Based on current information, we anticipate using telemental health, predominatly HIPAA-compliant video conferencing, for all appointments, including sessions with children and EMDR therapy, at least through the end of April. Efforts to slow the impact of COVID-19 through social distancing are vital; we are also sad about not being able to be in the office with our clients. We are doing our very best to make telemental health appointments as effective and enjoyable as possible in the meantime. Thank you for bearing with us while we adjust to some of the technological glitches that come with an exponentially larger load being placed on the platforms providing this service.
Right now, we are using Google Meet as our primary provider for telemental health. Through G Suite for Business, Google Meet is HIPAA-compliant and protects client privacy while also providing a high quality means of communication. Clients still receive general appointment reminders 48 hours in advance of their session, with a follow-up invitation to their Google Meet appointment about 24 hours in advance containing a link they simply click on at their appointment time to join their therapist. Google Meet can be accessed via a web browser (https://meet.google.com/_meet) or by downloading the Hangouts Meet by Google app onto a mobile device (make sure you download Hangouts Meet by Google, not just Hangouts). To ensure your privacy, we encourage clients to log on from a quiet room in their home that has a door they can close (or even from their car!) and to use headphones or ear buds that will connect with their computer or mobile device.
Clients can request a call with their therapist in advance of their appointment, if they would like assistance setting up and/or testing their ability to use Google Meet; clients can schedule a call through the client portal to do this or can just call their therapist directly and leave a message with some dates and times they are available.
If at the time of your appointment, Google Meet is having significant technical trouble, clients and therapists will have the option of switching over to Doxy.me, another HIPAA-compliant telemedicine platform we utilize. Should this be necessary, therapists will assist clients in connecting with them on the Doxy.me site.
Clients who have been, or wish to, submit superbills to their insurance company as part of an out-of-network claim can still do so for telemental health services; however, benefits may not be the same for telemental health as for face-to-face sessions. We encourage clients to contact their insurance company to verify what telemental health benefits are available to them from an out-of-network provider; if asked for CPT codes, the primary ones to provide are 90791-95 (if you are a new client) and 90834-95, with 90837-95, 90847-95, 90846-95, 90853-95, and 90832-95 also possibly being used depending upon your treatment plan. Talk with your therapist if you have questions or need assistance with conversations with your insurance company.
We are looking forward to connecting with each of our clients in ways that are meaningful and creative via telemental health. We have all experienced an incredibly rapid amount of change and disruption in a short period of time, and we're here to care for any and all of our clients experiencing increased anxiety, feelings of isolation, or other mental health stressors. If you have any questions or concerns, just give us a call at 404.394.1096.
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