Office Policies and Email Agreement
At Capital Mental Health, we strive to provide high-quality, patient-centered care while ensuring clear communication and mutual understanding of our policies. This document outlines our office policies, patient responsibilities, and guidelines for using email communication with our practice.
Patient Payment Obligations All outpatient visits must be paid for at the time of service. A receipt will be provided for you to submit to your insurance company. Capital Mental Health does not negotiate claims with insurance providers; patients are responsible for payment regardless of the claim status. Any alternative financial arrangements must be made in advance with Capital Mental Health.
Missed or Canceled Appointments If you need to cancel a session, please do so at least 24 hours in advance. Failure to provide at least 24 business hours’ notice will result in a charge equal to the full session fee, as the time has been reserved exclusively for you and cannot be rescheduled for another patient.
Outstanding Bills Unpaid balances will be re-billed weekly. Accounts with outstanding payments after four successive billings may be sent to a collection service.
Routine Clinical Questions Between Visits For non-urgent clinical concerns, please leave a message at (240) 743-4535. We aim to return calls by the next business day. Please note that messages are not checked on weekends, federal holidays, or after 5 PM on weekdays (4 PM on Fridays).
Phone Calls and Extended Meetings Phone calls and meetings exceeding 10 minutes may be billed at the provider’s discretion.
Urgent and Emergency Situations If you are experiencing a medical or psychiatric emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. If your situation is urgent but not life-threatening and you need to speak with a provider, call our office at (240) 743-4535 and follow the instructions on the outgoing message.
Pharmacy and Prescription Requests Prescription refill requests require at least 48 business hours for processing. Urgent requests requiring a response sooner may incur a fee. Refills are only provided for current patients of the practice.
Termination of Treatment Patients who have not scheduled an appointment within the last 12 months will have their charts closed, effectively ending the provider-patient relationship with Capital Mental Health.
Vacation and Provider Absences When a provider is out of the office, the outgoing voicemail message at (240) 743-4535 will include instructions on how to contact a covering clinician if necessary.
Use of Email for Patient Communication Email communication is available for certain administrative and clinical matters; however, it is not a substitute for direct medical care.
EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS ARE NOT TO BE USED FOR EMERGENCIES OR URGENT SITUATIONS. Patients may use email to communicate regarding general inquiries, appointment scheduling, non-urgent medical questions, and administrative matters. Sensitive, urgent, or time-sensitive information should be conveyed via phone or in person. If a response has not been received within two business days, please call the office for follow-up. The practice may determine that an email response is not appropriate and request a phone or in-person consultation instead.
Guidelines for Email Communication When emailing the practice, patients should include their name and a brief description of the request in the subject line (e.g., “Prescription Refill,” “Appointment Inquiry,” “Billing Question”). Patients should keep copies of all emails sent and received. In some cases, non-clinical staff may assist in managing email inquiries related to administrative matters.
Confidentiality and Liability While the practice takes reasonable steps to maintain the confidentiality of patient emails, electronic communication is inherently vulnerable to breaches. Highly confidential matters should be discussed via phone or in person. Patients using an employer’s email system should be aware that employers may have the right to review email content.
Capital Mental Health is not responsible for any issues arising from email communication delays, technical failures, unauthorized access, or a patient’s failure to adhere to these guidelines.
Archiving and Termination of Email Agreement Emails may be stored as part of the patient’s medical record. This email agreement may be terminated if the practice determines that the patient is not adhering to its provisions. Upon termination, the practice will no longer respond to emails for routine communications.
Acknowledgment and Agreement By signing below, I acknowledge that I have read, understood, and agree to abide by the policies outlined in this document. I accept responsibility for payment of services and understand the terms of email communication with Capital Mental Health.r personal health information with respect to the electronic communications described in this Agreement.