The Ethics of Private Practice: A Practical Guide for Mental Health Clinicians

About the Book

Mental health professionals in private practice strive for clinical and financial success. Yet, there are myriad ethical issues and dilemmas awaiting every practitioner that serve as challenges to being successful for even the most clinically competent and savvy business persons. Some ethics issues are obvious while others are more subtle and can undermine the best intentions of practitioners who have not prepared for these challenges. Graduate training programs in the mental health professions offer courses in ethics for their students, but few offer practical training in the application of ethics to the business of practice. A resource focusing specifically on these challenges has been sorely needed.The Ethics of Private Practice helps mental health professionals understand the essential ethical issues related to many of the challenges of being in independent mental health practice. Seasoned clinicians Barnett, Zimmerman, and Walfish offer readers astute insight to help them build a practice that is designed to minimize unintended ethical violations and reduce associated risks. Each chapter focuses on a major aspect of the business of practice and incorporates relevant standards from the ethics codes of four mental health professions. Topics addressed include planning one's private practice, successfully running and managing one's practice, documentation and record keeping, dealing with third parties and protecting confidentiality, managing practice finances and making financial decisions, staff training and office policies, advertising and the effective marketing of one's practice, continuing professional development activities, and the closing of a private practice. The authors discuss important questions such as: What do you do as a practitioner when your best referral source wants to become your client? What is appropriate use of social media? How should you respond when a managed care company denies authorization for treatment for a client that you know is in obvious need of further treatment? Full of practical tips that can be readily implemented, The Ethics of Private Practice is sure to be a handy, go-to resource for mental health clinicians in private practice.

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgments Chapter I: Starting Out: Ethics Issues in Beginning a Practice  Becoming Licensed to Practice Accuracy and Integrity in Completing Licensure Applications Supervision Prior to Licensure Choosing a Practice Practicing in Health Care Settings Your Ethics and Legal Team Location and Office Setting Ethical Challenges Key Points to Keep in Mind Practical Recommendations Pitfalls to Avoid Relevant Ethics Code Standards References Table 1.1 The Supervisee's Checklist Chapter II: Clinical Practice Scope of Practice Clinical Competence and Accepting Referrals Wait Time and Waiting Lists Understanding Informed Consent Assent Exceptions to Confidentiality Boundaries and Multiple Relationships Additional Boundary and Multiple Relationship Challenges Emergencies and Crises Termination and Abandonment Ethical Challenges Key Points to keep in Mind Practical Recommendations Pitfalls to Avoid Relevant Ethics Code Standards References Sample Termination Letter Chapter III: Documentation and Record Keeping Documentation How to Document Financial Records Use of Technology and Electronic Health Records Records When More than one Person is Being Treated Record Keeping, Storage, and Disposal What Happens When a Client is Deceased Ethical Challenges Key Points to Keep in Mind Practical Recommendations Pitfalls to Avoid Relevant Ethics Code Standards References Chapter IV: Dealing with Third Parties and Protecting Confidentiality  General Policies Special Situations Ethical Challenges Key Points to Keep in Mind Practical Recommendations Pitfalls to Avoid Relevant Ethics Code Standards References Release of Information Checklist Chapter V: Financial Decisions  Fee Splitting Practices Setting Fee Scale Arrangements Increasing Fees Collections Collection Actions When a Client Does Not Want to Use Their Insurance Medicare Informing Clients About the Nature and Limitations of Their Insurance Accurate Billing Table 5.1 Accounts of Insurance Fraud by Mental Health Practitioners from an Internet Search Not All Inaccurate Billing is Due to Fraud or Deceit Information to be Communicated to Managed Care Companies Denial of Care by an Insurer Ethical Challenges Key Points to Keep in Mind Practical Recommendations Pitfalls to Avoid Relevant Ethics Code Standards References Chapter VI: Staff Training and Office Policies  General Professionalism Confidentiality, Confidentiality, Confidentiality Delegation to Subordinates Boundaries and Relationships Security of Records and the Facility Policies and Procedures: A Safety Net Ethical Challenges Key Points to Keep in Mind Practical Recommendations Pitfalls to Avoid Relevant Ethics Code Standards References Ethics Quiz for Staff End of the Business Day Lock-Up Checklist Chapter VII: Advertising and Marketing  Advertising and Public Statements Testimonial Endorsements Uninvited In-Person Solicitations Marketing Professional Services Interacting with the Media Marketing in the Community Ethical Challenges Key Points to Keep in Mind Practical Recommendations Pitfalls to Avoid Relevant Ethics Code Standards References Chapter VIII: Continuing Professional Development  Readings Training Use of Listservs Peer Consultation Groups Mentoring Personal Psychotherapy The Role of Self-Care, Burnout Prevention, and the Promotion of Wellness Staying Aware of Local Laws, Regulations, and Changes Ethical Challenges Key Points to Keep in Mind Practical Recommendations Pitfalls to Avoid Relevant Ethics Code Standards References Chapter IX: Leaving a Practice  Notifying Your Group That You are Leaving the Practice Telling Clients That You Will No Longer Be Practicing Assuring for Continuity of Care Informing Referral Partners Maintenance of Records Selling a Practice Malpractice Insurance into Retirement The Professional Practice Will Business Issues Ethical Challenges Key Points to Keep in Mind Practical Recommendations Pitfalls to Avoid Relevant Ethics Code Standards References Chapter X: Closing Thoughts

About the Author :
Jeffrey E. Barnett, PsyD, ABPP, is a licensed psychologist with 30 years of experience in independent practice. He also is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Loyola University Maryland, where he teaches courses in ethics and professional practice. He is a past Chair of the APA Ethics Committee and has published and presented widely on ethics and professional practice issues for mental health professionals. Jeffrey Zimmerman, PhD, ABPP, has been in private practice since 1981. From working solo to managing a large multi-site inter-disciplinary group, Dr. Zimmerman has dealt with the complex challenges faced by clinicians who are trying to run a successful mental health practice in an ethically responsible manner. He is also a Founding Partner of The Practice Institute, LLC. Steven Walfish, PhD, is a licensed psychologist and has been in independent practice since 1982. He has built three successful private practices in Tampa, Florida, Edmonds and Everett, Washington, and now Atlanta. He is also a Founding Partner of The Practice Institute, LLC. He has been the Editor of the Independent Practitioner, and author/editor of six books. In 2013 he served as President of APA Division 42 (Psychologists in Independent Practice).

Review :
Barnett et al. clearly explain how to put ethical principles into private practice. The authors do a great job of organizing practical tips integrated with a scholarly review of relevant literature... Barnett, Zimmerman, and Walfish's book is such a good idea that one must ask why it wasn't written earlier. It would have saved many of us from having to learn best practices the hard way... Their wisdom is relevant to practitioners at all stages of career development, ranging from emerging professionals who are beginning their careers to seasoned practitioners who are beginning their retirement - and all those in between.