Practice Policies and Consent for Treatment
To make things run as smoothly as possible, here are the policies for my practice:
Business Hours:
Monday - Friday by appointment – hours vary
Closed Saturday and Sunday
Rho Wellness is not open on weekends, holidays, or vacations. Please call the office if you plan on stopping by between 12pm-1pm to confirm the office will be open. If you have an emergency after hours, you will need to be seen at the nearest emergency room.
Appointment scheduling:
Please use the online appointment scheduler whenever possible. You may also call the office if that works better for you. Please note that if I am with another patient, I may not be able to get your call or message until the end of the office day. If you leave a message, I will do my best to return your call within 48 business hours. Same-day sick visits are often available, please call for availability. Any abnormal test results will be discussed either by in-person appointment or phone appointment. Please schedule a 60 min appointment whenever reviewing test results with me, as your education is a huge part of my work with you.
Telemedicine is available through your secure patient portal. Telemedicine is only available to patients living in Virginia. If an exam is recommended based on the telemedicine visit, I will recommend follow-up in office.
Email:
If you choose to communicate with me via Email regarding your health or private information, please complete the Email consent and use the email address melinda@rhowellness.com for any correspondence regarding your care. I recommend using your ChARM patient portal for secure communication. I am happy to answer a follow-up question by Email or your ChARM patient portal. However, if you have several questions, I suggest you schedule a follow-up appointment. Please allow three business days for me to respond to your email or ChARM messages.
Insurance:
I want to be free to spend as much time as possible doing what is best for my patients, rather than being constrained to unrealistic time limits enforced by insurance companies. Therefore, I do not bill insurance for you. At each appointment, you will be given a document called a Superbill, to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. Your reimbursement will be based on your individual health insurance plan and policies. I cannot guarantee that any service (appointment, labs, or other testing) will be covered for you. If you have any concerns, it is best to contact your insurance company for advice and coverage information in advance of any service or procedure. If your insurance requires me to prepare a pre-authorization or any other extra paperwork, there will be a fee of $100/hour for my time, depending on time spent. Rho Wellness will not call your insurance for you.
Late Arrivals for Appointments:
I try very hard to be on time for my appointments and I ask the same of you. If I am running late, please know that it is likely because another patient needed more help that day. I promise to give you the time for your needs. If you are late, I may not be able to give you your entire appointment time if there is someone scheduled after you.
Medical Records:
Should you need a copy of your medical records, there will be a $30 processing fee. A copy of your results will be uploaded to your patient portal after they have been reviewed. I recommend you keep a binder or folder with all your test results so you can track your progress and access them whenever needed.
No-Show Policy:
I do not pack my schedule with appointments, so when someone misses an appointment, it really affects my small business. Therefore, I do need to charge you for your full appointment amount when you no-show without prior notice. Please allow me a 24-hour notice for cancellations and rescheduling whenever possible and I will do my best to do the same for you.
Payment:
Payments are made at the time of service. Cash, check, credit cards, Flex Spending, and Health Savings Accounts are accepted for all services. There is a $30 fee for returned checks.
Refill Request:
Certain medications will require a follow-up appointment in order to be given additional refills. If a refill is authorized, this will be faxed to your pharmacy. The most helpful thing you can do is ask your pharmacy to fax a refill request to the office. Please allow 48 business hours for refill requests to be called in or faxed to your pharmacy.
Testing:
Much of the testing ordered will be routine lab testing that is customarily covered by many insurance plans. Specialty testing may also be ordered. Please verify with your insurance plan regarding coverage for testing. I cannot guarantee coverage or reimbursement for any testing ordered. If you are ever in doubt of coverage, please contact your insurance agency prior to undergoing any testing. Every effort will be made to order testing that is affordable to you.
I will draw most of your labs in the office. Many labs will be fasting and drawn early in the day. Hormone testing and food sensitivity testing must be drawn by 12:00 so that it can be frozen prior to shipment at 3:45 daily. Should you require non-fasting lab, please be aware that in order to process your blood properly, all testing must be completed by 3pm.
Weather:
For your safety and mine. I will likely reschedule your appointment with me on days of inclement weather.
Consent for Treatment:
I authorize, Melinda Rhoads, CNM, her assistants and/or designee to administer any treatment as may be necessary or advisable in my diagnosis and treatment with Rho Wellness, LLC. This authorization includes but is not limited to medical services, exam, laboratory testing, diagnostic procedures, medications, nutritional supplements, herbal supplement, nutrition counseling, injections, and other services or procedures which my provider considers necessary. My healthcare provider, Melinda Rhoads, CNM, will discuss with me the risks, benefits, and alternative treatments. I understand that healthcare services may be rendered by nurses or medical assistants under supervision. I acknowledge that no promises or guarantees have been made to me regarding treatment or services rendered by the practice.
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Printed Patient’s Name
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Patient’s Signature Date
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Witness Date