APPOINTMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS
Please remember to cancel or reschedule 24 hours in advance. Cancellations and re-scheduled sessions will be subject to a $100 charge if NOT RECEIVED AT LEAST 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE. This is necessary because a time commitment is made to you and is held exclusively for you. If you are late for a session, you will likely lose some of that session time. If you are more than 15 minutes late to a sixty minute session and do not contact your provider, the session will be automatically cancelled and late cancellation fee will apply.
A $50 service charge will be charged for any checks returned for any reason for special handling. This is to cover bank fees and time lost to resolving issues with returned checks.

TELEPHONE ACCESSIBILITY 
If you need to contact me between sessions, email is best. If you prefer to call, please leave a message on my voicemail. I am often not immediately available; however, I will attempt to return your call within 48 hours. If a true emergency situation arises, please call 911 or any local emergency room.

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION
I cannot ensure the confidentiality of any form of communication through electronic media, including text messages. If you prefer to communicate via email or text messaging for issues regarding scheduling or cancellations, I will do so. While I may try to return text messages in a timely manner, I cannot guarantee immediate response and request that you do not use these methods of communication to discuss session/nutrition content and/or request assistance for emergencies. Email is the preferred form of communication and should be utilized for most all interactions outside of scheduling. Therefore, billing questions and issues should be communicated via email correspondence whenever possible. Services by electronic means, including, but not limited to, telephone communication, the Internet, facsimile machines, and e-mail is considered telemedicine. It is a tool in medical practice, not a separate form of medicine. If you and your dietitian choose to use information technology for some or all of your treatment, you need to understand that:

1. You retain the option to withhold or withdraw consent at any time without affecting the right to future care or treatment or risking the loss or withdrawal of any program benefits to which you would otherwise be entitled.

2. All existing confidentiality protections are equally applicable.

3. Your access to all medical information transmitted during a telemedicine consultation is guaranteed, and copies of this information are available for a reasonable fee.

4. Dissemination of any of your identifiable images or information from the telemedicine interaction to researchers or other entities shall not occur without your consent.

5. There are potential risks, consequences, and benefits of telemedicine. Potential benefits include, but are not limited to improved communication capabilities, providing convenient access to up-to-date information, consultations, support, reduced costs, improved quality, change in the conditions of practice, improved access to treatment, better continuity of care, and reduction of lost work time and travel costs. Effective treatment is often facilitated when the healthcare provider gathers within a session or a series of sessions, a multitude of observations, information, and experiences about the client. The provider may make assessments, diagnosis, and interventions based not only on direct verbal or auditory communications, written reports, and third person consultations, but also from direct visual and olfactory observations, information, and experiences. When using information technology in services, potential risks include, but are not limited to the provider’s inability to make visual and olfactory observations of clinically or therapeutically potentially relevant issues such as: your physical condition including deformities, apparent height and weight, body type, gait and motor coordination, posture, work speed, any noteworthy mannerism or gestures, physical or medical conditions including bruises or injuries, basic grooming and hygiene including appropriateness of dress, eye contact (including any changes in the previously listed issues), sex, chronological and apparent age, ethnicity, facial and body language, and congruence of language and facial or bodily expression. Potential consequences thus include the provider not being aware of what he or she would consider important information, that you may not recognize as significant to present verbally to the provider.

MINORS
If you are a minor, your parents may be legally entitled to some information about your treatment. I will discuss with you and your parents what information is appropriate for them to receive and which issues are more appropriately kept confidential.

TERMINATION
Ending relationships can be difficult. Therefore, it is important to have a termination process in order to achieve some closure. The appropriate length of the termination depends on the length and intensity of the treatment. I may terminate treatment after appropriate discussion with you and a termination process if I determine that the treatment is not being effectively used or if you are in default on payment. I will not terminate the therapeutic relationship without first discussing and exploring the reasons and purpose of terminating. If treatment is terminated for any reason or you request another provider, I will provide you with a list of qualified Registered Dietitian Nutritionists to treat you. You may also choose someone on your own or from another referral source