General Clinic Policies

BASIC REQUIREMENTS TO BECOME A PATIENT:

You must be at least 18 years of age (Tasha’s license is for adults only)

You must be located in Oregon or Washington state due to licensing laws.

Understand that if Tasha Searles feels any aspect of your care is better suited for a different practitioner, or if something is out of their scope of practice they will let you know and do their best to provide a referral to a more suitable provider.

Tasha is not a primary care provider (PCP). If you do not already have a PCP we will recommend you establish with one, and will do our best to assist you in this process.

INSURANCE: 

Tasha Searles is considered an out of network provider with all insurance companies. 

We do not submit to insurance for reimbursement, but this is something you can do on your own.

Some insurances have good out of network benefits and some do not; contact your insurance company to find out how out of network benefits work for your plan. Common visit codes used are: 99205, 99204, 99215, 99214, 99213 (sometimes insurance asks about this when you call to ask about coverage).

Superbill:  After your visit is complete we will provide you a “super-bill” via the patient portal. 

The Superbill is like a receipt, but also will contain diagnosis code(s) from the visit, visit type code, and provider licensing information. You can submit this to your insurance company and request reimbursement. Please note, we cannot guarantee reimbursement as all insurances are different and some do not include out of network coverage. 

Medicare: At this time, Tasha Searles is unable to see clients who hold any type of Medicare insurance (secondary or primary).

Medicaid: At this time, Tasha Searles is generally unable to see patients with Oregon Medicaid, there may be some exceptions to this. If you hold Oregon Medicaid you must let Tasha know prior to scheduling. 

Orders for labs, medicines, imaging, etc. are generally covered by insurance if you go to a facility preferred by your insurance company, though we can’t guarantee coverage. 

APPOINTMENT COSTS & CANCELLATIONS: 

New patient appointment cost is due prior to your appointment time. When your appointment is confirmed a bill will be generated, please pay prior to your appointment time. 

Follow-up appointments will be billed after your visit, please plan to pay within 1 week unless prior arrangements have been agreed upon in writing.  

Patients will be asked to place a card on file in order to secure an appointment spot. This card will only be used if you cancel with less than 48 hours notice or no show an appointment (see below). The exception to this is we are able to automatically charge this card for follow-up appointments, if you wish.

Before follow-up appointments you will receive a pre-visit questionnaire, you can select on this form if you would like us to automatically charge your card on file, or if you would like us to send you a bill. 

Cancellations: If your appointment is canceled with less than 48 hours notice you will incur a $50 late cancellation fee charged to your card on file.  If you have already paid, you will be reimbursed all except the $50 late cancellation fee, or can apply the difference to your next appointment. Please give as much notice as possible when canceling or rescheduling your appointment. If you have multiple late cancellations or no-shows your care may be terminated.

Reminders: Appointments are the responsibility of the patient. Our automated appointment reminder email is a courtesy, please do not rely on it alone. If you would like to opt-out of appointment reminders you can do this on the patient portal, or ask your provider for assistance.

Appointment Length: Having the full time allotted is necessary for your provider to give you adequate care. If you arrive late to your appointment you will be seen for the time remaining in your visit, but may need to schedule a follow-up appointment if all of your concerns are not addressed. In the event that your provider is late to see you, please know that they will make up the time with you to ensure the length of your appointment is not decreased. 

Appointment costs:

New patient 90 minute appointment: $250

Regular 50 minute follow-up: $175

Quick 25 minute follow-up: $125

SLIDING SCALE/ REDUCED RATE APPOINTMENTS: We are able to offer a select number of reduced rate appointments to patients with this need. If you are unable to afford the above costs, please let us know and we will send you more details. Arrangements for reduced rate appointments must be made prior to scheduling.

SCHEDULING APPOINTMENTS: New patients can request an appointment by completing the prospective patient form under “contact & scheduling” on our website. Established patients can request an appointment through the patient portal.

PATIENT PORTAL: The patient portal will be your primary way of communicating with us. Through the portal you can send secure messages to Tasha, review your past visit notes, see results, schedule appointments, and make payments. 

