03/17/2020
With the increasing concern for COVID-19, we want to protect you and the therapists during your appointment. Our goal, as always, is to maintain a healthy atmosphere and contain spread of this virus as well as other illnesses such as the flu. These guidelines are being implemented:
1. My office remains open. However, I encourage you to do what you deem helpful to keep yourself healthy and safe. If you need to cancel, please kindly give 24 hours. I will not charge for late cancellations due to illness.
2. Stay home if: (a) you feel sick; (b) think you may be getting sick; (c) someone in your home is sick; or (d) you believe you have been contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19. I will operate on the same basis and will cancel sessions as needed.
3. Office cleaning has been increased including multiple daily wipe downs of frequently touched surfaces.
If any of the above is a concern, we are happy to change your upcoming appointment to a telehealth session. Telehealth allows us to meet through audio and video over the internet. A therapy appointment requires that you be seen and heard. If you choose to do a telehealth call this will occur:
1. A “Telehealth Informed Consent” will be emailed to you through our electronic health record, Simple Practice. You will simply need to open this pass-code protected email and click to signal consent (parent’s consent is required for a child under 18).
2. Upon notifying the office that you would like a video appointment, you will be sent a link. Click on it when our appointment is scheduled to start or open it through the Telehealth by SimplePractice app (download FREE in the app store). You can use the camera and audio on your computer or mobile device.
3. We are excited to about this new option. It means no travel time and may be a great option for parents trying to balance their child’s appointment with work. Plus, it’s 100% HIPAA compliant and secure.
4. Your cost for a video appointment will vary depending your insurance coverage. Most insurances charge a copayment just like traditional appointments, and it most likely will be the same amount. Please verify this with your insurance company. The code for an individual session is 90837 with the specifier for telehealth as 02.
5. YOU MUST NOTIFY THE OFFICE IF YOU PREFER A TELEHEALTH SESSION. There are some preparations required for a smooth telehealth session -see number 1 and 2 above.
We realize it’s easy to feel overwhelmed right now. If you are thinking about telehealth but it seems intimidating, we’ll figure it out together. Contact the office via voice or text (text is only for administrative and scheduling purposes) at 540-445-1820 and either I or my assistant will be in touch.
