Covid 19 Updates & Resources
A Letter to Clients Amidst the Covid-19 Pandemic…
If you have a chronic illness, you know that being exposed to this virus could potentially have serious implications for you. We take these concerns seriously and want you to know how we’re handling the covid-19 recommendations at Imagine Life Therapy.
Keep reading to learn how we’re addressing Covid-19 concerns for our clients…
How Our Practice is Handling Covid-19 and Resources For Clients
727-939-5037
3/17/2020
Re: Updated Practice Policies regarding Covid-19
Dear Valued Client,
We are mindful of concerns regarding Covid-19 and wanted to write to you to address any questions you may have. As a practitioner in a healthcare setting, I would like to reassure you that our clinic is committed to the health and safety of all visitors and have put in place several measures as precautions.
What precautions have we implemented?
When we were still holding office based sessions, these precautions were implemented:
- Alcohol based hand sanitizer is available in our waiting area and in therapy room.
- Handwash/soap is available in bathroom.
- I wash and encourage others to wash hands thoroughly between each patient appointment and refrain from shaking hands.
- High frequency touch areas such as door handles are cleaned between each patient.
- Common areas are regularly cleaned.
- Tissues are available in my therapy room.
We are currently (as of APRIL 1, 2020) ONLY offering telehealth based sessions to our clients living in Michigan, Alabama and Florida.
What implications are there in terms of privacy?
Since we are entirely telehealth based, In the event that our staff or any of our patients or visitors (as the case may be) contract Covid-19, we will not be required to disclose names for contact tracing due to the nature of our contact being virtual only. We will protect your privacy in as much as is possible.
Our commitment to you
We will take precautions and regularly review our health and safety procedures in order to protect all patients.
Due to many of my clients being immunocompromised and/or in a high risk group as well as being immunocompromised myself, I will be continuing telehealth based sessions until it is completely safe for myself and my clients to resume in person sessions.
I will be as informed as possible and direct you to suitable sources where your questions are outside of my expertise.
Our requests
- We request that you wash your hands thoroughly upon arrival at our clinic this week.
- We request that you do not visit the clinic for at least 14 days if you have returned from countries with outbreaks even if you do not have any symptoms.
- We request that you do not attend your appointment if you are unwell with any cold, cough or ‘flu like symptoms. If you do attend with any such symptoms, you may be asked to return home.
- If you are experiencing mild symptoms but would like to still attend, we will use reasonable efforts to offer the appointment online. We will ask you to complete an Online Therapy Consent if you have not already.
The following cancellation policy applies:
Financial Considerations
Medicare
At this time, Medicare is not covering telehealth based therapy for behavior health providers. Should this change, I will reach out and offer to start sessions via telehealth and already have the infrastructure and systems in place to offer reliable, HIPAA compliant telehealth options.
If you are a Medicare based client and would like to utilize telehealth anyway, I will attempt to bill with the telehealth modifier and advocate on your behalf to have the sessions paid for you, with the understanding that should your plan not cover these sessions, you will be responsible for the services rendered.
Sliding Scale
I am lifting my 5 client limit for my sliding scale program, where I offer sessions to people in financial need for only 60$ instead of my regular rate of 125$. Anyone who needs to utilize this benefit will able to do so from now until the end of March and this policy will be reassessed and allowed as needed for each individual case.
Further Resources
National Health Service Information
Public Health Commonly Asked Questions
For People who have travelled recently or plan to travel
For those who return from high risk areas
For those who are required to self isolate
American Center for Disease Control
A final word…
I am here to support you and will always be flexible wherever possible. Please know that my concern for your health and the implications of this crisis on your lives are my #1 concern. If you are not concerned, we need not take time in your session time to process the situation. Likewise, if you are experience increasing concern, we can spend time focusing on strategies to support you. I would like to reassure you that whatever your reaction, you will have space to express in our appointments together if you would like to.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss further, please contact me or discuss in our next session.
Best wishes,
Amanda Pratt, LCSW/ LMSW
Imagine Life Therapy
www.imaginelifetherapy.com
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