Back to the Office: What Happens Next?
Contemplating a return to the office? As we begin to reemerge after enforced state-wide lockdowns and closures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important for psychiatrists to be prepared as practices open back up and federal and state regulatory exceptions and waivers go away. And while we do not know what exactly will happen next, our Risk Managers have created a helpful resource, Preparing for What’s Next – To Do List*, with a list of recommendations and items to consider during this very fluid time. Below, we provide recommended answers to some of the most common questions about what happens next. Be sure to visit our FAQs page for the most up-to-date version of this resource and others as it relates to the pandemic.
Considering re-opening your office? In addition to your local community guidelines, review guidelines and best practices from the AMA, MGMA (Medical Group Management Association), CMS, and others.
Additional resources you may find useful:
- From MGMA
- From CMS
- From CA Medical Association
- From CDC
Have patients that are local to your office? Determine whether they need to be seen in-person, remotely, or a combination of both. This determination should be based on your assessment of the patients’ clinical needs, not on the patients’ preference for telepsychiatry. What about patients that are out-of-state? Determine if they have imminent plans to return to your area. Manage patient expectations – let them know that the rules may be changing soon and you may not be allowed by law to continue to treat them remotely.
For more information, check out our Preparing for What’s Next – To Do List and FAQs.
To learn more about the superior psychiatry-specific insurance program and comprehensive services offered by PRMS, click here.
Authored by PRMS.
*Nothing presented in this article is legal advice.