Practice Policies
Our practice prioritizes transparent and efficient guidelines to ensure all patients have a positive and productive experience. We are committed to transparency in our approach.
NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES POLICIES
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW HEALTH INFORMATION MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
PLEDGE REGARDING HEALTH INFORMATION:
We understand that health information about you and your health care is personal. We are committed to protecting health information about you. We create a record of the care and services you receive from us. We need this record to provide you with quality care and to comply with certain legal requirements. This notice applies to all of the records of your care generated by this psychiatric health care practice. This notice will tell you about the ways in which we may use and disclose health information about you. We also describe your rights to the health information we keep about you and describe certain obligations we have regarding the use and disclosure of your health information. We are required by law to: Make sure that protected health information (“PHI”) that identifies you is kept private. Give you this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to health information. Follow the terms of the notice that is currently in effect. We can change the terms of this Notice, and such changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new Notice will be available upon request in our office and on our website.
HOW We MAY USE AND DISCLOSE HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU:
The following categories describe different ways that we use and disclose health information. For each category of uses or disclosures, we will explain what we mean and try to give some examples. Not every use or disclosure in a category will be listed. However, all of the ways we are permitted to use and disclose information will fall within one of the categories.
For Treatment Payment or Health Care Operations:
Federal privacy policies rules (regulations) allow healthcare providers who have a direct treatment relationship with the patient/client to use or disclose the patient/client’s personal health information without the patient’s written authorization to carry out the health care provider’s own treatment, payment or health care operations. We may also disclose your protected health information for the treatment activities of any healthcare provider. This too, can be done without your written authorization. For example, if a clinician consults with another licensed health care psychiatrist about your condition, we would be permitted to use and disclose your personal health information, which is otherwise confidential, in order to assist the clinician in diagnosis and treatment of your mental health condition. Disclosures for treatment purposes are not limited to the minimum necessary standard. Because psychiatrist/therapists and other health care providers need access to the full record and/or full and complete information in order to provide quality care. The word “treatment” includes, among other things, the coordination and management of health care providers with a third party, consultations between health care providers, and referrals of a patient for health care from one health care provider to another.
Lawsuits and Disputes:
If you are involved in a lawsuit, we may disclose health information in response to a court or administrative order. We may also disclose health information about your child in response to a subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful processes by someone else involved in the dispute, but only if efforts have been made to tell you about the request or to obtain an order protecting the information requested.
CERTAIN USES AND DISCLOSURES REQUIRE YOUR AUTHORIZATION:
Psychotherapy Notes.
We do keep “psychotherapy notes” as that term is defined in 45 CFR § 164.501, and any use or disclosure of such notes requires your Authorization unless the use or disclosure is:
- For our use in treating you.
- For our use in training or supervising mental health practitioners to help them improve their skills in group, joint, family, or individual counseling or therapy.
- For our use in defending us in legal proceedings instituted by you.
- For use by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to investigate our compliance with HIPAA.
- Required by law, and the use or disclosure is limited to the requirements of such law.
- Required by law for certain health oversight activities pertaining to the originator of the psychotherapy notes.
- Required by a coroner who is performing duties authorized by law.
- Required to help avert a serious threat to the health and safety of others.
Marketing Purposes.
As a psychotherapist, we will not use or disclose your PHI for marketing purposes.
Sale of PHI.
As a psychotherapist, we will not sell your PHI in the regular course of our business
CERTAIN USES AND DISCLOSURES DO NOT REQUIRE YOUR AUTHORIZATION.
Subject to certain limitations in the law, we can use and disclose your PHI without your Authorization for the following reasons:
- When disclosure is required by state or federal law, and the use or disclosure complies with and is limited to the relevant requirements of such law.
- For public health activities, including reporting suspected child, elder, or dependent adult abuse, or preventing or reducing a serious threat to anyone’s health or safety.
- For health oversight activities, including audits and investigations.
