testing in our report and may recommend additional studies based on your clinical suspicion.
Yes, we are exceptionally proud that our EMG clinics are fully accredited by the American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM), the gold standard for electrodiagnostic medicine accreditation. What truly sets us apart is that every one of our clinic locations has achieved Exemplary Status – the highest level of accreditation possible and a distinction earned by only the most outstanding electrodiagnostic facilities in the country.
This rigorous accreditation process evaluates everything from physician qualifications and equipment standards to patient safety protocols and quality assurance measures. Our Exemplary Status designation reflects our unwavering commitment to providing the highest quality electrodiagnostic testing available, ensuring you receive the most accurate results and exceptional care at every location.
