Office Policies
Appointment Information
We aim to provide the highest quality of care and service. Our policies support you in the best way possible and keep our clinic running smoothly for the benefit of every patient.
Frequency and Duration of Visits
At your initial visit, we will decide together the structure of your therapy. If medications are prescribed, or changed, we prefer to conduct a 25-minute follow-up visit in two weeks. This is necessary to ensure proper administration, and minimize any side effects you may experience. If your symptoms improve, follow-up visits can be spaced out at monthly intervals. For clients on maintenance therapy, follow-up visits can be held at three-month intervals.
Cancellation Charge
We respect your time and trust that you respect ours. We require a minimum of 24 hours notice when canceling or rescheduling appointments. If you are unable to provide us with this notice, you will incur a missed appointment/ late cancellation fee as follows:
$50 for a 30-minute appointment
$100 for a 50-60 minute appointment
Insurance does NOT cover this fee. Please understand that this policy is in place as a means of respecting the time and efforts of your provider, as well as other patients who would have benefited from a medical visit during this time.
Should we have to change your appointment, we will do our best to give you 24-hour notice and will be sure to accommodate your needs and reschedule your appointment in a timely fashion.
Phone Consultation
If you are unable to come to our office, follow-up visits via telephone/Skype are available after an initial in-person visit. These are billed at the regular in-office rate and payment is due via credit card at the end of each call because most insurances do not cover telephone/Skype visits.
Email/Text Consultations
Psychiatric treatments are individualized and often require multiple changes. As such, we do not offer consultations via email or by texting on the phone.
Because changes can be complex, you may need to clarify a matter regarding your current treatment plan before your follow-up appointment. You may email the office with short, concise questions that should be no more that 3-5 lines long and pertain to your current treatment plan. Email or text is not a substitute for an office visit.
They will contact you to schedule a 15-30 minute phone consult with your provider so that your question may be adequately and appropriately addressed. These calls are billed at the regular in-office rate with payment due via credit card at the end of each call.
To report acute symptoms not requiring emergency care, please call our office at (206) 390-1968. In an emergency, do not email or call us. Call 911, call the Suicide Crisis Line1 (800) 273-8255 or proceed to the ER.
Please note that email is not considered to be a secure form of communication. By emailing your provider, you are accepting the risk that your message may be intercepted or otherwise seen by an unauthorized third party.
Insurance & Payment
Please provide full insurance information and your insurance card upon your initial visit to determine eligibility of benefits, and obtain authorization from your insurance provider when necessary prior to your first visit. If you have a change in insurance, please let us know as soon as possible, so we can ensure payment. If your visit requires a prior authorization, that is your responsibility before the appointment. If the visit is not covered, then you will be responsible for the bill.
Because your health insurance policy is a contract between you and your insurance company, you are responsible for understanding your coverage. Many insurances have deductibles and it is your responsibility to pay your balance with us if you have not met your deductible.
It is your responsibility to pay for the copay at the time of the visit. Cash is preferred but we also accept checks and all credit cards.
All charges incurred at our office are your responsibility regardless of insurance coverage. Payment in full is due at the time of each session including private pay amounts, copays, coinsurance and deductibles. You will be billed for any remaining balance.
Bounced checks incur a $25 processing fee.
We reserve the right to bill our standard fees for case coordination, clinical and legal write-ups, and phone consultations exceeding 5 minutes per week. Our time is valuable and is best served providing high quality professional services to you while you are here in session. There is no charge for routine telephone calls to our administrative staff regarding scheduling, appointments, or billing.
Medication Refills
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT BEFORE YOUR MEDICATION RUNS OUT.
We will not renew ADHD medications outside of appointment times. Schedule II medications are tightly regulated and we take these medications seriously for the safety of your health. We monitor your vital signs and assess side effects and your health while taking these medications.
If the medication is not a controlled substance, you can call your pharmacy to fax a refill request to our clinic. Please allow up to 5 days for medication refills as we are not in the clinic daily. Please do not call or email.
You will be given refills for your prescriptions during your medication management appointments. If you cancel this appointment, but need a refill, you will be responsible to provide us with 7 days notice prior to you running out of your current prescription, and will need to be seen by your provider for further refills. If we notice a pattern of repeated cancellations and refill requests over the phone, this will be addressed, and a service charge of $50 for phone refill requests will be charged for each occurrence.
Confidentiality
Information discussed during the course of therapy is confidential. By law, information concerning treatment may be released only with the written consent of the person treated (or the person's guardian if applicable). In the event where there is suspected child or elder abuse or an imminent danger of harm to one's self or others, the law requires the release of confidential information. In these instances we are required to make a report to the appropriate authorities. In addition, the courts may subpoena treatment records in certain circumstances. Any type of release of confidential information will be discussed with you. However, your insurance company may request records at any time.
We are compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), a federal law that provides privacy protections and patient rights with regard to personal health care information (PHI). HIPAA requires that we provide you with a Notice of Privacy Practices. This Notice, which is attached to this agreement, explains HIPAA in detail and its application to your personal health care information. An electronic copy can be found on our website.
Age of Consent
In accordance with RCW 71.34.530: Any minor thirteen years or older may request and receive outpatient mental health treatment without the consent of the minor's parent. Parental authorization, or authorization from a person who may consent on behalf of the minor pursuant to RCW 7.70.065, is required for outpatient treatment of a minor under the age of thirteen.
Appointment Information
We aim to provide the highest quality of care and service. Our policies support you in the best way possible and keep our clinic running smoothly for the benefit of every patient.
Frequency and Duration of Visits
At your initial visit, we will decide together the structure of your therapy. If medications are prescribed, or changed, we prefer to conduct a 25-minute follow-up visit in two weeks. This is necessary to ensure proper administration, and minimize any side effects you may experience. If your symptoms improve, follow-up visits can be spaced out at monthly intervals. For clients on maintenance therapy, follow-up visits can be held at three-month intervals.
Cancellation Charge
We respect your time and trust that you respect ours. We require a minimum of 24 hours notice when canceling or rescheduling appointments. If you are unable to provide us with this notice, you will incur a missed appointment/ late cancellation fee as follows:
$50 for a 30-minute appointment
$100 for a 50-60 minute appointment
Insurance does NOT cover this fee. Please understand that this policy is in place as a means of respecting the time and efforts of your provider, as well as other patients who would have benefited from a medical visit during this time.
Should we have to change your appointment, we will do our best to give you 24-hour notice and will be sure to accommodate your needs and reschedule your appointment in a timely fashion.
Phone Consultation
If you are unable to come to our office, follow-up visits via telephone/Skype are available after an initial in-person visit. These are billed at the regular in-office rate and payment is due via credit card at the end of each call because most insurances do not cover telephone/Skype visits.
Email/Text Consultations
Psychiatric treatments are individualized and often require multiple changes. As such, we do not offer consultations via email or by texting on the phone.
Because changes can be complex, you may need to clarify a matter regarding your current treatment plan before your follow-up appointment. You may email the office with short, concise questions that should be no more that 3-5 lines long and pertain to your current treatment plan. Email or text is not a substitute for an office visit.
They will contact you to schedule a 15-30 minute phone consult with your provider so that your question may be adequately and appropriately addressed. These calls are billed at the regular in-office rate with payment due via credit card at the end of each call.
To report acute symptoms not requiring emergency care, please call our office at (206) 390-1968. In an emergency, do not email or call us. Call 911, call the Suicide Crisis Line1 (800) 273-8255 or proceed to the ER.
Please note that email is not considered to be a secure form of communication. By emailing your provider, you are accepting the risk that your message may be intercepted or otherwise seen by an unauthorized third party.
Insurance & Payment
Please provide full insurance information and your insurance card upon your initial visit to determine eligibility of benefits, and obtain authorization from your insurance provider when necessary prior to your first visit. If you have a change in insurance, please let us know as soon as possible, so we can ensure payment. If your visit requires a prior authorization, that is your responsibility before the appointment. If the visit is not covered, then you will be responsible for the bill.
Because your health insurance policy is a contract between you and your insurance company, you are responsible for understanding your coverage. Many insurances have deductibles and it is your responsibility to pay your balance with us if you have not met your deductible.
It is your responsibility to pay for the copay at the time of the visit. Cash is preferred but we also accept checks and all credit cards.
All charges incurred at our office are your responsibility regardless of insurance coverage. Payment in full is due at the time of each session including private pay amounts, copays, coinsurance and deductibles. You will be billed for any remaining balance.
Bounced checks incur a $25 processing fee.
We reserve the right to bill our standard fees for case coordination, clinical and legal write-ups, and phone consultations exceeding 5 minutes per week. Our time is valuable and is best served providing high quality professional services to you while you are here in session. There is no charge for routine telephone calls to our administrative staff regarding scheduling, appointments, or billing.
Medication Refills
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT BEFORE YOUR MEDICATION RUNS OUT.
We will not renew ADHD medications outside of appointment times. Schedule II medications are tightly regulated and we take these medications seriously for the safety of your health. We monitor your vital signs and assess side effects and your health while taking these medications.
If the medication is not a controlled substance, you can call your pharmacy to fax a refill request to our clinic. Please allow up to 5 days for medication refills as we are not in the clinic daily. Please do not call or email.
You will be given refills for your prescriptions during your medication management appointments. If you cancel this appointment, but need a refill, you will be responsible to provide us with 7 days notice prior to you running out of your current prescription, and will need to be seen by your provider for further refills. If we notice a pattern of repeated cancellations and refill requests over the phone, this will be addressed, and a service charge of $50 for phone refill requests will be charged for each occurrence.
Confidentiality
Information discussed during the course of therapy is confidential. By law, information concerning treatment may be released only with the written consent of the person treated (or the person's guardian if applicable). In the event where there is suspected child or elder abuse or an imminent danger of harm to one's self or others, the law requires the release of confidential information. In these instances we are required to make a report to the appropriate authorities. In addition, the courts may subpoena treatment records in certain circumstances. Any type of release of confidential information will be discussed with you. However, your insurance company may request records at any time.
We are compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), a federal law that provides privacy protections and patient rights with regard to personal health care information (PHI). HIPAA requires that we provide you with a Notice of Privacy Practices. This Notice, which is attached to this agreement, explains HIPAA in detail and its application to your personal health care information. An electronic copy can be found on our website.
Age of Consent
In accordance with RCW 71.34.530: Any minor thirteen years or older may request and receive outpatient mental health treatment without the consent of the minor's parent. Parental authorization, or authorization from a person who may consent on behalf of the minor pursuant to RCW 7.70.065, is required for outpatient treatment of a minor under the age of thirteen.
Top Picture taken off of Chuckanut Drive near Bellingham.