- For judicial and administrative proceedings, including responding to a court or administrative order, although our preference is to obtain Authorization from you before doing so.
- For law enforcement purposes, including reporting crimes occurring on our premises.
- To coroners or medical examiners, when such individuals are performing duties authorized by law.
- For research purposes, including studying and comparing the mental health of patients who received one form of therapy versus those who received another form of therapy for the same condition.
- Specialized government functions, including ensuring the proper execution of military missions; protecting the President of the United States; conducting intelligence or counter intelligence operations; or helping to ensure the safety of those working within or housed in correctional institutions.
- For workers’ compensation purposes. Although our preference is to obtain Authorization from you, we may provide your PHI in order to comply with workers’ compensation laws.
- Appointment reminders and health-related benefits or services.
- We may use and disclose your PHI to contact you to remind you that you have an appointment with Dr. Sohail Nibras.
- We may also use and disclose your PHI to tell you about treatment alternatives or other healthcare services or benefits that I offer.
CERTAIN USES AND DISCLOSURES REQUIRE YOU TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OBJECT:
Disclosures to family, friends, or others. we may provide your PHI to a family member, friend, or other person that you indicate is involved in your care or the payment for your healthcare, unless you object in whole or in part. The opportunity to consent may be obtained retroactively in emergency situations.
YOU HAVE THE FOLLOWING RIGHTS WITH RESPECT TO YOUR PHI:
- The Right to Request Limits on the Uses and Disclosures of Your PHI. You have the right to ask us not to use or disclose certain PHI for treatment, payment, or health care operations purposes. we are not required to agree to your request, and we may say “no” if we believe it would affect your health care.
- The Right to Request Restrictions for Out-of-Pocket Expenses Paid for In Full. You have the right to request restrictions on disclosures of your PHI to health plans for payment or health care operations purposes if the PHI pertains solely to a health care item or a health care service that you have paid for out-of-pocket in full.
- The Right to Choose How I Send PHI to You. You have the right to ask me to contact you in a specific way (for example, by home or office phone) or to send mail to a different address, and we will agree to all reasonable requests.
- The Right to See and Get Copies of Your PHI. Other than “psychotherapy notes,” you have the right to get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other information that we have about you. We will provide you with a copy of your record or a summary of it if you agree to receive a summary within 30 days of receiving your written request, and we may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for doing so.
- The Right to Get a List of the Disclosures I Have Made. You have the right to request a list of instances in which we have disclosed your PHI for purposes other than treatment, payment, or healthcare operations or for which you provided me with Authorization. We will respond to your request for an accounting of disclosures within 60 days of receiving your request. The list we will give you will include disclosures made in the last six years unless you request a shorter time. We will provide the list to you at no charge, but if you make more than one request in the same year, we will charge you a reasonable cost-based fee for each additional request.
- The Right to Correct or Update Your PHI. If you believe that there is a mistake in your PHI or that a piece of important information is missing from your PHI, you have the right to request that I correct the existing information or add the missing information. We may say “no” to your request, but we will tell you why in writing within 60 days of receiving your request.
- The Right to Get a Paper or Electronic Copy of this Notice. You have the right to get a paper copy of this Notice, and you have the right to get a copy of this notice by email. And, even if you have agreed to receive this Notice via email, you also have the right to request a paper copy of it. Acknowledgment of Receipt of Privacy Policies Notice Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), you have certain rights regarding using and disclosing your protected health information. By checking the box below, you are acknowledging that you have received a copy of the HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices.
BY SIGNING BELOW, I AGREE THAT I HAVE READ, UNDERSTOOD, AND AGREE TO THE ITEMS CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT. **You will be provided this copy to sign in Orchid (our electronic medical record system)**
Telepsychiatry
Telepsychiatry is a method of providing psychiatric services remotely through videoconferencing or virtual communication platforms. This enables mental health professionals to connect with patients who cannot attend in-person appointments, making mental healthcare more convenient and accessible.
