Terms of Service & Practice Policies

1. Acceptance of Terms & Patient Agreement

By establishing care, booking an appointment via our Kareo portal or Zocdoc profile, or accessing https://24-7shalompsychiatry.com/, you agree to comply with these Terms of Service and all clinical policies established by 24-7 Shalom Psychiatry PLLC. If you do not agree to these terms, you should not access our services.

2. Texas Telehealth Informed Consent

Telepsychiatry involves the delivery of psychiatric medical evaluations, psychotherapy, and psychopharmacological management using secure interactive audio and video telecommunications.

• Geographic Requirement: Under Texas Medical Board (TMB) regulations (22 TAC §174), patients must be physically located within the State of Texas at the time of their virtual appointment.
• Patient Environment: Patients must be in a private, quiet, and secure setting (not operating a motor vehicle) during video visits to ensure clinical confidentiality and diagnostic efficacy.
• Emergency Contact Protocol: All telehealth patients must maintain an active physical address and emergency contact on file with our clinic.

3. Appointment Scheduling, Cancellations & No-Shows

Our clinicians reserve dedicated medical appointment time exclusively for each patient:

• 24-Hour Notice: We require at least 24 business hours advance notice to cancel or reschedule an appointment without incurring a fee.
• Late Cancellations & Missed Visits: Appointments cancelled with less than 24 hours notice or unattended without notice are subject to a standard late cancellation fee. Insurance plans do not reimburse missed appointment fees.
• Punctuality: If you are more than 10 minutes late for a follow-up appointment or 15 minutes late for an initial evaluation, the session may need to be rescheduled to ensure adequate clinical assessment time.

4. Psychiatric Medication & Controlled Substance Protocols

Psychiatric medication decisions are based solely on thorough clinical evaluation, evidence-based psychopharmacology, and professional medical judgment:

• No Guarantee of Prescriptions: Scheduling an evaluation does not guarantee that a specific medication or controlled substance will be prescribed.
• Controlled Substances (ADHD Stimulants, Sedatives): Controlled medications require routine clinical monitoring, random Texas Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) audits, and periodic in-person or virtual follow-up appointments.
• Refill Policy: Medication refills are provided during scheduled follow-up visits. Routine refills are not issued on weekends, holidays, or between visits if follow-up appointments are overdue.

5. Financial Responsibilities & Insurance Billing

Patients are responsible for understanding their health insurance benefits, including copays, deductibles, and co-insurance:

• Payment Due at Service: All copayments, deductibles, or self-pay fees are collected at or prior to the time of service.
• Insurance Verification: While we assist with insurance claim submission for in-network plans, patients remain financially responsible for any balances denied or deemed non-covered by their insurer.

6. Practice Inquiries & Clinical Questions

For non-urgent administrative inquiries, billing questions, or portal assistance, please contact our clinic during regular business hours: