You should feel well when you come in for your appointment. If you do not, please call and reschedule. Minor illnesses (such as a cold) are not a problem, but if you are running a fever, it could be something more serious and we might not be able to give you any vaccines until you are feeling better. You can call and speak to a nurse if you are unsure. Below you will find links to some of the forms you will need to complete prior to seeing a nurse. These forms can be downloaded, printed, and completed before coming to our clinic to save time if you wish or you can come to the clinic about 10 minutes before your appointment to complete them here.

• Patient Registration
• Patient Registration-Spanish
• Permission for Services
• Permission for Services-Spanish
• Parental Consent Form
• Financial Responsibility Statement
• Contact Preference Form
• Pre-Travel Health Screen

The nurse you see will ask additional questions to make sure that you are feeling well and healthy enough today to receive vaccines. Please bring the following with you: Photo identification, insurance cards, vaccine records (if you have any), any of the forms above that you have printed and completed, and method of payment. If you park in our parking garage, bring your ticket for validation for free parking.

Cell Phones: We request that you have your cell phone off or muted in our clinic. The use of a cell phone in a medical office may represent a violation of privacy. Additionally, we have little to no cell service in our clinic.

Please bring the following with you:

• I-94 Card
• A- Card
• Passport
• Any Vaccine records you may have
• Social Security Card (If available)
• Additional Photo ID (If available)
• Insurance cards (If available)
• Any of the forms above that you have printed and completed
• Method of payment
• If you park in our parking garage, bring your ticket for validation for free parking

We have in-house interpreters for persons who speak Spanish and access to Language Line, a service that can provide interpreting services over the telephone for more than 170 other languages. Both of these services are provided at no charge to the client. Please let us know at the front desk what your preferred language is so that we may accommodate you.

Immigration/Refugee immunization visits are by appointment only and appointments are available Wednesday mornings. Paperwork is sometimes finished the same day or can take up to a week to be completed. There is a $20 charge for each set of paperwork completed and signed by the Civil Surgeon. There may also be additional fees if immunizations are administered. Please call with any questions about potential charges. Payment is due at the time you pick up your completed paperwork. Each person requesting paperwork must be present to sign their own documents. Signing for others is not allowed.

You should plan on being in our clinic 30-45 minutes. This will consist of the registration period out front, the time with the nurse for vaccine education and administration and check out procedures. Also, if you receive an injectable vaccine you will be asked to remain in the clinic for 20 minutes so you can be observed for any possible reaction. You are welcome to stay as long as you need to – we want you to feel comfortable when you leave. Serious reactions are extremely uncommon. The majority of our patients feel fine when they leave our clinic, however, feel free to bring another adult with you. This person may wait in the waiting room or provide moral support in the exam room as you wish.

If you have small children who are not being seen for services here, if possible, please do not bring them to the clinic. Children cannot be left unattended in the waiting room. You will need to bring another adult with you to watch them if you must bring them with you.

We request full payment at the time of your visit for those services received. We accept cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express credit and debit cards. We can take Health Savings Account (HSA’s) cards as long as they have a Visa or MasterCard logo. There is a $2.00 fee for each credit card transaction up to $83.30. After that, the fee is 2.39% of the charge. The fee for debit cards is $2.00 per transaction no matter what amount. There is no fee associated with cash or check payments. Please Note: Some flexible medical spending account credit/debit cards will not recognize us as a medical provider. They designate our agency as “government” and will not process any charges for our services. In these situations, you will have to try another card or pay by check/cash. You can then submit the receipt from us to your flexible medical spending account vendor for reimbursement.

If you begin a series of shots, such as Hepatitis A (2 shots over 6 months) or Hepatitis B (3 shots over 6 months), you will be charged only for what you get in each visit – you cannot pay for entire series in the first visit.Business clients are welcome to call us regarding other arrangements for payment when multiple employees may need immunizations, particularly on a recurring basis. If we are unable to accept your insurance, please ask for forms we can provide to make filing for reimbursement on your own a bit easier.

If my doctor gave me a vaccine yesterday, or even last week, can I get another shot from you the today?
Most of time – yes. However, when you receive LIVE virus vaccines, such as MMR, Varicella, Zostavax or Yellow Fever vaccine, they must all be given the SAME DAY or they must be given at least 28 days apart.

Will I be able to drive myself home or should I bring someone with me to the clinic?
You should be fine to drive, but may certainly bring another adult if you have any concerns.

I have already had both of my Hepatitis A vaccines, when do I need a booster?
Currently, the recommendation is to get only 2 Hepatitis A vaccines at least 6 months apart. You should never need another.

What if I have no records of vaccines?
We recommend trying your parents or family doctor. You may also try your previous college or high school to see if they still have any records. If you graduated from high school in Hamilton County, you can call the Hamilton County Department of Student Records Office at 423-498-7208 to request a search. Military service generally includes vaccines, so you might try www.milvax.gov or your local VA clinic to see if records can be located. If you grew up in Georgia, our office can access the Immunization Registry in Georgia (GRITS) to look for records at your request. If no records can be found, vaccines can safely be repeated as necessary.

Should I expect to feel sick for a few days after receiving shots?
Not necessarily, in fact, most people feel fine, even if they have a bit of arm soreness. It is acceptable to take something for soreness or fever – usually Tylenol or Ibuprofen can be helpful.

What do vaccines cost?
The prices vary greatly. Please ask for specific costs when calling the clinic. We are happy to provide you with as much information about cost as we can. Generally, public health departments are less expensive than other providers.

Will you sign off on my college papers?
We are happy to complete the vaccine portions for anything we have given or have records for. If you receive vaccines somewhere else that need to be documented on your forms, we can do that as well, but we must have verifying paperwork – a receipt will do as long as it includes your name, date and what vaccine you received.

From Downtown Chattanooga: Exit US 27 northbound or southbound at Fourth St. Continue east on Fourth St. As the road curves after crossing Georgia Ave., keep to the right and road becomes Third St. After passing Chattanooga School for Arts and Sciences (CSAS) and the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department (CHCHD) on the left, turn left at the next traffic light onto Hampton St. (runs between Health Dept. and Erlanger Medical Center). Look for parking garage ahead on the left. Turn in where a blue awning covers the entrance - across the street from the Adult Emergency Department at Erlanger Medical Center.

Parking: You should park in the garage that we share with Erlanger Medical Center off of Hampton Street. It is the closest parking to the Health Department and it's free with validation. Take a ticket from the machine and bring it with you to the clinic for validation. Follow signs in the garage to “Health Department.” The Adult Immunizations/International Travel Clinic is located in the East building on the first floor (Room 109) at the end of the hall to the right of the “Birth & Death Certificates” office.