CopeWell Office Policies

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE MAKING APPOINTMENT

• Medication management services is provided when determined to be the correct course of treatment the provider.
• I do not prescribe hypnotics (prescription sleeping meds).
• I do not prescribe any benzodiazepines such as Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin, Valium, Ambien etc. If you are currently taking these medications and wish to stop, we can work with you to safely discontinue their use over a period of time.
• I stay within FDA-recommended dosing for all stimulants. I do not prescribe any controlled medications to patients on opioid agonist therapy (ie. Suboxone, Subutex, Sublocade or Methadone) as I believe these patients are better served by working with an addictions specialist.
• I do not provide crisis management. In the event of an emergency or life-threatening situation during or outside of our normal business hours, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.

APPOINTMENTS

• Please provide us with at least 24-hour notice of appointment cancelation or rescheduling. This allows me to offer your spot to someone on the wait list.
• There is a cancelation or no-show fee of 100% of the appointment fee for patients who cancel less than 24 hours before an appointment or fail to attend their visit. You are financially responsible for appointments not cancelled or rescheduled with appropriate advance notice.
• Late arrival (more than 15 minutes) will result in your session being canceled and you will be charged the full fee. You may choose to use the remainder of your time left in your appointment, however there is no appointment time extension.
• In emergency circumstances requiring changes to your appointment, please contact our office immediately. I will make every effort to accommodate any requests. However, I cannot guarantee immediate rescheduling of missed appointments.
• Repeated missed appointments without notification and/or repeated cancellations may cause you to be discharged from the practice so that we can provide care to others.

FMLA AND DISABILITY

• I do not provide a one-time psychiatric evaluation for employment, medical clearance, disability, or legal matters, etc.

• I do not provide disability evaluations, worker’s compensation evaluations, forensic evaluations, or provide legal services or testimony. Should you require legal testimony at some point during our treatment together, you will need to retain an independent forensic psychiatrist.

 PRESCRIPTIONS AND REFILLS

• The policy on medication is intended to maximize patients’ health and safety.
  It is best for requests for changes in medications and refills on existing prescriptions to be handled during your scheduled office visit. Please bring your medication lists with you to each appointment. I will typically provide prescriptions to last until the next scheduled appointment. I urge you to schedule your follow-up appointment before you conclude your visit so that you do not run out of your medications. In situations where you must cancel your scheduled appointment for a valid reason, the provider may provide a bridge refill as a one-time courtesy. It may seem inconvenient, but best practice is to manage medications at the time of visit. I want to ensure that you are doing well, and you are getting the correct medications at the correct dose for your health condition.

  The frequency of visits will be determined between you and the provider based on severity and complexity of your situation, current symptoms, types of medication being prescribed, and availability of additional support such as family, friends, or therapist. The frequency of visits can range from once a month or more (if needed) for the first few months until you achieve stability and improved well-being, to once every 3 months once all necessary visits, labs, and reports are up to date. The provider may then provide prescriptions for up to a maximum of 90 days (for non-controlled substance medications) at their discretion. Widely accepted community standards of care require that a patient is evaluated a medical professional at least once every 90 days to receive psychotropic medication. If a patient has not been evaluated in 3 months, a follow up visit will be required to verify medication needs. Multiple no-shows or cancellations may lead to a denial of your refill request until you are evaluated during a scheduled appointment.

  Controlled substance medications require a monthly visit. No automatic refill is given on controlled medications. PDMP will be checked at each refill and periodic urine drug screen is required.

  Please keep up with your supply of medication to avoid running out. We are not equipped to handle emergent needs, so please plan ahead.

  If you are on a non-addictive medication, please request refills when you have at least 3 days worth of medications at hand to avoid running out. Before you request a medication refill, contact your pharmacy, and ask them if refills are available. Often refills are authorized, you simply have to ask the pharmacy to fill the prescription. 

REQUESTS FOR MEDICAL RECORDS

• All information on your chart is strictly confidential. A Release of Information (ROI) must be signed to have your patient records sent to another health care provider. If you are requesting that your records sent to another provider, we ask that you provide us with their name, address, phone number, and fax number.

*If you have any questions or require further clarification regarding our office policies, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Your understanding and compliance with these guidelines are pivotal in maintaining your health and safety.