MEDICAL TREATMENT CONSENT
(Updated 3/29/2024)
SCOPE OF PRACTICE
Evolve Psychiatry offers outpatient psychiatric treatment for a wide spectrum of challenges. A comprehensive list is located on our website at www.Evolve-Psychiatry.com. Clinic and business hours can be found on the same website as well.
SCHEDULING
Evolve Psychiatry requires office visits on a regular basis for all patients. Office visits are scheduled based on patient's acuity, providers' and patient's mutual availability, and clinic preferences with an aim to minimize disruption in daily operations. Appointment lengths are based on an estimated allotted time and can vary depending on the case.
Before the first visit, the patient may be required to provide medical records that show documentation of their diagnoses, treatment history, and past providers to ensure a smooth transition to Evolve Psychiatry.
If the patient must cancel or reschedule an appointment, Evolve Psychiatry requires at least 48-hour notice (weekends not included If the appointment is on a Monday, the cancellation must be made by the same hour on the preceding Friday. For cancellations that occur with less than 48-hour notice or failure to show to an appointment, the patient will be charged a fee due to committing the provider to a time slot that could have been utilized by an alternate patient. This fee must be paid before another appointment may be scheduled. If the patient cannot fulfill this obligation, they will be dismissed from the practice and may be referred to a Community Mental Health Facility. See the Evolve Psychiatry Financial Policy for more details.
OFFICE VISITS
Patients are required to complete intake forms by NOON the day prior to their scheduled visit. Failure to do so may result in their time slot being offered to patients on our urgent follow-up waitlist. Any patient charts flagged "Incomplete Intake" will be moved to the end of our scheduling queue.
Patients are allowed a 10-minute grace period to join appointments after which they will be marked as a "no-show" and must reschedule. Late cancellations and no-shows are subject to fees in accordance with our financial policy. All patients are allowed an annual courtesy fee waiver. See the Evolve Psychiatry Financial Policy for more details.
The initial visit starts with a thorough review of current complaints and background. By the end of the initial visit, the provider will offer preliminary impressions and discuss treatment options. Oftentimes, however, a combination of psychotherapy and medication management is optimal. Sometimes, psychotherapy alone will suffice. If medications are prescribed, changed, or if the patient wishes to defer management and request additional time for treatment consideration, the provider will conduct a follow-up visit in approximately two to four weeks. Depending on the patient's distress or acuity, this may be sooner or later than the usual follow-up times.
If symptoms improve, follow-up visits can be spaced out at monthly intervals or longer as determined. For patients on routine maintenance therapy on non-controlled substances, follow-up visits can be held at three-month intervals. Alternative treatment structures and timeframes may be determined based on circumstances.
Special Note: One of the most important curative aspects of the therapeutic relationship is the goodness-of-fit between therapist and patient. Essentially, the initial visit is the patient's opportunity to determine if the provider is a good fit. If either the patient or provider determines their relationship does not feel to be a good match, a member of the Evolve Psychiatry staff will be glad to provide referrals to other mental health professionals.
COMMUNICATION WITH STAFF
For communication between sessions, Evolve Psychiatry staff uses direct messaging through the OnPatient portal, e-mail communication and text messaging for administrative purposes and with permission from the patient. E-mail exchanges and text messages with the office should be limited to administrative matters such as setting and changing appointments, billing matters, and other clerical related issues. It is strongly encouraged that patients utilize the online patient portal for all correspondence regarding clinical matters. Email, texting, or patient portal messaging are not acceptable forms of communication in a medical or psychiatric emergency.
TREATMENT OPTIONS
Treatment plans constructed may include close follow-up, routine labs such as blood draws or urine drug screens, and/or concurrent psychotherapy.
Medication Management
When emotional distress negatively impacts the ability to work, maintain interpersonal relationships, or properly care for basic needs, treatments may offer much needed relief. Medications may be recommended when the patient's mental health and/or behavioral health symptoms are not responsive to other treatments or efforts. Not every patient is a good candidate for medication therapy. Such therapy requires strict adherence to dosage, and frequency, close follow-up, and sometimes regular blood tests. The patient's ability to adhere to medication treatment will be taken into consideration in making the decision to start such therapy. Overall, Evolve Psychiatry is a strong proponent of the bio-psycho-social model of medical treatment. Treatment that considers the patients biological status, genetics, psychological development, and social issues together will yield the best chance for success in achieving optimal goals. If it is agreed that medications are indicated, the provider will discuss with the patient all of the medication options that are available to treat the patient's current condition, how the medication works, its dosage and frequency, its expected benefits, possible side effects, drug interactions and any withdrawal effects that may occur if the medication is discontinued abruptly. By the end of the discussion, the patient should have all necessary information to make an informed decision about said medication.