What to Expect as a New Patient

Thank you for your interest in The Behavioral Wellness Group. We want to make this process as thorough, but efficient as possible. So, there are a few items to check out first before scheduling an appointment with our office.

  1. If you haven't already selected a provider, you can review a list of our providers by clicking here. You can view pictures and read about backgrounds before making your choice or you may call our office to speak with an Intake Specialist for more information.
  2. Next, you can click here to see if we take your insurance. If you want to know if our facility and a provider are in network, please call the member services number on the back of your insurance card.
  3. In order to schedule your first appointment, please call us at 440-392-2222 and press option #1. There will be questions we need to ask which will help us match you with an appropriate therapist.
  4. We can be reached Mon - Fri between 8am and 5pm.
  5. Please have your insurance card available at the time of your call. If we are not able to take your call please be assured we will call you back within 24-48 hours.

 

Please bring the following to your first appointment, or if you are being seen virtually, the following items are required:

  1. Photo ID
  2. Insurance card (front and back copies are required)
  3. Custody, POA or guardianship paperwork (if applicable)
  4. Online paperwork must be completed

 

We look forward to having you join The Behavioral Wellness Group Family!

Welcome!

PATIENT STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING

The choice to begin treatment is an important decision. Thank you for placing your confidence in BWG and your provider. In order to facilitate the process, we have created some guidelines below. Please note that in our commitment to assisting you with your treatment goals, we welcome open discussion about your treatment and progress throughout  this process. 

POLICY:  

It is the policy of The Behavioral Wellness Group (BWG) to provide access to medications that support the maximum functioning of the persons served while reducing specific symptoms and minimizing the impact of side effects, as well as to monitor the use of controlled substances.  

The Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System (OARRS), a tool to track the dispensing and personal furnishing of controlled prescription drugs to patients, will be used by BWG.  To ensure this policy is fully realized, The Behavioral Wellness Group will enhance services through detailed and comprehensive Pharmacotherapy policies and procedures.  

 

PROCEDURES: 

     INITIAL APPOINTMENTS: Initial appointments range from 60 to 120 minutes depending on the provider. 

     FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENTS: Follow-up appointments range from 15 to 45 minutes.  

     MEDICATION MANAGEMENT: Medication may be prescribed as part of the treatment.  Emotional and physical effects to be expected will be explained. Please call Medical Services if you experience any unexpected changes. Services are occasionally provided in addition to the regularly scheduled medication appointments. These might include consulting with other physicians or therapists, telephone consultations, providing reports, or completing  forms for referral sources, insurance companies, and attorneys. The fees for these professional services range from $25 to $310.00 (please speak directly with your provider), depending on the service code.  

  • New patient (including Self pay) $310.00 - $450.00
  • Follow-up (including Self pay) $200.00 - $330.00
  • No Show/Late Cancel Fee $40.00 - $95.00 
  • Prescription Fee $25.00 - $30.00 
  • Paperwork Fee (depending on length/time) $25.00 - $50.00 

All persons receiving medications will be required to have a regularly scheduled visit with their prescriber, as determined by the prescriber. If you have any questions regarding the fees listed above, please speak with your prescriber.

The Behavioral Wellness Group will ensure that all persons served receive optimal pharmacotherapy services and monitoring of controlled substances.

You will always be provided with prescriptions for enough medication to last until your next appointment. If an error appears to have been made, please contact the office directly as electronic prescription requests from pharmacies and refill requests called in/faxed by a pharmacy will not be honored.  

If those regularly scheduled visits are not kept and a medication refill is called in to BWG Medical Services: 

  •  that medication will be refilled for a fee of $25 - $30
  • a follow-up appointment will be scheduled
  • only sufficient medication to last until that follow-up appointment will be provided
  • please note that refills include any/all medications EXCEPT controlled substance, as these will NOT be refilled between office visits

 

NO SHOWS/LATE CANCELLATIONS: 

*A full 24 business hours’ notice is required for cancellations* 

Payments for late cancels/no-shows will be expected at or before the next scheduled appointment. If you have an emergency and must cancel, please speak with your prescriber directly about the possibility of negating the charge prior to the cancellation. THE PATIENT, NOT THE INSURANCE COMPANY, WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING FOR APPOINTMENTS CANCELED WITH LESS THAN 24 BUSINESS HOURS NOTICE. By signing this Patient Statement of Understanding, you agree to pay for any missed appointments via check or credit card. 

TELEPHONE HOURS: Medical Services office hours are 9:00am to 4:00pm, Monday through Thursday and 9:00am to 3:30pm Fridays. Voice mail messages will be returned as soon as possible, generally within 72 business hours.  

EMERGENCIES: For extreme emergencies such as: self-destructive intent, alcohol or drug intoxication, severe medication reactions or loss of contact with reality, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately. 

URGENT ISSUES: For after-hours urgent issues such as medication side effects, please leave a message for Medical Services. Medication refills are not emergency or urgent issues. 

TESTS AND PRESCRIPTIONS: Special tests are sometimes necessary to help diagnose psychological or medical disorders or to help determine whether an emotional problem has physical elements or a physical cause. The use of certain medications will require periodic blood tests. Most medication issues require a face-to-face evaluation. Refills of prescriptions will be issued at the time of your follow-up visit 

“PRIVATE PAY” PATIENTS: Fees are generally based upon the length of time of a session.  While some insurance companies reimburse the patient for psychiatric care, the payment of the bill is the patient’s responsibility. Please make full payment at the time of each appointment. If you have insurance that will reimburse you, submit a copy of your receipt and bill to the insurance company for reimbursement. 

PAYMENTS / “CONTRACTED” INSURANCE: If we are a contracted provider with your insurance carrier, BWG staff will submit the charges for services and accept payment by that company. Any self-pay, contracted deductible, co-payment, coinsurance or partial payment that is the insured’s responsibility will be collected at the time of service.

BILLING: For billing issues, contact Kathy Long at 330-523-7231. 

CONFIDENTIALITY: Your accumulated medical records are confidential except under special legal circumstances. Information contained in them will not be released to anyone without written consent from you, the patient. Please ask me if you have any questions. 

TERMINATION OF CARE: Termination of care may occur by mutual consent, completion of treatment, or for your failure to keep your appointments or pay for services. If you do not contact your prescriber for more than three months and make no follow-up appointments, your care will be terminated unless you have made verbal arrangements for continuation of  your treatment with your BWG prescriber. 

CONFIDENTIALITY: To protect your confidentiality, if our paths cross outside of this office, I will not initiate contact with you.