RECORDS: All patient records are released on the patient portal for your personal use and so you may easily share with other providers. This includes all visit notes, questionnaires, results, and more. Once your visit note is complete it will be visible on the patient portal and included in your visit summary report.

TELEHEALTH VIDEO VISITS: All visits are currently conducted via telehealth. The platform we use is a hipaa compliant Zoom integrated into the Charm patient portal. The link to join can be found under “appointments” on your patient portal, though the actual link to join may not appear until 30 minutes prior to your visit. Given that Creative Thriving is a telehealth only practice, if it is felt an in-person physical examination is needed you would be informed of such and advised to follow-up with your primary care provider, or in emergent situations the emergency department or urgent care.

ORDERS & PRESCRIBING: Lab, Imaging, and Medication orders are typically only placed during appointments. Please be mindful as to when you are due for a refill and schedule an appointment. Typically medications will be ordered with refills to last 3-6 months, but this will be discussed in your appointment and individualized based upon what is appropriate for you.

PRESCRIBING HISTORY: To make sure you stay safe and don’t encounter medication interactions, Tasha regularly checks past prescription history using Surescripts (program integrated into Charm that allows viewing of the past year of prescription fills) and state Prescription Drug Monitoring Program websites when controlled substances are prescribed. By consenting to care, you are agreeing that it is okay for Tasha to look at past medication history.

RESULTS: Results from diagnostic testing such as labs & imaging are discussed in appointments to be sure you get the best possible care. If any results require immediate action, Tasha Searles will call you to discuss. Non-urgent abnormal results will be discussed in your follow-up appointment (Often results may be out of what the lab deems “normal range” but are fine from a medical safety perspective to wait until your appointment to discuss).

PAPERWORK & FORMS: Any forms needing completed will require an appointment. Please fill out what you can complete on your own and then upload to the portal prior to your appointment. 

PRIOR AUTHORIZATIONS: Medications, imaging, or other orders requiring a prior authorization may or may not require an additional appointment, this is decided on an individual basis depending on information needed. 

PAST MEDICAL RECORDS: Tasha has access to OHSU, Legacy, Labcorp, & Quest Diagnostics record systems. Sometimes records from Providence, Kaiser, Swedish, University of Washington, and other facilities are viewable through these portals, but not always. By consenting to care, you are agreeing it is okay for Tasha to review your past records in order to provide you with the best care possible. 

EMERGENCY PLANNING: As Creative Thriving is a small, solo-practitioner, practice it is especially important to have solid emergency plans in place & communicated to ensure that all care needs are met as best possible.

Tasha Searles is not a primary care provider. All patients should have a primary care provider. We do not see patients for acute illness or injury, urgent needs, or preventative care. Any urgent or emergency health concerns should be addressed through your primary care provider, urgent care, or emergency department. If you have an emergency, please call 911 for immediate assistance. 

Additional mental health resources can be helpful to keep on hand in case of a crisis, see below for a few options:

Mental Health Crisis Hotline: 988

Crisis Text Line: Text ‘HOME’ to 741741 

Trans Lifeline (Trans peer support): 877-565-8860 (translifeline.org)

Oregon -county specific: https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/PREVENTIONWELLNESS/SAFELIVING/SUICIDEPREVENTION/Pages/crisislines.aspx

Washington -county specific: 

https://www.hca.wa.gov/assets/program/county-crisis-line-phone-numbers.pdf

In the case of a power outage or weather emergency in which Tasha Searles is unable to access the internet suitable for telehealth we will do our best to notify you via telephone and patient portal message.

In the unlikely case that the patient portal is not working, we will do our best to contact you via phone. If this is not possible, we will do our best to update our website “current client” page with instructions.

In the case of a personal emergency in which Tasha Searles is unable to see you for your appointment or provide care you will be notified via the telephone and patient portal message by Tasha Searles or assistant. In the unlikely case that your care is interrupted for more than a few days we recommend you follow-up with your primary care provider to determine the best care plan.

COMMUNICATION POLICIES

Contacting Tasha

When you need to contact Tasha Searles for any reason, these are the most effective ways to get in touch in a reasonable amount of time. The preferred method is the Charm EHR Patient portal.

Secure message through your Charm EHR Patient Portal

Phone (971-200-5226). You may leave messages on the voicemail, which is confidential. 

