Our Policies
Telehealth Policy
Telepsychiatry is the delivery of psychiatry (or psychotherapeutic) services using interactive audio and visual (video) electronic systems where the provider and the patient are not in the same physical location. The interactive electronic systems incorporate network and software security protocols to protect patient information and safeguard the data exchanged.
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Requirements
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A computer and a webcam with microphone to video conferencing using a HIPAA compliant online company specializing in telemedicine.
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Potential Benefits
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Telepsychiatry eliminates barriers to accessing healthcare and provides alternative means to obtain behavioral health services for patients who may otherwise have limited accessibility or encounter prolonged waiting lists in the community.
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In addition to removing the burden of travel time to a physical medical office as well as the risks and costs associated with transportation, telemental health allows for flexible scheduling.
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Telemental health offers a reduction of stigma by providing private treatment in the comfort of the patient’s personal space.
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Telemental health can provide treatment to patients with disabilities and limited mobility without requiring extensive planning for transport.
Patient Cancellation & No-Show Agreement
To provide you with high quality health care it is important for you to keep your scheduled appointment with your scheduled provider. Valuable time has been reserved for you or your family member. A missed appointment or late cancellation of an appointment results in lost time which could have been given to another person waiting to receive care. Every day we get many calls for appointments from both old and new patients. By cancelling your appointment as soon as possible, we can help other patients who are waiting to be seen.
Our office will notify you one day ahead and remind you of your appointment; however, it is your responsibility to keep record of your appointment and to arrive on time. If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment please call 24 hours in advance between the hours of 8:00 am and 6:00 pm. For after hour cancellations please leave your name, appointment time and phone number on the after hours voicemail. Patients who cancel appointments with less than 24 hours’ notice or 6 min late for medication management appointments and 15 min late to 1-hour therapy appointments will be considered a No Show. Every No-Show visit will be recorded in your chart. Multiple No Show appointments within a six-month period can result in a $50.00 No Show fee for Therapy Sessions and a $75.00 fee for Psychiatry appointments and / or end your ability to make appointments and/or receive services at Discovery Mental Health Services. We realize that an emergency may occur, and you may not be able to notify us. We will discuss that situation with you when it arises.
After One (1) No Show: 
You will receive a letter and a phone call informing you of the No Show with a copy of this policy/agreement. You will be able to continue to receive services at Discovery Mental Health Services.
After Two (2) No Shows:
You will receive a second letter and phone call reminding you that this is your 2nd No Show. The No Show fees will be applied from this point moving forward, you will only receive on courtesy: late cancellation. You will still be able to receive services at Discovery Mental Health Services.
After Three (3) No Shows:
You will receive a 3rd letter informing you that your scheduling privileges have been suspended for 6 months, you will be supplied with 3 months’ worth of non-controlled prescription and recommendations for another office.
Thank you for working with us to ensure that services are provided to all our patients in the best possible way.
Very Respectfully,
Your Discovery Mental Health Team
Controlled Substance Policy
Due to the recent increase in controlled substance overdose and related deaths, Discovery Mental Health Services takes the prescribing of controlled substances very seriously. All our providers utilize a holistic focus, caring for the whole person rather than just a diagnosis, we care deeply for our clients and want only the best in care and recovery. Considering this, Discovery Mental Health has a very strict controlled substance policy that every client receiving a controlled substance must sign and adhere to.
We understand that all medications serve a purpose for our clients, but it is our desire to provide the very best, safest, and most effective care. We adhere strictly the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) requirements for controlled substance prescriptions and follow all rules and regulations they have established. For more information, please visit the DEA website at https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/index.html.
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Below is a linked copy to our Controlled Substance Policy that each client must sign to receive a controlled substance. We generate an EForsce Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) report for each client at every appointment to ensure that Discovery Mental Health is the only facility prescribing psychiatric controlled substances. In addition, we require a full set of vital signs (heart rate, blood pressure, etc.) and completed drug screen laboratory test prior to dispensing any controlled substance for first time recipients. We also reserve the right to test any client subsequently at the request of the servicing provider.
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We understand that this policy may be viewed as extreme, however we want to provide the safest care for all our clients, and want to protect our clients, providers, and staff from the associated risks of controlled substances. We encourage all of our clients, new and established, to review our policy and research all substances you are prescribed for efficacy and safety. Please review our policy, and if you have further questions, please call our office directly.