Email Communication Policy
Statement of Understanding
You are welcome to communicate with us by email. You can reach our support staff at . You may also communicate basic information with your therapist directly by email, but it is preferred that you instead communicate with them by using our web portal (talk to your therapist or support staff for details).
Please be aware of our policies regarding the use of email:
1. PHA assumes no responsibility for breeches in security or privacy that may result in the exchange of information via email. If you choose to communicate with your therapist via email, be mindful that you do so at your own risk, and that in so doing you agree to assume full responsibility for any awkwardness or consequences that may ensue as a result of breeched privacy issues.
2. Please do not use email for anything more than simply passing on general information (e.g., your physician’s contact information, clarifying the time of an appointment, etc.). Discussion of clinical issues is strongly discouraged. If you do wish to send a message containing clinical or personal information, please do not send such a message by email: please use PHA's messaging portal. Messages sent through the portal are encrypted and 100% secure.
3. Be assured that we do read all messages if they are received; however, your therapist will likely refrain from the discussion of clinical information or giving counsel by email or through our messaging portal. Do not be offended by this.
4. Messages that take more than 5 minutes to reply to will be billed as a professional service.
5. Do not assume when you send an email to us that we have received it. If you do not get an acknowledgement response, the likelihood is that we did not receive it.
6. Canceling a scheduled appointment by email is helpful, but is neither reliable nor sufficient. Always call in cancellation notices to our office. If you send a cancellation notice by email and your therapist does respond, assume he or she did not receive it. In such instances, understand that you will be responsible for the cost of that session as an unkept appointment.
Remember that cancellations need to be called in to the office by 10:00 am on the workday preceding the scheduled appointment.
Signed: ______Date: ______