If you need to send a file such as a PDF, photo, or other document, this can be done through your Charm EHR Patient Portal. Two ways to do this, either is fine:

Click “documents”, upload, select file, upload & share, select Tasha Searles

Click “messages”, compose, Select “Tasha Searles” in to field, click paperclip on right side of message box, select file, add any message needed, press send. 

Online portal communication is limited to logistical or simple questions directly related to information discussed in appointment. New concerns or complex questions require an appointment to make sure you receive appropriate care. Tasha is unable to treat new health concerns or prescribe new medication without an appointment.

Please refrain from sending us messages using social media messaging systems such as Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. These methods have very poor security and we are not prepared to watch them closely for important messages from patients.

We welcome reviews & feedback. However, please be advised that if you opt to make an online review at sites such as Yelp, Google, Health Grades, etc. you may be compromising your own confidentiality through publicly identifying yourself as a patient. We do not reply to comments to protect your privacy. We are always striving to improve the patient experience. If you would like to give feedback about your care, we recommend you provide feedback using the contact form on our website https://www.creativethrivingllc.com/contact-form This contact form may be sent anonymously, or you can leave contact information if you would like us to follow up with you. You may also provide feedback through the patient portal.

It is important that we be able to communicate and also keep your information secure. Please speak with me about any concerns you have regarding preferred communication methods.

Response Time

I may not be able to respond to your messages and calls immediately. For voicemails and other messages, I do my best to respond within three business days. I respond to messages and calls Monday through Friday. I may occasionally reply more quickly than that or on weekends, but please be aware that this will not always be possible. Be aware that there may be times when I am unable to receive or respond to messages, such as when out of cellular range or out of town, I will alert you ahead of time if this is the case. 

Disclosure Regarding Third-Party Access to Communications

Please know that if we use electronic communications methods, such as email, texting, online video, and possibly others, there are various technicians and administrators who maintain these services and may have access to the content of those communications. In some cases, these accesses are more likely than in others.

Of special consideration are work email addresses. If you use your work email to communicate with me (including using work email to register for the patient portal), your employer may access these email communications. There may be similar issues involved in school email or other email accounts associated with organizations that you are affiliated with. Additionally, people with access to your computer, mobile phone, and/or other devices may also have access to your email and/or text messages. Please take a moment to contemplate the risks involved if any of these persons were to access the messages we exchange with each other. 

It is also important to note that when you use a Credit or Debit Card to pay for appointments the name of the business or provider may appear on credit card or bank statements.

OUR COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVITY

Creative Thriving is committed to creating a welcoming and safe space for all, especially those of marginalized groups (neurodivergent, lgbtqia+, BIPOC, disabled, invisible illnesses, and more) to receive appropriate healthcare that is affirming & accommodating of individual needs. 

We are dedicated to advocating for the members of our community who are impacted by racism, institutional oppression, and white supremacy. We strive to provide compassionate, informed and equitable health care to the Black community, as well as indigenous groups, and other persons of color.

We strive to be a space that encourages exploration and self-determination of what wellness and thriving means in your individual life and look forward to collaborating with you to best meet your goals.

Notice of Privacy Practices

Your Information. Your Rights. Our Responsibilities.

This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully.

Your Rights

When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights. This section explains your rights and some of our responsibilities to help you.

Get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record 

• You can ask to see or get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information we have about you. Ask us how to do this. 

• We will provide a copy or a summary of your health information, usually within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.

• At Creative Thriving, LLC all of your records will be available to you on the patient portal. This means all visit notes, diagnostic results, prescriptions, and more will be available for you to view and download for personal use and to easily share with others on your healthcare team.

Ask us to correct your medical record

• You can ask us to correct health information about you that you think is incorrect or incomplete. Ask us how to do this.

• We may say “no” to your request, but we’ll tell you why in writing within 60 days.

Request confidential communications

• You can ask us to contact you in a specific way (for example, home or office phone) or to send mail to a different address. 

• We will say “yes” to all reasonable requests.

Ask us to limit what we use or share

• You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our operations. We are not required to agree to your request, and we may say “no” if it would affect your care.

