SECTION 3: PRACTICE POLICIES
1. APPOINTMENTS & CANCELLATIONS
- The standard meeting time for the initial visit is 30 minutes, and follow-up visits are 15-20 minutes.
- Payment is due before your appointment. You may lose your appointment if payment is not received by the scheduled time.
- Cancellations and rescheduled visits will be subject to a fee of $25 if NOT RECEIVED AT LEAST 4 HOURS IN ADVANCE. This is necessary because a time commitment is made to you and is held exclusively for you. If you are late for an appointment, you may lose some of the allotted time for that appointment.
- Exceptions to this policy may be made for emergency situations on a case-by-case basis based on the sole discretion of the Provider.
2. TELEPHONE ACCESSIBILITY
If you need to contact Kiwi Health LLC between sessions, please call our main number or send us a message through the website. We are often not immediately available; however, we will attempt to return your call or message within 24 hours.
Face-to-face video visits are highly preferable to phone visits. However, if you are out of town, sick, or need additional support, phone sessions are available in certain states. Phone consultations may be subject to the same rates as video visits and should be scheduled through our online portal.
In case of a true emergency, please call 911 or go to your local emergency room.
3. ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION
We cannot ensure the confidentiality of any form of communication through electronic media, including but not limited to text messages, telephone communication, the Internet, facsimile machines, and email.
Telemedicine is broadly defined as the use of information technology to deliver medical services and information between two parties that are at different locations. The above electronic means of communication are considered telemedicine. Utilizing telemedicine services through Kiwi Health LLC is voluntary, and you need to understand:
- You have the right to withhold or withdraw your consent for telemedicine services at any time. If this occurs, you need to understand that we cannot provide care for you any longer, as Kiwi Health LLC is strictly a telemedicine practice.
- We will protect your protected health information (PHI) in the same fashion as a brick-and-mortar practice. However, data breaches can happen, and we cannot guarantee that your information is 100% protected.
- We will not use your PHI for research purposes unless you give us explicit consent to do so.
- There are potential benefits, risks, and subsequent consequences of telemedicine. Potential benefits include, but are not limited to, improved access to care, reducing costs, improving the quality of visits, and reducing travel time associated with medical visits. The medical provider will make assessments, diagnoses, and treatment plans based on the visual and auditory information provided during the video conference.
However, it is important to understand that telemedicine is limited in some ways. For example, the provider cannot perform a full physical examination, including observing your gait, smell, general appearance, or demeanor, as they would in an in-person encounter. This may lead to missing clinically significant information that you may not recognize as important to present verbally.
4. ID VERIFICATION & MINORS
I will present a government photo ID on request.
Kiwi Health LLC does not currently treat those under the age of 18 on our platform. Case-by-case exceptions can be made based solely on the practice owner and provider’s discretion. In such cases, Parents or guardians must be present for the first part of the session to provide consent for treatment. If the minor is capable of managing their healthcare independently, parents may be asked to step out for the remainder of the session to maintain patient privacy, if appropriate.
If you are a minor, your parents may be legally entitled to some information about your treatment. We will discuss with you and your parents what information is appropriate for them to receive and which issues are more appropriately kept confidential. If we accept a minor, a separate Minor Consent will be provided
5. TERMINATION
We can terminate treatment with you at any time. However, we will not terminate the medical relationship without first discussing and exploring the reasons and purpose for termination. If treatment is terminated for any reason, we will provide you with a list of qualified providers to continue your care, as well as necessary bridge prescriptions of your medication as deemed necessary by your Provider. You may also choose someone on your own or from another referral source.
Should you fail to show up for follow-up appointments, not obtain lab work in a timely fashion, or be non-compliant with treatment (unless other arrangements have been made in advance), for legal and ethical reasons, we must consider the professional relationship discontinued.
6. PAYMENT & BILLING
Payment for services is required before the scheduled appointment. You may lose your appointment if payment is not received. While we prefer payment to be made at least 24 hours before the appointment, you are responsible for ensuring payment is completed before the start of the session. Any future appointments may be suspended until the outstanding balance is cleared.
7. EMERGENCY CONTACT PROCEDURES
If you are unable to reach us within 24 hours and require urgent medical attention, please visit your nearest urgent care center or emergency room. For life-threatening emergencies, call 911 immediately.
8. TELEMEDICINE LIMITATIONS
It is your responsibility to inform your provider of any symptoms that may not be visible over a telemedicine visit. Telemedicine may not be suitable for diagnosing certain conditions that require a physical examination or lab testing. If necessary, we will refer you for an in-person follow-up visit.