Allen Neurosurgical Associates

Office Hours

Regular office hours are listed above. Patients are seen by appointment after referral by a physician. Call 610-954-9005 for an appointment.

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General Services

• Specialized neurosurgical care and consultation
• Spinal surgery for degenerative and disc disease and tumors, including spinal instrumentation and fusion
• Surgery of brain tumors and intracranial aneurysms, including microneurosurgery and laser neurosurgery
• Peripheral nerve surgery such as carpal tunnel decompression

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Appointments

A new patient consultation may last up to one hour. This appointment includes a careful medical history, physical examination and review of your medical records and studies. Your story is important to us. Please think about this before your appointment so you don’t leave out any important facts. It is important that you bring the actual X-ray films and reports relating to your current medical condition. Films themselves, including X-rays, CT scans and MRI scans are critical pieces of information that help us with your care. Please also bring records of all medication you are taking, including non-prescription or herbal.

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Telephone Messages

Please call us at 610-954-9005 if you have a question or concern. Our staff will make every effort to answer your questions of a routine nature. In the event they are unable to respond to your needs, the physician’s assistant or nurse will return your call as soon as they are free to do so.

Should an emergency arise outside of normal office hours, please call 610-954-9005 and our physician on call will be contacted immediately. Our office provides 24-hour coverage for emergencies.

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Prescriptions

Requests for prescription refills will only be accepted during normal office hours. Please have the prescription information and pharmacy phone number readily available. Pain medications are only prescribed for specific medical or surgical conditions due to the significant potential for abuse.

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Your Hospital Stay

During your hospitalization, our physician’s assistant will see you daily along with one of our doctors. Often the doctor who sees you will not be the doctor who has performed your surgery.

We communicate daily with each other regarding your care and problems. By working together as a team, we are able to provide you with the best possible neurosurgical care. Information regarding your hospital stay will be sent to your family doctor.

Upon discharge from the hospital, please contact our office immediately to arrange for your follow-up appointment.

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Payment and Insurance Information

Payment for your office visit is expected at the time of your visit unless we are participating with your insurance company or other arrangements have been made prior to your visit. Most managed care plan members are required to pay a co-payment. We are required to collect this co-payment at the time of your visit. Your insurance may also require you to get a referral from your Primary Care Provider prior to treatment at our office. It is your obligation to request the referral and present it to our office at the time of service. Please bring your insurance cards to each visit. We will make a copy of your insurance card and verify information at each visit as coverage can change between visits. Please contact our Business Office at 610-954-9005 if you have any questions regarding payment of services or referrals.

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Health Insurance

Our office accepts most major insurance plans. Please contact our Business Office at 610-954-9005 if you have any questions regarding your insurance participation.

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Pre-Certification & Second Surgical Opinion

Most insurance companies now require pre-certification or notification of your upcoming hospital admission. Many companies also require a second surgical opinion. You must let us know if your insurance company requires either of these.

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Worker’s Compensation

Please provide information which includes your insurance company, the date of your injury, your claim number and your claims adjuster. When we receive verification of your benefits, we will schedule your appointment. If we cannot verify your benefits, you will be responsible for payment of our bill.

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Auto Insurance

Please provide information that includes your insurance company, the date of your accident, your claim number and your claims adjuster. When we receive verification of your benefits, we will schedule your appointment. If we cannot verify your benefits, you will be responsible for payment of our bill.

Please let us know as soon as possible if your coverage changes. This way we may better serve you and make the billing process as simple as possible for you.

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Disability Forms

As a service to you, we will complete disability forms for wages, insurance policies and loans. We complete these forms in the order we receive them. We cannot complete them while you wait in the office. The fee for completion of the form ranges from $5 to $15 and is payable at the time the form is submitted for completion.

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Litigation

As doctors, we cannot rely upon pending litigation for reimbursement. We request direct payment from insurance or you in any matter under legal action. We cannot submit charges to your attorney. Upon written request, we will provide medical records to your attorney for a nominal fee.

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About Allen Neurosurgical Association

Since 1955, Allen Neurosurgical has provided specialized neurosurgical care and consultation to the people and physicians of the Lehigh Valley. Each of our neurosurgeons has spent five to seven years in specialized neurosurgical training following graduation from medical school. Our neurosurgeons are board-certified or eligible through the American Board of Neurological Surgery. We continue our education each year through conferences and courses. By such efforts, we can provide you with the latest and most sophisticated neurosurgical care.

We each have extensive experience and specialized training in spinal surgery for degenerative and disc disease and tumors – including spinal instrumentation and fusion. We have special interests and specialized experience in the surgery of brain tumors and intracranial aneurysms. This includes micro-neurosurgery, including laser neurosurgery. We also perform peripheral nerve surgery such as carpal tunnel decompression.

Our practice employs three nurse practitioners and two physician assistants to assist in your care. These professionals have advanced education and training. They have fulfilled certification criteria and have passed rigorous examinations. They maintain their professional competence with continued education and they are experienced in assisting the doctor in all areas of your care. They work under the direction of your doctor, helping us to better meet your needs.

Our neurosurgeons practice throughout the Lehigh Valley and are affiliated with the nationally recognized St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network. We are, by far, the most experienced and busiest neurosurgeons in the Lehigh Valley.

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About our Doctors

	Robert A. Morrow, MD, FACS Awarded BS in biology from Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania Received medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Completed surgical internship at Western Pennsylvania Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Completed neurosurgical residencies at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Albert Einstien Medical Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery
	George I. Chovanes, MD, FACS Graduated cum laude from Villanova University with BS degrees in both general science and mathematics Received medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Completed internal medicine and general surgery internships at Lankenau Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Completed residency in neurosurgery at Temple University Health Sciences Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Completed neurosurgical neurovascular fellowship at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario Certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery
	Daniel K. O'Rourke, MD, FACS Received BS degree in biomedical sciences from Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana Awarded medical degree from The Medical College of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Completed residency program at the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Diplomat of the American Board of Neurosurgeons
	Gregory E. Thompson, MD Graduate of the Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana Completed a surgical internship and a neurosurgical residency at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah Served as the neurosurgery department head for the U.S. Naval Hospital in Okinawa, Japan; as the chief neurosurgeon (Major, USAF) for Keesler Medical Center, Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi; and as staff neurosurgeon at Immanuel St. Joseph's Clinic - Mayo Health System in Mankato, Minnesota Member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the North American Spine Society and the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society Board certified in neurological surgery