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

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:
PrefaceAcknowledgmentsChapter I: Starting Out: Ethics Issues in Beginning a Practice Becoming Licensed to PracticeAccuracy and Integrity in Completing Licensure ApplicationsSupervision Prior to LicensureChoosing a PracticePracticing in Health Care SettingsYour Ethics and Legal TeamLocation and Office SettingEthical ChallengesKey Points to Keep in MindPractical RecommendationsPitfalls to AvoidRelevant Ethics Code StandardsReferencesTable 1.1 The Supervisee's ChecklistChapter II: Clinical PracticeScope of PracticeClinical Competence and Accepting ReferralsWait Time and Waiting ListsUnderstanding Informed Consent AssentExceptions to ConfidentialityBoundaries and Multiple RelationshipsAdditional Boundary and Multiple Relationship ChallengesEmergencies and CrisesTermination and AbandonmentEthical ChallengesKey Points to keep in MindPractical RecommendationsPitfalls to AvoidRelevant Ethics Code StandardsReferencesSample Termination LetterChapter III: Documentation and Record KeepingDocumentationHow to DocumentFinancial RecordsUse of Technology and Electronic Health RecordsRecords When More than one Person is Being TreatedRecord Keeping, Storage, and DisposalWhat Happens When a Client is DeceasedEthical ChallengesKey Points to Keep in MindPractical RecommendationsPitfalls to AvoidRelevant Ethics Code StandardsReferencesChapter IV: Dealing with Third Parties and Protecting Confidentiality General PoliciesSpecial SituationsEthical ChallengesKey Points to Keep in MindPractical RecommendationsPitfalls to AvoidRelevant Ethics Code StandardsReferencesRelease of Information ChecklistChapter V: Financial Decisions Fee Splitting PracticesSetting Fee Scale ArrangementsIncreasing FeesCollectionsCollection ActionsWhen a Client Does Not Want to Use Their InsuranceMedicareInforming Clients About the Nature and Limitations of Their InsuranceAccurate BillingTable 5.1 Accounts of Insurance Fraud by Mental Health Practitioners from an Internet SearchNot All Inaccurate Billing is Due to Fraud or DeceitInformation to be Communicated to Managed Care CompaniesDenial of Care by an InsurerEthical ChallengesKey Points to Keep in MindPractical RecommendationsPitfalls to AvoidRelevant Ethics Code StandardsReferencesChapter VI: Staff Training and Office Policies General ProfessionalismConfidentiality, Confidentiality, ConfidentialityDelegation to SubordinatesBoundaries and RelationshipsSecurity of Records and the FacilityPolicies and Procedures: A Safety NetEthical ChallengesKey Points to Keep in MindPractical RecommendationsPitfalls to AvoidRelevant Ethics Code StandardsReferencesEthics Quiz for StaffEnd of the Business Day Lock-Up ChecklistChapter VII: Advertising and Marketing Advertising and Public StatementsTestimonial EndorsementsUninvited In-Person SolicitationsMarketing Professional ServicesInteracting with the MediaMarketing in the CommunityEthical ChallengesKey Points to Keep in MindPractical RecommendationsPitfalls to AvoidRelevant Ethics Code StandardsReferencesChapter VIII: Continuing Professional Development ReadingsTrainingUse of ListservsPeer Consultation GroupsMentoringPersonal PsychotherapyThe Role of Self-Care, Burnout Prevention, and the Promotion of WellnessStaying Aware of Local Laws, Regulations, and ChangesEthical ChallengesKey Points to Keep in MindPractical RecommendationsPitfalls to AvoidRelevant Ethics Code StandardsReferencesChapter IX: Leaving a Practice Notifying Your Group That You are Leaving the PracticeTelling Clients That You Will No Longer Be PracticingAssuring for Continuity of CareInforming Referral PartnersMaintenance of RecordsSelling a PracticeMalpractice Insurance into RetirementThe Professional Practice WillBusiness IssuesEthical ChallengesKey Points to Keep in MindPractical RecommendationsPitfalls to AvoidRelevant Ethics Code StandardsReferencesChapter 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.

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.