Concierge Services

Substance Abuse & Addiction Independent Medical Evaluations

Alternative Treatment

It is with great appreciation that I am able to have this opportunity to explore new possibilities within the healthcare industry and to discuss our current psychiatric services opportunities. Our service providers have been providers on all major insurance panels for almost 20 years.

In a sensitive climate, as it pertains to healthcare insurance, we have remained a formidable advocate for insurance payors and ensuring we continued to provide the best care possible regardless of fluctuating contracted rates and frequent nonpayment of services rendered, due mostly to the lack of knowledge of current contract parameters differentiating between Insurance providers. Which you can imagine can become frustrating while continuing to provide services to such a sensitive need base population(MentalHealthOutpatientCare).

In an effort of achieving positive results—and ensuring our organization gets paid what we deserve— it hinges on our ability to confidently advocate for ourselves and our patient’s health. We are frequently forced to make decisions on what services we are able to provide our patients not based solely on the need for care but rather on a valuation analysis of what our reimbursement rates are or the lack thereof based on particular procedural codes. We pride ourselves in providing optimal care to our patients with an integrated approach to behavioral health medicine. Working with our patient’s PCP’s, OBGYN, Neurologist, Internist etc. to coordinate a more effective treatment plan for the patient. We use tools such as the Georgia PDMP to monitor drug abuse of controlled substances. We also provide urine drug screenings to all of our patients who are on controlled substances. This protocol we have implemented has eliminated the possibility of negative drug interactions and side-effects while prescribing medications. Inadvertently assisted with our patient’s census of hospitalizations. Within the past 10 years, we have had 0 hospitalizations while a patient was under the care of our facility. We have a detailed intake screening process that determines if our facility is able to provide them with the best care. We also have had 0 emergency hospital admissions within the past 10 years. All of this is a collaborative effort to decrease liability for our organization as well as decrease insurance cost to the patients.

To create the kind of practice I want for patients, I operate a full-service, “concierge” psychiatry practice, as opposed to an insurance-driven one. This allows me to focus on quality over quantity and on personalized service and accessibility over volume.

THREE ADVANTAGES SET A CONCIERGE PRACTICE APART FROM AN INSURANCE-DRIVEN PSYCHIATRY MODEL:

OUR CLINICIANS WILL HAVE MORE TIME FOR YOU

Most importantly, I have fewer patients than an insurance-driven practice, which means I have more time for you. We will have ample time during your visit to discuss your concerns. I am also much more accessible between visits for your phone calls and emails. When you have a concern, you call me directly, and can expect to get a personal reply to your questions and concerns in a timely manner. If you want to be seen on a more urgent basis, I can schedule you within a day or two, and I can typically see new patients within a few days. I have flexible hours, and can provide telepsychiatry (web-based care) using our new TalkPHR app available to all concierge patients in appropriate situations.

WE TAILOR YOUR TREATMENT PLAN

Second, your treatment plan is tailored and chosen by us, not any third party. Simply, I work for you, with your best outcome in mind. In insurance-driven models, care is often split between multiple providers, with the psychiatric physician simply prescribing medication, and seeing multiple patients per hour. Though this model works for some patients, for many others, having a single clinician with ample time to listen, as well as the ability to flexibly utilize a variety of different tools (including psychotherapy) is a significant asset.

PAYMENT IS DIRECTLY TO THE PHYSICIAN

Finally, a defining feature of a concierge practice is that payment is direct to the physician. I am not a member of any insurance panels under the concierge services provided by Psychiatry of Atlanta and do not accept insurance payments. That said, many insurance companies provide what are called out-of-network benefits which allow you to be reimbursed directly for services rendered by me. I have an experienced practice nurse who will help you with this process if it is available to you. If you have insurance, please contact your insurance company directly to see if these benefits are part of your plan.

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