This Informed Consent for Telehealth services contains important information focusing on tele-behavioral health/tele-speech language services provided by phone or the Internet. It is a supplement to a previously signed Consent for Treatment.
BENEFITS AND RISKS OF TELECOUNSELING
Telehealth refers to services provided remotely using telecommunications technologies, such as video conferencing or telephone. There are benefits as well as risks to telehealth services.
-Risks to confidentiality. When sessions take place outside of a private office, there is potential for other people to overhear sessions. It is important to protect the privacy of a session on your cell phone or other device. You should participate in a room or area where other people are not present and cannot overhear the conversation.
-Issues related to technology. There are many ways that technology issues might impact telecounseling. For example, technology may stop working during a session, other people might be able to get access to private conversations, or stored data could be accessed by unauthorized people or companies.
-Crisis management and intervention. Telehealth visits are not designed for clients/families in crisis situations.
-Efficacy. Most research demonstrates that in many cases telehealth visits can be as effective as in-person treatment.
-These services require some technical competence.
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS
We will decide with you which telehealth service to use. You may have to have certain computer or cell phone systems to use telecounseling services. You are solely responsible for any cost to you to obtain any necessary equipment, accessories, or software to take part in telecounseling.
For communication between sessions, email exchanges should be limited to administrative matters only. This includes things like setting and changing appointments, billing matters, and other related issues. You should be aware that there is no guarantee of confidentiality of any information communicated by email or text. Email may not checked regularly, nor responded to immediately. Therefore, these methods should not be used in emergency situations.
If there is an emergency that cannot wait, please text (503) 757-2281.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Best efforts will be made to protect all communications that are a part of a telehealth visit. However, the nature of electronic communication presents some privacy risks and considerations. You should also take reasonable steps to ensure the security of communications (for example, only using secure networks for telecounseling sessions and having passwords to protect the device you use for telecounseling).
Confidentiality and the exceptions to confidentiality outlined in the Informed Consent you signed previously still apply.
If a session is interrupted for any reason, such as the technological connection fails, an effort will be made to reconnect with you. However, if you are having an emergency, call 911, or go to your nearest emergency room. Call back after you have called or obtained emergency services.
FEES
The same fee rates will apply for telehealth as apply for in-office visits. Please contact me for information on rates.
RECORDS
The telecounseling sessions shall not be audio/visually recorded in any way unless agreed to in writing by mutual consent. A record of the session will be maintained in the same manner as records for in-person sessions.