Preparing for Telehealth Appointments
Do’s:
- Choose a location for your telepsychiatry session where you can speak freely without distractions or interruptions.
- Ensure your internet connection, webcam, and microphone work properly before the session.
- Familiarize yourself with the teleconferencing software or platform being used.
- Treat your telepsychiatry session just like an in-person appointment, and be punctual.
- Share your thoughts, feelings, and concerns openly with your psychiatrist. Honesty is crucial for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.
- Prepare a list of questions or topics you want to discuss during the session. This will help you make the most of your time with the psychiatrist.
- Please log in 5 min before the appointment.
Don’ts:
- Avoid engaging in other activities during the telepsychiatry session. Give your full attention to the session.
- Avoid using public Wi-Fi networks for your telepsychiatry sessions, as they may compromise the confidentiality of your conversation.
- Treat telepsychiatry appointments with the same importance as in-person appointments. Avoid canceling or skipping sessions without a valid reason; regular communication is vital for your treatment progress.
- If you don’t understand something your psychiatrist has said or need further explanation, don’t hesitate to ask for clarification. It’s important to understand your treatment plan and any instructions provided clearly.
- If you have any concerns about the telepsychiatry process, such as privacy or technological issues, don’t hesitate to express concerns.
- No unauthorized person(s) or minors is allowed during your session.
Payments:
At our practice, we have specific payment policies in place. Please note that we do not accept insurance, and our services are only available on a self-pay basis. Here are the details of our payment policies:
- We require all patients to pay for their services directly without involving insurance companies. This means that you will be responsible for the total cost of the session at the time of service.
- We have a predetermined fee schedule outlining the costs of our services.
- We accept various forms of payment, including cash, credit cards, and electronic transfers. Payment must be made in full at the time of the appointment unless prior arrangements have been made.
- Upon request, we provide detailed receipts or invoices that include the services provided and the amount paid. These documents can be used for reimbursement or tax purposes, as applicable.
- If you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, we kindly request that you provide us with at least 24 hours notice. Please do so to avoid a cancellation fee.
- While we do not directly accept insurance, we can provide you with the necessary documents, such as invoices or super-bills, that contain the required information for submitting a claim to your insurance provider.
Scheduled Phone Calls policy
We schedule phone calls for patients who prefer it over in-person or virtual sessions. Patients should contact us to request a time and provide a brief message explaining the reason for the call. Regular appointment fees and cancellation policies apply to scheduled phone calls. We ask that patients be ready and available for their call to avoid rescheduling or additional charges. Our goal is to ensure clear communication and support for patients through these scheduled phone calls.
Medication Management Policy
Services for managing medication are personalized services provided by pharmacists with a focus on appropriateness, effectiveness, safety, and adherence to improve the health outcomes of patients. These services involve collaboration with patients and are tailored to their specific needs and concerns. The goal is to engage the patient in their care process.
- We do not accept or process prescription refill requests via phone calls or faxes.
- To request a refill, please submit your request through your Orchid Exchange Account.
- Your healthcare provider will provide enough refills until your next appointment. In case you missed or canceled an appointment, you’ll need to book another one.
- To process your refill request, kindly allow three business days. Refill requests submitted after 3:00 pm will be reviewed on the following business day.
- The practice can refuse refill requests if the healthcare provider suspects the medication is being misused or not being taken as prescribed.
- The first psychiatric follow-up visit is scheduled within two weeks or the earliest availability after the initial appointment.
- We can only provide refills to patients who have had an appointment with us within the past three months.
- Please note that medication changes or adjustments can only be made through a scheduled appointment.
- Patients who miss a follow-up appointment will not be eligible for refills.
- We cannot give refills or bridge prescriptions to patients on controlled substances unless they come in for a visit.
- A bridge prescription can be prescribed until the next available appointment.
- For patients who are under 18 years old, it is required for their parents to accompany them during appointments.
