I mentioned in a previous post that one of the things you can do when you don’t yet have all the clients that you want is to get your office policies in order.  What I meant to say is . . . whatever you do . . . don’t think of waiting until your first client walks in the door to begin thinking about your office policies and procedures. Do it now!

Here’s a few things to consider concerning your own policies. . . .

• Appointments
  • How are they made?
  • How long do they last?
  • How should they be canceled?
  • Do you want to stipulate anything related to no shows and patterns of last minute cancellations?
• Fees
  • What do you charge?
  • What do you accept as payment – cash, check, credit / debit cards?
  • Will you accept bartering?
  • Do you offer sliding scales, reduced fees, or other accommodations due to financial difficulties?
  • Do you bill clients and what does that entail?
• Insurance / Managed Care
  • Do you file directly with insurance?
  • How do you handle co-payments?
  • Which, if any, managed care panels are you on?

• Inclement Weather
  • How will clients learn about office closures and appointment cancellations during bad weather?
• Client – Therapist Relationship
  • What, if any, gifts will you accept from clients?
  • How will you handle running into clients at social events or in public?
  • What, if any, and where is client-initiated contact permitted between sessions?
  • What do you want to say about dual relationships?
• Plans for Your Own Incapacity or Death
  • Who will notify your clients?
  • Who will have access to their records?
• Record Management
  • Who has access to client records?
  • How are they protected?
  • How long do you keep records?
  • How are they destroyed?

Remember, your regulating bodies, state and national laws, and your professional organizations’ codes of ethics will impact all of your office policies.  Once you get them hammered out, you need to decide how you want to present this information to your clients.  (I choose to include them as part of my disclosure statement.You may choose to present it this way or as an entirely different document.)

I’m thinking that this is a good list to get you started. Are there other things that you think should be included here?  If so, leave me a comment to let me know!