Records Access In Cases of Death, Disability, or Disaster
⚠️ Each practice group or provider is responsible for establishing a standard process for authorizing access to practitioner records. TherapyAppointment has a process to collect and respond to requests for access that are accompanied by proof of authorization.
In order to allow access to a practitioner’s records in the case of that practitioner’s death or incapacitation, TherapyAppointment requires proof of authorization for your clients privacy and protection.
Our primary means of ensuring continuity of care is to encourage our customers to have a "practice will" that contains a plan for continuity of care and records management. It is the responsibility of the practitioner to establish a clear transition plan for their records prior to any need for emergency access.
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Note: If you have any questions about what to include in a practice will, please consult your
legal or business professional to see what they recommend including:
- We recommend having a copy of the practice will in an accessible area to those that may need access.
- In the event of the death or incapacitation of a therapist customer, the records custodian assuming responsibility of the records must contact TherapyAppointment as soon as possible. TherapyAppointment will work to ensure continuity of care for the therapist’s patients.
- If the records custodian provides documentation proving that they have legal rights to the records, the applicable records will be made accessible to the designated records custodian on a temporary basis to allow for export and transition. TherapyAppointment shall establish and communicate a defined termination date for this temporary access.
- In the case of this unfortunate event, the records custodian can simply reach out to us (support@therapyappointment.com) with the practice will documentation, and we can begin the process.