The Intake Process: Where Everybody Begins...Truth in Motion & Process
It all begins with your "intake assessment"...on location and in person. We have to get down to business if we are going to make any progress with this horrible disease, and what has become a "merry-go-round of demands" by phone today, only delays what you need, unfortunately. Nothing occurs by phone much in this process - because it really cannot - other than getting you here to receive absolutely necessary care - one on one - that most haven't a clue anything about (but sure can open up with lots of high pressured questions to do with what they expect they should be getting - in the way of "numbers of pills" (called Suboxone) & frequency of return visits, etc. - all that have to do with a process of delicate "recovery" from a deadly progression called "addiction" that they know nothing whatsoever about)...but that doesn't stop the demands, we see. And it all even "almost sounds right," too...when "dialing for pills" anyway, today). We just need to establish who's asking for the help here, and learn to understand, in that, the fact that "If you already knew what you needed (as most all of the calls directly imply today), then wouldn't you have already done that by now?" So, if you don't know what you need, why all the demands and "Suboxone Drug Deals" now?
Slots at our location are limited, so be ready to come to the office when you do call for help. We are not spending a lot of time on the phone with people today, because that's not what works to treat this bad disaster. We only have so much time in our day to help folks. We will need time with you here to help figure your situation out, first, before we can begin this sometimes long and difficult journey "out" of "active addiction".
What we have is a very workable Outpatient Program of Recovery that involves "not just pills". Why not just use "Suboxone" and make you "feel better"? Because that's not what makes you better in the long run, when you have something as complex as Addiction...that'll kill you "in the long run" if not treated right now.
Expect the following when you call & when you arrive:
1. Photo ID is required on all Adults present. We need to know who is in our midst, of course.
2. Filling Out Chart/Forms. The first thing required prior to being seen in a medical office is accurate information - which is required that we not be likely to "mess up" walking through your particular "medical mine field". This would be your new Patient Chart, and your accuracy on this important form is one of the most important things we'll do that first day. Be prepared to accurately and thoroughly fill out all forms we give you; read every word before you sign in full agreement, only. Ours is not a "cavalier" just "sign the papers so we can get started" process; this office will need you to understand "what's really going on here" at every step of the way. To not understand is to not get better, plainly. The process has lots of information needed along with questions that greatly help the treatment physician begin your care as well as help you and all those "in it with you" to understand "how it works" at this "thorough" location of real and personal care. If you cannot be thorough with this process, we may not be able to see you today. It's not rocket science to do this, but you do have to "do it" as asked. Again, this is not a "formality" as it is absolutely necessary to have complete information prior to treatment, etc. - in your complex present situation, obviously - so that we might be able to treat you safely & accurately. HINT: Do not slap a few words on our forms and try to quickly turn this in expecting us not to care about this "this doesn't matter to me" maneuver, by you - fair warning. (This may work at other locations, but it won't work here.)
3. Payment will be collected upfront - for each "Tier of Service". What does this mean? This means this is a "Pay as you Go" office - not "taking insurance" in any form, from anyone. All services rendered at this location will be paid "pre-service" via your cash payment (until other methods are approved in each case). The reason for this is obvious, and even though your first visit is "cash only" it would be a mistake to think we are one of those "cash clincs" that is also called a "pill mill" today! [Hint: There are other real good reasons why some businesses "take cash only" at times - other than for "bad reasons".]
Your first payment comes either as your preset amount (understood via phone), collected upfront, OR your first payment may be that which covers just your "Triage Screening Assessment" or TSA (which is not a "visit" or "treatment" in and of itself, but starts your chart), that upfront TSA payment being only $100 cash. The latter (TSA) covers your "chart start" and "paper triage" - which will be used to set your expected "Intake Assessment" Fee (or "preset amount" mentioned above) - but is not your "visit fee" in and of itself.
[See explanation of TSA in #3 next.] All potential patients undergo this "TSA" prior to treatment. Note: The TSA fee of $100 comes off your "intake assessment" fee, so you don't pay this and just lose it. Why is this TSA necessary to begin my paperwork process at this office? We do not know what your total fee will be upfront; all cases are both "complex" and different...as you are a specical person not like the next, we promise! We treat you as such and have the need to "set your fee" as low as possible, yet covering what things you will need to begin our process. This is why we need to "assess" your complex situation through both the initial TSA and then your "Intake Assessment" before we get all involved in a process you don't understand, which is most often when dealing with "addiction" today.
3. Triage Screening Assessments. As discussed above, this is a method of "professional screening" having to do with your special and unique case - before we begin with you in a room. You do not become a patient at this facility by just undergoing a TSA at this location. The TSA is a beginning. It begins our "information collection" to do with you, and it also sets your "visit fee" in cases of just plain "urgent care" rendered at this location, for others. With the drug detox TSA, however, we know this is a special situation, and the TSA will set your "Intake Assessment" Fee & Visit/Time Level (upcoming next) at which time we can begin with you in a room, treatment physician there with you, developing your "Treatment Plan of Care Options" to do with your case. TSA's are first; Visits come next. Prices are "tiered" for each stage of the workup you undergo...because most want to know everything in great detail today, which is fair. Here, you'll know what the prices and care involve as soon as we know...step by step, at first.
4. Intake Assessments. This is where you begin your interview with the treatment physician in the room. Intake Assessments can take from one to several hours to complete due the complexity of each situation involved. Some addicts or ?abusers have very highly complex situations, involving many different "drugs of ab-use" and destruction (of not only the addict but those around the addict, as well). If you can't see how this takes more time to assess and plan a course of intended treatment over, well...just stick to your case,and we'll do the rest for you.
5. Actual Visits. Before we get to know you and what we're actually dealing with, it can be impossible to guess what you will need -- upfront or over the telephone, before we begin. In fact, if we did that today, we'd be putting your total problems on a "merry-go-round" or "assembly line" of "care" that we know is typical at many "outpatient detox" locations elsewhere. We won't do that to our patients today! Each case is different and special. All persons bring a different set of circumstances - both social, personal, familial, drug-related, etc. - to the table. To pigeon hole everyone into a "one deal thing" always causes treatment problems. We want this to be the last time you ever receive treatment for this. Getting over this is our only goal, for you. To do this, you'll need to become willing to accept a tailored treatment plan of care for your unique set of circumstances. This takes a great deal of time to construct, implement, monitor & maintain, beware. But how may times do you want to have to get "additional treatment" in your life? Will you be able to "get back into treatment" if each of these "between times" involves a relapse, as they all necessarily do?
6. Medical Workup. Every patient will need a medical workup. Your medical condition is not just a "lack of a different type of pills" today (i.e. this being "Suboxone" - which is too well advertised, most apparently). We use it, but it's not the main course of "treatment" for your "addiction" you should know. Again, your condition is not just a deficit of "Suboxone" in your life today! It takes more than that to recover from this horrid illness, we know...but we also know most of you coming into treatment "don't know" this, too.
Read "How It Works" when you need Treatment: http://addictiontreatmenttn.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=65&Itemid=69
