Practice Policies

 INITIAL CONSULTATION

A comprehensive initial evaluation will take place in one 90-minute session.  After the initial evaluation and review of collateral information, documents and/or labs when appropriate, I will give a comprehensive assessment and my treatment recommendations. The physician-patient relationship is established if we mutually agree that my practice is an appropriate place for your treatment. If this is not the case, I will provide you with a referral.

PAYMENT AND FEES

Payment is due at the time of service, unless otherwise arranged. You may pay by check, cash, Zelle app and credit card. Credit card payments will incur a 3.5% convenience charge. Bounced checks will incur a penalty charge. For the details of the fees, you will be provided a current fee schedule.

I do not currently belong to any insurance networks. I can facilitate obtaining of out-of-network benefits by providing receipts of my services as well as filling any necessary forms. However, you are ultimately responsible for seeking reimbursement, submitting the documents and keeping up to date with your insurance coverage. If you are a Medicare recipient, I cannot provide treatment to you due to the restrictions Medicare places on self-pay arrangements. It is your responsibility to inform me of the fact that you are a Medicare recipient.

VISIT FREQUENCY, CANCELLATION, LATE AND NO-SHOW

All patients will need to have routine follow-up visits of at least once every 3 months. Patients who are prescribed a controlled substance will require a follow-up visit frequency of at least once every month.

Appointments will always begin and end at the scheduled time with a full fee charged, even if you arrive late. Full fee will be charged for missed appointments unless you call at least 48 hours, (not including weekends or holidays) ahead to reschedule. (e.g. if your appointment is scheduled for Monday at 5 pm, you must call by Friday at 5 pm to avoid paying the fee). Please note that your insurance company will usually not reimburse you for missed appointments.

MEDICATIONS

Medications will be provided once the evaluation is complete and a physician-patient relationship is established. Please be advised that you will need to know how much medication you have left, if you are running out or if you need another prescription. Early refills for controlled substances will not be provided except under very unusual circumstances. Furthermore, per New York State law (I-STOP), I will now routinely monitor prescriptions of controlled substances of all my patients. You are responsible for the proper storage of your controlled substance. I may discontinue prescriptions of controlled substances in my discretion under certain circumstances, including but not limited to: receiving controlled substances multiple physicians without informing me, selling/exchanging/giving others your medication, using medications in ways not prescribed or repeated loss of medications or prescriptions.

COMMUNICATION OUTSIDE OF OFFICE VISITS

I am available through my practice phone number during normal business hours and from 8AM - 7PM. You will usually reach my voicemail. Routine messages will be answered within a business day. For urgent matters that cannot wait or for matters after 7PM and before 8AM, you should call 911 or proceed to your nearest emergency room. You may also call Columbia University’s 24-hour Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation Program at 212-305-8075. When I am away, you will be provided with the name and contact information of the covering psychiatrist.

E-mail or text message are allowable ways of communication, though should only be used for administrative purposes (i.e. scheduling) and not for clinical purposes (i.e. reporting symptoms/side effects). Please be aware of potential privacy concerns with E-mails and texts, as this is not a secure form of communication.

PRIVACY AND RECORDS

All information I obtain from you is strictly confidential, except in case of immediate safety concerns of you or someone else. I may in these cases call the emergency contact that you provide. With your permission, I may contact other providers to obtain information. I maintain a medical record for you using a secure electronic database conforming to current federal EMR guidelines. Any release of information will require explicit written consent.

ENDING TREATMENT

Treatment usually ends at a mutually agreed upon time when the goals of treatment are satisfied. You may choose to end treatment at any time. In rarer situations I may decide to end treatment. Such situations may include, but are not limited to, non- payment of sessions or frequently missed appointments. In these instances, I will inform you of the end of the treatment, provide you with a 30-day supply of medications, help you find a new provider, and be available for 30 days for urgent matters as needed.