• If you pay for a service or health care item out-of-pocket in full, you can ask us not to share that information for the purpose of payment or our operations with your health insurer. We will say “yes” unless a law requires us to share that information. Note: At Creative Thriving, LLC we do not bill insurance and will not submit information about you to your insurance company.

Get a list of those with whom we’ve shared information

• You can ask for a list (accounting) of the times we’ve shared your health information for six years prior to the date you ask, who we shared it with, and why.

• We will include all the disclosures except for those about treatment, payment, and health care operations, and certain other disclosures (such as any you asked us to make). We’ll provide one accounting a year for free but will charge a reasonable, cost-based fee if you ask for another one within 12 months.

Get a copy of this privacy notice

• You can ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive the notice electronically. We will provide you with a paper copy promptly.

Choose someone to act for you

• If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your health information.

• We will make sure the person has this authority and can act for you before we take any action.

File a complaint if you feel your rights are violated

• You can complain if you feel we have violated your rights by contacting us using the information on page 1.

• You can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by sending a letter to 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201, calling 1-877-696-6775, or visiting www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/.

• We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Your Choices

For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what we share. If you have a clear preference for how we share your information in the situations described below, talk to us. Tell us what you want us to do, and we will follow your instructions.

In these cases, you have both the right and choice to tell us to:

• Share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care

• Share information in a disaster relief situation

• Include your information in a hospital directory

If you are not able to tell us your preference, for example if you are unconscious, we may go ahead and share your information if we believe it is in your best interest. We may also share your information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

At Creative Thriving, LLC if you wish that we be able to speak to a family, close friend, or others involved in your care you will need to sign a form giving us this permission.  You will have an opportunity to do this on an upcoming page.

In these cases we never share your information unless you give us written permission:

• Marketing purposes

• Sale of your information

• Most sharing of psychotherapy notes

In the case of fundraising:

• We may contact you for fundraising efforts, but you can tell us not to contact you again.

Our Uses and Disclosures

How do we typically use or share your health information? 

We typically use or share your health information in the following ways.

Treat you

We can use your health information and share it with other professionals who are treating you.

Example: At Creative Thriving, LLC sometimes Tasha Searles may wish to consult with another healthcare provider on your team. Generally, Tasha Searles will let you know beforehand, but sometimes this is not possible. If there is a healthcare provider you wish we do not share information with, please let us know.

Run our organization

We can use and share your health information to run our practice, improve your care, and contact you when necessary.

Example: We use health information about you to manage your treatment and services. 

Bill for your services

We can use and share your health information to bill and get payment from health plans or other entities. (Note: At Creative Thriving, LLC we do not bill insurance or health plans)

How else can we use or share your health information? 

We are allowed or required to share your information in other ways – usually in ways that contribute to the public good, such as public health and research. We have to meet many conditions in the law before we can share your information for these purposes. For more information see: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/index.html.

Help with public health and safety issues

We can share health information about you for certain situations such as: 

• Preventing disease

• Helping with product recalls

• Reporting adverse reactions to medications

• Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence

• Preventing or reducing a serious threat to anyone’s health or safety

Do research

We can use or share your information for health research.

Please note, although the above is a federal guideline for wording of privacy policies, Creative Thriving, LLC does currently participate in any research. If this were to change in the future we would not share any of your information without a separate written consent. Any participation would be 100% voluntary. 

Comply with the law

We will share information about you if state or federal laws require it, including with the Department of Health and Human Services if it wants to see that we’re complying with federal privacy law.

Respond to organ and tissue donation requests

We can share health information about you with organ procurement organizations.

Work with a medical examiner or funeral director

We can share health information with a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when an individual dies.

Address workers’ compensation, law enforcement, and other government requests

We can use or share health information about you:

• For workers’ compensation claims

• For law enforcement purposes or with a law enforcement official

• With health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law

• For special government functions such as military, national security, and presidential protective services

Respond to lawsuits and legal actions

• We can share health information about you in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena.

Our Responsibilities

• We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information. 

• We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.

• We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy of it. 

• We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time. Let us know in writing if you change your mind. 

For more information see: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/noticepp.html.

Changes to the Terms of this Notice

We can change the terms of this notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new notice will be available upon request and on our website.