Practice Policy and Procedures
Our psychiatric practice is outpatient. I do not follow patients in the hospital, or see patients while hospitalized, rather, upon discharge. When hospitalization should occur/become necessary, The Crisis Center, inpatient treatment facility, or hospital typically provides an in-patient psychiatrist.
NEW PATIENT EVALUATION
NEW PATIENT EVALUATION DOES NOT GUARANTEE FUTURE CARE. WE TRY OUR BEST TO MAKE THIS DETERMINATION DURING YOUR FIRST PHONE CALL BUT AT TIMES CERTAIN INFORMATION IS NOT RELAYED TO THE INTAKE COORDINATOR.
IN THE EVENT YOU ARE NOT A GOOD FIT TO BE A PATIENT OF THIS PRACTICE WE WILL EXPLAIN THE REASON/REASONS, BUT YOU ARE STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT.
Please bring all medication bottles with you to your first appointment. If available, please bring copies of your past medical and mental health records to your appointment, including testing or laboratory work. Please have the contact information for your previous mental health providers and other physicians so that we can obtain collateral information, if needed.
PATIENT RESPONSIBILITIES
Patient is responsible for…
- Keeping visits in order to avoid a shortage in medications.
- Updating their phone number, pharmacy, address, primary care provider, and medication list on each visit.
- Providing a copy of most recent blood work done by primary care provider.
- Making sure to take home a copy of their visit summary at the end of their appointment.
- Bring a list of questions if needed, to have all of your concerns addressed in a timely manner.
MEDICATION REFILLS
1. Refills will not be provided when the office is closed,/outside office hours or weekends and holidays. During these hours, patients must call their PCP or go to the emergency room to avoid medication discontinuation and withdrawal effects.
2. Patients are responsible for knowing when medications will need to be refilled and the required method is to ask the provider during scheduled office visits.
3. If a patient has not been evaluated in 3 months, a follow up visit will be required to verify medication needs. If the patient is overdue for a visit, the provider may issue no more than a 14 day supply of his/her medication to last until the scheduled appointment. This courtesy is at the discretion of the provider and does not apply to controlled substances.
4. There are strict guidelines for controlled substances including medications for ADHD and anxiety. These will not be called for refills. The patient must be seen in the office even if the prescription was lost or expired. The patient must be seen in the office to obtain a written prescription.
EMERGENCIES
In the event of an urgent situation or an emergency and your provider is not available to return your call, please don't wait for a phone call back. Call 911 or go to your nearest Emergency Room.
You may also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.
If you are a patient who requires frequent crisis management, or has a history of requiring this, you may be better served by a more comprehensive service agency that can better address these ongoing issues. In the event that you are a patient of this practice, we will discuss the issue with you and provide some referrals so you can be better served according to your level of care.
LIMITATION OF SERVICES
These services are not provided in this practice:
- Custody evaluations, parental assessments for use in determining custody or visitation.
- Forensic evaluations for legal services.
- We are currently not accepting any new patients for Suboxone and Clozaril
CANCELLATIONS, MISSED APPOINTMENTS, and/or NO-SHOWS
Medication refill requests may not be honored if the patient has missed or canceled one or more appointments.
Case will automatically be closed if the patient has missed or canceled 3 consecutive appointments or if there has been no contact with our office for 9 months.
CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE POLICY
Controlled prescription medications are subject to federal and state laws as well as standard-of-care prescribing practices. If medications are not used carefully, the patient can have side effects, become addicted to them, or overdose on them. An overdose can cause death. Because of these dangers, it is important for the patient or guardian to understand the rules for using these medicines. Patients receiving controlled substances will sign a document that they understand our policy for prescribing these medicines.
The patient must attend follow-up appointments as directed.
No extra or early refills will be issued for any reason, including if the controlled substance medications are lost.
PATIENT DISMISSAL POLICY
Our practice policy reserves the right to terminate the physician-patient relationship without cause and dismiss the patient from the practice. While it is optional for Marjorie Caro MD PA to provide a reason for the dismissal, frequent no-shows, late cancellations, and unprofessional behavior are a few reasons that will lead to dismissals.
If your medical condition requires continuing physician supervision, it is important that you select another physician as soon as possible. Upon written authorization with a signed medical record release form, a copy of your medical record will be sent to your new provider.
CONFIDENTIALITY AND MEDICAL RECORDS
You have a right to have access to your records and may receive a copy when you provide this office with a written request to obtain your records.
This office will NOT release ANY information to any person or agency unless you give the office specific, written permission to do so. Your written permission is needed to release information regarding your psychiatric diagnosis, medications, prognosis, and treatment plans to insurance companies, employers, worker’s compensation, attorney offices, case managers or for disability claims. Please be aware that this office cannot discuss anything in person, over the phone or in writing with your spouse or family without your written authorization. Please make your family aware of this privacy policy.
This office cannot confirm nor deny that any person is a patient in this office without a release of information.
Your medical records and personal information will remain confidential. Iredell Psychiatry staff will have access to necessary medical and logistical information on a “need to know basis” for billing, collections, prescription refills and scheduling issues. There will be times when a consultation with another healthcare professional is clinically indicated. Additionally, coordination of care with your primary care physician or referring provider is encouraged. You will be asked for consent to coordinate care with any consulting or referring provider.
FEES/INSURANCE/BILLING
Marjorie Caro MD PA will file insurance for patients. You are encouraged to check with your insurance provider in advance of your appointment to review your mental health benefits, deductible and to ensure that this practice is in-network with your insurance provider.
Co-payments are due in full at time of service. If you cannot pay your copay for any reason on the date of your appointment, you will be asked to reschedule your appointment for a later date.
For patients who do not wish to file with their insurance providers or for uninsured patients, a percentage of the associated charges for that visit must be paid at the time of service. If you are uninsured or choose not to file with your insurance provider and are able to pay the full amount at the time of your appointment, a prompt pay discount will be applied to your charge with this office.
This office accepts cash and debit or credit cards as forms of payment.
Please note that this office reserves the right not to reschedule appointments or refill prescriptions for patients who do not make reasonable efforts to pay their office bills.