What to Expect
Therapy is effective for most people experiencing distress. Dr. Hann and his team understand that it takes courage to start a relationship with a therapist. We also understand that it's a lot of work, and we put the work in with you. As such, we strive to be organized, efficient and present so that our clients make the most out of each session. It's common for clients to experience strong emotions and memories during sessions, and we are experienced and able to support you through this process. We are honest with our clients, and for the client to get the most out of the treatment, honesty is important. The therapeutic relationship is key to the success of our treatment, and we promise a safe, confidential and judgement-free relationship. Most importantly, our therapy strives for results.
Confidentiality
Information contained in our files is not released without your informed written consent. This standard is adhered to in all circumstances, with the exception of circumstances where a psychologist is ethically and/or legally obligated to disclose information without your consent. Clinical files are maintained for a minimum of 10 years, after which they are destroyed. Only a record of a destroyed file is maintained after that time.
As part of their services at Dr. S. Gerald Hann Psychological Services, clients are asked to consent to the following conditions:
• Clients should be aware that details related to their sessions at the practice may be discussed with other members of the clinical team. Clinical consultation is standard practice at Dr. S. Gerald Hann Psychological Services and ensures effective and continuous service to our clients.
• Psychologists at our practice will not release information about your treatment or assessment to anyone outside of the professional relationship without your informed, voluntary, and written consent. Exceptions are outlined below.
• In certain exceptional circumstances, psychologists are ethically and legally required to disclose information to others without your consent. These circumstances include court order, suspicion of child/elder abuse, and instances where the client may pose an imminent threat of injury to themselves or others. In circumstances where there is an imminent threat, psychologists are ethically required to protect the person(s) in danger by informing police and/or other medical/clinical personnel.
Personal Health Information
As registered psychologists, we are committed to protecting the privacy of your personal health information. We collect, use, and disclose the personal health information you entrust to us for a number of purposes, which are summarized in this policy.
All psychologists and other personnel at our practice are only authorized to collect, use, and disclose personal information needed to fulfill their responsibilities and for purposes permitted under Nova Scotia law, in particular, the Personal Health Information Act.
Personal health information that we collect may include: your name, date of birth, provincial health card number, address, health history, and information about tests, procedures, and care you received.
Collection of personal health information:
We collect personal health information directly from you or the person acting on your behalf. Sometimes, we ask other healthcare professionals or organizations involved in your care for your personal information to help us provide you services.
We may collect personal health information from other sources if the law allows or with your informed consent. Personal health information may be collected and stored in different ways, such as your paper chart, electronic files, and images. We collect personal health information as needed to support the services and activities described below.
Uses and disclosures of personal health information:
We use and disclose your personal health information in order to:
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Treat and care for you during our involvement with you.
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Help other professionals outside of our practice also involved in your care (e.g., family physician).
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Receive payment for our services from a private insurer or third party.
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Plan, administer, and manage our internal operations.
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Fill other purposes permitted or as required by law (e.g., reporting abuse).
Your rights:
You may withdraw or withhold your consent for the following uses and disclosures of personal health information, and we will do what we can to comply with your wishes:
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Use or disclosure to a specific health professional or health organization involved in your care.
Payments for Services
Private psychological services are not covered by MSI. Clients seeking services at our practice are required to pay and then submit their claim through their private health insurance. Clients are advised to check their private insurance plans and/or employee assistance programs in advance of service, as many plans cover part or all of the fees for psychological services. Your private insurance plan may or may not require a referral from your physician. Please check in advance.
Rates for psychological services may be higher depending on the expertise required. Assessment, consultation, and group costs depend on the service provided. For non-therapy services, we will provide estimates in advance and costs are billed on an hourly basis for the time estimated and used.
If you do not come prepared to pay for service, we will not be able to see you. You may find this strict, but this policy is intended for us to be able to focus on psychological treatment and to avoid problems that could arise in the future if payment is not made at time of service. We reserve the right to proceed to collection for non-payment of fees.
Methods of Payment:
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We accept payment by Visa, Mastercard, and email transfer. We do not accept cash or cheques. A surcharge of 2.25% is also levied on credit card transactions. Clients are required to pay the fee prior to each session. Receipts will be provided. We are unable to offer direct billing to insurance companies.
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Rates: Therapy and Consultation
Our rate for Therapy and Consultation is $210 per therapy hour (50-minute session). There is no tax on psychological service since it is considered a health-related service and therefore HST exempt. Dr. S. Gerald Hann’s rate for Therapy and Consultation may be higher depending on the expertise required. A therapy or consultation hour is 50 minutes of direct service and 10 minutes of indirect service. Indirect service is devoted to notes and file management related to your care.
Late Cancellations and No-Shows
Appointment times are reserved for your exclusive use, and it is your responsibility to provide us with a minimum of 48 business hours’ notice of cancellation, which allows us to offer the time to another client. For example, a Thursday 2 p.m. slot must be cancelled before 2 p.m. the preceding Tuesday to avoid being charged. Monday appointments must be cancelled before your scheduled session time by the preceding Thursday. Holidays are not included as part of the 48 business hours (i.e., in the case of appointments occurring the day after a holiday, these appointments must be cancelled 48 business hours before the holiday itself).
When you initiate treatment, we ask you to provide a credit card number and signed authorization to bill your card in the event of a no-show or late cancellation. If you decide to not provide us with this information to secure your future appointments and fail to attend a scheduled appointment, we will contact you after the missed appointment and ask you to settle the outstanding bill immediately. No future appointments can be held or made until your outstanding account has been settled. Receipts for missed appointments say “Missed Appointment,” as it would be fraudulent to insurers to indicate otherwise.