Clinic Policies:
Upnext offers comprehensive psychiatric evaluations and ongoing medication management with adjunctive solution-focused psychotherapy and lifestyle coaching to clients aged 9-65. Please take the time to read our policies and procedures regarding medication management services. Collaboration between providers and clients is most effective when all parties involved understand the goals and expectations of service delivery. Upnext is not able to offer “on call” availability or treatment on non-business days. If Upnext cannot meet your needs, we can assist with referrals to a higher level of care or an outside entity that may better fit your situation.
Scheduling an Appointment
To establish care at our center, the intake form (Appointment Request Form) must be completed and submitted. Upon receiving this request, a Upnext staff member will contact you.
Prior to your appointment, you will receive access to the “Patient Portal” provided by our electronic health system. It is required that the new client paperwork be completed and submitted at least 5 days prior to your appointment.
If the required paperwork is not completed at least 5 days prior, your appointment will be canceled, given to someone else, and you will have to start the process over.
Payment at Time of Service Policy
- We require that clients make full payment at the time of services. You will be provided with information about your insurance benefits for services requested prior to scheduling, as well as information about private pay rates.
- We require that a credit card be on file.
Confidentiality
- Upnext takes safeguarding the client’s information extremely seriously. Upnext is bound by law to protect client confidentiality. Any disclosure of your treatment to others will require your explicit written consent. However, Upnext providers are mandated reporters.
- If indications of child abuse, elder abuse, or planned bodily harm to oneself or to others come to light in the course of treatment, the providers are legally bound to report these to the appropriate authorities. Clients are required to sign a statement of understanding of their rights to privacy, which will be provided via Patient Portal.
Cancellation and No Show Policy
- We require clients to provide one full business day notice of the cancellation of their appointment. If your appointment is on a Monday, it must be cancelled by the Friday.
- Clients that are 15 minutes or more late for a 30 minute appointment or 20 minutes or more late for a 60 minute appointment will be considered a “no show” as providers do not have adequate time for treatment.
- Upnext takes safeguarding the client’s information extremely seriously. Upnext is bound by law to protect client confidentiality. Any disclosure of your treatment to others will require your explicit written consent. However, Bright Futures Psychiatry providers are mandated reporters.
- If indications of child abuse, elder abuse, or planned bodily harm to oneself or to others come to light in the course of treatment, the providers are legally bound to report these to the appropriate authorities. Clients are required to sign a statement of understanding of their rights to privacy, which will be provided via Patient Portal.
- Client’s card on file will be charged $50 for missed appointments or late cancellations – this may exceed the insurance company rate. Please note, insurance companies will not pay for missed sessions; payment for these sessions are the responsibility of the patient and must be taken care of before a client can be rescheduled.
- Additionally, Upnext reserves the right to terminate treatment if a patient is not actively participating in treatment goals or if it is determined that the client’s needs can be best served by another provider.
- Typically, a patient must be seen a minimum of every three (3) months or more frequently, as indicated by the treatment plan, for continuation of the provider-patient relationship.
Right to Terminate
Upnext reserves the right to terminate the provider-patient relationship under the following circumstances:
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- When services may no longer be beneficial to the client
- When another professional might be of better service
- When payment is not received
- When a client misses two consecutive appointments without 24 business hours
notice or frequently misses appointments
- When a client does not cooperate with the agreed upon treatment
- If a client or family member/significant other are hostile or aggressive, or cause any disruption in our work space
Benzodiazepine Policy
Benzodiazepines (medications such as Xanax, Ativan, and Klonopin) will rarely be prescribed at Upnext. When they are prescribed, it will be done on a time-limited basis and in restricted amounts. This reflects the current understanding that benzodiazepines can worsen anxiety and contribute to cognitive decline over the long term. In addition, benzodiazepines carry the risk of tolerance, dependence and abuse and are potentially lethal in overdoses, particularly when mixed with alcohol and/or opioid pain medications.
Stimulant Policy
Stimulant medications are a first line treatment for the symptoms of ADHD, however, they carry the risk of tolerance, dependence and abuse. For this reason, their use is tightly regulated. In order to continue to be able to prescribe these medications to our clients, we require a stimulant agreement to be fully discussed and agreed upon by you and your provider.
Refill Policy
The routine practice of Upnext is to write a prescription to cover your medication needs until your next appointment. If you keep scheduled appointments or reschedule promptly, there should be no need for additional refills. If an exception occurs, please call the office to request a refill at least 5 working days before you will run out of medication. Refills will be considered on a case by case basis. Please note, we do not process refill requests after hours, on weekends or on holidays. Dose changes will not be made outside of scheduled appointments.
Please OPT OUT of automatic refill requests if offered this service by your pharmacy. We will not respond to
pharmacy initiated refill requests due to the significant administrative burden this entails.
Please remember that it is your responsibility to schedule a follow-up appointment before you run out of medication and within the return time frame determined in your treatment plan. Controlled substances cannot be refilled by phone and will only be written during office visits if appropriate. There will be no early refills for controlled substances regardless for the reason for the request.
It is important that we maintain contact with our clients to assure best practice, safety, and meet treatment goals. Upnext requires individuals who are receiving medication services to have routine in-office checks with their provider at least every three months.
Limitations on Requests for Forensic and Court Support Services
- Disability: We provide a copy of the health record for established clients who are working with disability lawyers. Individuals who are seeking services to establish disability are referred to outside providers and organizations. We do not perform disability evaluations.
- Emotional Support Animals: We do not offer assessment or report writing for primary purpose of gaining an emotional support animal letter. We provide advocacy and documentation to established clients who have been working with us for at least three months and who have attended all scheduled appointments.
- Parenting evaluations: We do not perform parenting evaluations and we will not appear in court to testify on your behalf. If we receive a subpoena to appear in court on your behalf, our services will be billed at our hourly rate of $400 per hour.
- Paperwork: We bill an hourly rate of $50/hour for all documentation services provided to our clients outside of treatment sessions.
DOCUMENTS
These documents will be provided for you at your first appointment to sign. If you would like more time to review them they are listed below: