Information for Current Patients
- Vacation Coverage Information
- Vacation Schedule 2008
- Cancellation Policy
- Payment Policy
- Psychiatric Emergencies
Vacation Schedule and Vacation Coverage
Whenever I go on vacation, I leave instructions on my office telephone (734-663-2485) on how to deal with emergencies and with urgent care problems. The emergency instructions are the same as those listed on this page under Psychiatric Emergencies. I always arrange for a colleague of mine in Ann Arbor to be available on an urgent care basis (i.e. an appointment usually within 48 hours) if you have a problem that cannot wait until I return. The name and phone number of that covering therapist will be on my office telephone message and will be listed below on the Vacation Schedule just prior to the vacation. In addition, I invite you to call me on my cell phone for any urgent care problem when I am on vacation in this country. For security reasons, I do not list my cell phone on this WEB site, but it appears on your monthly bill. Always feel free to ask me for my cell phone number if you have lost it or do not recall it. When this urgent care cell phone option is not available, I will say so on my telephone message and I will note it below on my vacation schedule.
Winter Vacation Week: Saturday February 23, 2008-Sunday, March 2, 2008 (Note: These dates coincide with the University of Michigan and the Ann Arbor Public School winter breaks.)
First day for resuming appointments: Monday, March 3, 2008
URGENT CARE COVERAGE: Arthur Brickman, Ph.D. (734) 662-2255. Dr. Brickman’s office is located in the same building where my office is located, Maynard House.
PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY: SEE INSTRUCTIONS AT BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE
Spring Vacation: Wednesday April 30-Tuesday, May 20, 2008*.
First day for resuming appointments: Wednesday, May 21, 2008
URGENT CARE COVERAGE: Arthur Brickman, Ph.D. (734) 662-2255. Dr. Brickman’s office is located in the same building where my office is located, Maynard House.
PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY: SEE INSTRUCTIONS AT BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE
Summer Vacation and Holiday Schedule
1. Friday, June 13, 2008
I will make extra times available earlier in the week for patients who wish to re-schedule canceled appointments.
2. Week of Monday, July 14-Friday, July 18, 2008
First day for resuming appointments: Monday, July 21, 2008
URGENT CARE COVERAGE: Dr. Arthur Brickman at (734) 662-2255.
PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY: SEE INSTRUCTIONS AT BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE
3. Labor Day: Monday September 3, 2007
Fall Vacation and Holidays
1. Thursday, October 23, 2008-Monday, October 27, 2008
I will make extra times available for patients who wish to re-schedule these canceled appointments, earlier in the week for missed Thursday and Friday appointments.
First day for resuming appointments: Tuesday, October 28, 2008
URGENT CARE COVERAGE: Irv Leon, Ph.D. (734) 662-2055. Dr. Leon’s’s office is located at 2311 E. Stadium Boulevard.
PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY: SEE INSTRUCTIONS AT BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE
2. Thanksgiving: Thursday and Friday, November 27-28, 2008
I will make extra times available earlier in the week for patients who wish to re-schedule these canceled appointments
3. Christmas: Thursday, December 25, 2008
*On these occasions I cannot be reached on my cell phone; urgent care situations must be handled through the therapist providing urgent care-back up. On all other occasions, you may call me on my cell phone.
I bill if sessions are canceled with less than forty-eight hour notice. (Exception: if we meet regularly on a two or three times a week basis and you tell me in your session that you are canceling your next session, I will not bill for it even if the canceled session is less than forty-eight hours away). If you call before the missed session, I will make a good-faith effort to find a make-up time that occurs in the following day or two and that works for both of us; I will then only bill for the make-up session and not the missed session. If I cannot find a suitable make-up session time or if you do not call before your missed session, I then bill for the missed session. Please note that insurance companies do not pay for missed sessions, so if you rely on your insurance, you will now face a full fee bill. If you any questions about how this policy works or why I have it, please feel free to ask me. (See also Question 7 on the FAQ page for a general comment on cancellation policies in therapy).
I bill all my regular patients on a once a month basis. At our last session of the month, I will hand you the bill for the month. Payment is due at the next session, our first of the next month. If you are absent from this first session of the next month, please mail in your payment. If you have Aetna or Blue Cross insurance, I will bill them directly and you will only pay your co-pay and/or your deductible. Finally, if you are planning to seek reimbursement from another insurance or from a medical savings account, a master medical plan, etc., please let me know and I will present you a bill formatted for those needs.
Psychiatric emergencies are extremely rare events. A psychiatric emergency is a situation where you think you can no longer keep yourself or others safe from your own actions or a situation where you are unable to care for yourself in the most basic, minimal ways. First try to call me on my cell phone. If I am not immediately available and you are not safe go immediately and directly to the nearest hospital emergency room, which will provide safe and timely treatment.
