Please download our intake packet.
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To Our Patients |
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We appreciate you choosing the Emory Women's Mental Health Program. An increasing number of referrals along with changes in medical insurance (i.e. managed health care) make it necessary to clarify the guidelines of the program. Please read the following carefully and feel free to ask questions.
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Introduction |
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The program was established in 1991 with the primary focus being the evaluation and treatment of emotional disorders during pregnancy and the postpartum period. An added benefit of our program is the emphasis on clinical research into the cause and treatment of such problems. Strict confidentiality is maintained and only the program staff has access to your records.
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Fees |
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The fees are established by The Emory Clinic based on the time and complexity of each evaluation. If you have any questions about the charges and diagnostic codes used, please ask us. The Emory Clinic requires that we collect 50% of the charge or the co-payment (the amount should be listed on your insurance card) when services are rendered.
The Emory Clinic and our physicians may or may not be included as a preferred provider with your insurance carrier. Our experience is that on rare occasions insurance companies may authorize consultations provided they have prior knowledge of the referral. If you are not sure if Emory is part of your health care plan, please contact them prior to your appointment. Several insurance companies require �pre-certification� (authorization of payment prior to the appointment) that may involve either verbal or written approval. If your insurance company requires written �pre-certification�, it is your responsibility to provide these forms prior to the appointment. We cannot be responsible for the denial of benefits because pre-certification was not obtained and most insurance carriers do not allow �retro-certification�. In a few instances, the insurance company requires the referring physician or "primary care physician" to make these arrangements; others require the insured/dependent to call in for pre-certification. Please check your benefits, as you are ultimately responsible for your bill.
If you have Medicaid, you must provide written proof of eligibility at each appointment. The State of Georgia provides that we may require a patient to pay at the time of service if they have no proof of eligibility.
Your bill will be handled through The Emory Clinic Section of Psychiatry. If you have any billing questions please call 404-778-4352. Occasionally errors in the billing process occur that are out of our control. If you detect such errors or do not receive a satisfactory response from the Clinic representative please contact our office immediately.
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Cancellations & Telephone Policy |
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Since the majority of our patients have children and very busy schedules, we understand that occasionally it may be necessary to cancel an appointment. We do not bill for cancellations as we typically have a waiting list, but request that you call at least 24 hours prior to your appointment to cancel. If you do not cancel at least 24 hours before your scheduled appointment, it is considered a "missed" appointment. It is the policy of the Emory Women's Mental Health Program to terminate your care after two missed appointments.
If you are a first time patient and you cancel your first appointment with less than 24 hours notice or do not show for your first appointment, we will not reschedule you. Also, if you arrive for your first appointment 30 minutes late, you will not be seen and you will not be rescheduled.
We do not bill for telephone calls. If you have questions or develop any problems please call our office. If it is an emergency, we can be reached through The Emory Clinic operator at 404-778-5000. If we are out of town the �psychiatrist on call� can be reached at the same number. If you have questions, please leave a detailed message with our office and we will return your call as soon as possible. In the event that we have not returned your call within 24 hours, please call again as the message system or number of emergencies may have precluded our response.
If you are calling in for a prescription refill please call at least 48 hours in advance of running out of your medication as some pharmacies are difficult to get through by phone.
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Medical Records & Contact with Other Physicians |
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Medical records and contact with other physicians requires written authorization. The nature of our program warrants contact with both obstetrical and pediatric groups. We will be happy to provide you and your other physicians with articles relevant to your situation upon request. Please allow us two weeks time for copying and sending complete medical charts.
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Research & Telephone Volunteer List |
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The focus of our research is to determine the cause and optimal treatment for emotional disorders during pregnancy and the postpartum period. There are numerous ongoing research projects and if you are interested in participating, please let us know. Your willingness to participate in such research does not affect your treatment in the program.
We have established a list of volunteers comprised of women who have been treated in the program to provide support during your treatment. In addition, Depression After Delivery has a similar volunteer program across the United States. We encourage you to join DAD (1-800-944-4773) and participate in their volunteer program as well. Your willingness to participate in either is appreciated but does not affect your treatment in any way.
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Prescription Refills |
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Prescription refills are handled after 3 pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons only. Prescriptions must be called in before noon on Monday, Wednesday and Friday to be handled that day. If you have a prescription for a controlled substance, one that cannot be called in to a pharmacy, please call to have the prescription mailed 7 business days before your medication runs out or you may come to our office to pick up your prescription after you have called for a refill. Failure to keep up with the amount of medication you have remaining could result in you having to go without medication for a few days. No exceptions can be made.
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Feedback |
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We are constantly trying to improve the quality of care in the Women's Mental Health Program and your feedback is important to us. If you have any comments about our program staff or Clinic personnel, please let us know.
We apologize for the formality of these guidelines, but feel that they provide the basic groundwork to avoid future problems. If you have any questions please contact our office.
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