HOW DO I CONTACT STAFF AT COMPASS WELLNESS?
I am available at +1 (617) 816-0094, I always do my best to be accessible to all of my patients during my business days from Monday through Saturday, if I may not be readily available at the moment of receiving a phone call, please leave a message with the best number to reach you,
DO YOU ACCEPT INSURANCE?
I am currently accepting Aetna(BU). Please be aware of your specific coverage; deductibles and copayments. Patients are responsible for fees not covered by their insurer, so please call your Insurance carrier to fully understand your benefits coverage. I will provide invoices to individuals who wish to access out of network benefits, for reimbursement.
WHAT IS YOUR ELECTRONIC MAIL POLICY?
Please be aware that email is not a confidential means of communication. Thus, I am unable to guarantee the receipt of emails, and the frequency with which I will check email. however, I will attempt to respond to emails in a timely fashion to info@compasswellnessllc.com, perhaps, there may be a delay in response to emails on holidays and weekend, therefore, I ask that my patients do not use email to communicate any confidential information or urgent/emergent issues. Please be aware that content in emails may be a part of your medical record.
WHAT TYPES OF TREATMENT ARE MOST COMMONLY RECOMMENDED?
Once I have discussed their clinical impressions with you, I will work with you to determine the most ideal personalized treatment plan. This treatment may consist of psychiatric medications, psychotherapy, both medications/psychotherapy, in addition to this, we will discuss lifestyle modifications, diet, exercise, and alternative modalities of treatment as they apply to your situation or needs.
HOW CAN I SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT?
To schedule an initial appointment, please call +1 (617) 816-0094, email info@compasswellnessllc.com, or fill out the form under the “Appointment” section of this website.
WHY SHOULD I CHOOSE THE COMPASS WELLNESS CENTER?
The mental health provider at the Compass Wellness Center seeks to provide the highest quality of care, using evidence-based on treatments. Therefore, I use a “whole person” treatment approach, discussing not only medication when is indicated, but also, psychotherapy as part of a treatment plan, addressing lifestyle changes, diet, exercise, and other alternative modalities of treatment. Besides, I take into account the importance of collaborative care as an effort to improve treatment outcomes, with the main goal of improving functionality and better quality of life, providing work with each patient to come up with a personalized treatment plan with these goals in mind.
IS WHAT I SAY CONFIDENTIAL?
Our staff is available at +1 (617) 816-0094. While I understand how important confidentiality is to treatment. Since, a patient’s confidentiality is protected by the law. As a treatment guider, I am able to obtain information from individuals but I only able to share my patient’s information with those whom she/he authorizes in writing. If my patients elect to seek reimbursement from their insurance companies, may be required to release basic information about diagnosis and treatment to facilitate the reimbursement process. While the following situations are rare, please be aware of the following exceptions to confidentiality, where I required by law to disclose information.
Serious threat like bodily harm to oneself or others, I am required to take protective actions, which may include notifying the police, notifying potential victim, or seeking appropriate hospitalization.
Abuse Indication to a child, an elderly person, or a disabled person.
Unable to meet his/her basic needs, such as clothing, food, and shelter, we may have to disclose information in order to access services to provide for his/her basic needs.
HOW DOES THE INTIAL APPOINTMENT WORK AND HOW LONG ARE FOLLOW UP APPOINTMENTS?
Initial appointment is typically one hour in length, I ask you please to have information about your past mental health history such us previous providers, medication trials, treatment modalities used, hospitalizations, among others readily available. While, I will attempt to complete your evaluation during the initial appointment, sometimes more than one session is required to complete a thorough assessment.
As part of our initial assessment, I also need to obtain collateral information like from schools, family, and other providers. If this is the case, I will be sure to obtain written permission from you to allow for communication with collateral sources. My goal is to provide the best personalized treatment plan for each of my patients. Thus, it is imperative that the entire evaluation is complete before treatment recommendations are discussed.
Follow up sessions are either 30-minutes or 60-minutes in length per session, my psychiatrist meetings are around 60-minutes, typically, 30-minute appointments are used for medication management and 60-minute appointments are used to provide psychotherapy and / or manage medications.
WHAT IS YOUR MEDICATION POLICY?
Psychotropic medications can be helpful in combination with psychotherapy. Upon completion of the initial assessment, if medication is warranted, I will work with you to decide an ideal medication regimen.
I truly believe in the power of education. I will provide you psycho education regarding medication use, discussing the class of medications being recommended, risks, benefits, side effects, alternatives, and no treatment. It is important to understand all options and feel confident in the shared decision making.
DO I NEED TO FILL OUT FORMS BEFORE MY INITIAL APPOINTMENT?
Once you have scheduled an initial appointment, you will receive an email with username and password to Simple Practice patient portal. You will be able to enter your contact details, insurance information and complete a brief intake questionnaire, all online. Simple practice will also generate appointment reminders via text or email and provide a secure messaging portal.
WHAT ARE YOUR CANCELLATION AND NO-SHOW POLICIES?
Once an appointment is scheduled, patients are responsible for paying the full session fee unless they provide at least 48 business hours (2 business days) advance notice of cancellation. Remember, business days are considered weekdays from Monday through Friday, and exclude all standard holidays. All appointments not canceled at least 48 business hours prior to the scheduled appointment, and no show appointments, will be charged the full session fee. Insurance providers do not cover no-shows or late cancellations, are of pocket fees.