Terms and Conditions

PRACTICE POLICIES

APPOINTMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS

Please remember to cancel or reschedule at least 24 hours in advance. You will be responsible for the entire fee if cancellation is less than 24 hours.

The standard meeting time for an initial consultation is 30 minutes. It is up to you, however, to determine the length of your sessions. Requests to change the 30-minute session need to be discussed with the health care provider in advance so time can be scheduled accordingly.

Cancellations and rescheduled sessions will be subject to a full charge if not received at least 24 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 a session, you may lose some of that session time.

TELEPHONE ACCESSIBILITY

If you need to contact me between sessions, please leave a message on my voicemail. I am often not immediately available; however, I will attempt to return your call within 24 hours.

Face-to-face sessions are highly preferable to phone sessions. However, in the event that you are out of town, sick, or need additional support, phone sessions are available.

If a true emergency situation arises, please call 911 or your local emergency room.

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION

I cannot ensure the confidentiality of any form of communication through electronic media, including text messages. If you prefer to communicate via email or text messaging for scheduling or cancellations, I will do so.

While I may try to return messages in a timely manner, I cannot guarantee immediate response and request that you do not use these methods to discuss therapeutic content or emergencies.

Services by electronic means (telephone, internet, fax, email) are considered telemedicine under California law. You should understand the following:

  • You may withhold or withdraw consent at any time without affecting your right to future care or treatment.
  • All existing confidentiality protections apply.
  • You may access all medical information transmitted during a telemedicine consultation.
  • Your identifiable information will not be shared with researchers or others without your consent.

Potential Benefits of telemedicine:

  • Improved access and communication
  • Cost savings and convenience
  • Better continuity of care

Potential Risks include the provider’s inability to make visual or olfactory observations relevant to treatment, such as:

  • Physical appearance, motor coordination, posture, grooming, injuries, hygiene
  • Eye contact, facial expressions, age, ethnicity, or congruence between verbal and non-verbal cues

These factors may affect assessments and treatment quality.

MINORS

If you are a minor, your parents may be legally entitled to some information about your treatment. I will discuss with you and your parents what is appropriate for them to receive and which issues are more appropriate to keep confidential.

TERMINATION

The appropriate length of termination depends on the duration and intensity of treatment. I may terminate treatment after appropriate discussion if I determine treatment is not being effectively used or if you are in default on payment.

Termination will not occur without first discussing the reasons and exploring the process.

If treatment is terminated or you request a different provider, I will offer a list of qualified functional medicine providers. You may also choose someone independently or through another referral source.

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