Privacy at Prescribed Wellness Psychiatry
Confidential psychiatrist in Los Angeles
Psychiatric care is confidential by law, and our office is set up to keep it private in practice. At Prescribed Wellness Psychiatry the waiting area is inside our own suite, rooms are sound-protected, you can park in the building and take the elevator to our floor, and appointments are spaced so patients rarely cross paths.
● Waiting area inside our suite ● Sound-protected rooms
● Elevator from parking to our floor ● Video visits across California
How is the office set up for privacy?
Six things you can check for yourself when you arrive at 3800 Barham Blvd, Suite 416.
When you arrive
1 A waiting area inside our own suite
You do not wait in a lobby shared with other businesses.
2 Sound-protected rooms
What you say in the room stays in the room.
3 Parking in the building, with an elevator to our floor
You can go from your car to our suite without crossing a public lobby.
4 Discreet signage
The door and the building directory do not call attention to psychiatry.
5 Appointments spaced apart
We schedule visits so patients rarely cross paths in the waiting area.
6 Early or late appointments on request
Ask for the first or last visit of the day if you want fewer people around.
Can I be seen without coming to the office?
Yes, by video
Video visits are available anywhere in California, and you start the visit from the patient portal. The first evaluation can be by video, and you can switch between video and the office whenever you like. You need to be physically in California during the visit.
Who can see my psychiatric records?
Only the people involved in your care and in billing for it. Your record is kept in our electronic health record system, athenahealth, and everyone who works with the practice, including remote staff, signs a confidentiality agreement.
The law
Two laws protect what is in it. The federal privacy rule (HIPAA) and California’s Confidentiality of Medical Information Act both bar us from sharing your medical information without your written authorization, outside a short list of exceptions set by law (California Civil Code 56.10).
Your job and your family
That includes your job. A provider cannot give your employer information about you without your authorization, unless another law requires it (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). We speak with a family member, partner, agent or manager only when you tell us we can.
What does my insurance company see?
If you use insurance, your plan receives what it needs to pay the claim: the dates of your visits, the type of service and a diagnosis code. Federal rules allow a provider to share information with a health plan for payment (HHS).
If you pay for a visit yourself
If you would rather your plan not receive that, you can pay for a visit yourself. When you pay in full and ask us in writing not to send that visit to your health plan, federal law requires us to honor the request (45 CFR 164.522).
Self-pay
Self-pay rates are available, and you get a Good Faith Estimate before your first visit (CMS).
When does confidentiality have limits?
In a few situations, and they are set by law, not by us. We are required to act if you tell us about a serious threat of physical violence against an identifiable person (California Civil Code 43.92), if we suspect abuse or neglect of a child (Penal Code 11165.7) or of an elder or dependent adult (Welfare and Institutions Code 15630), or if a court orders records released.
To prevent serious harm
Federal rules also let a provider share what is needed to prevent a serious and imminent threat to someone’s health or safety (45 CFR 164.512). You are welcome to ask about any of this at your first visit.
If you are in crisis
If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 (the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) or call 911.
Is the practice a fit for people in public-facing work?
Yes. If your name or your face is part of your job, on screen, on stage, in a boardroom or in public life, privacy is a practical question. We do not say who our patients are: not in conversation, not in our marketing, and not in replies to online reviews.
Early or late appointments and video visits also help when your schedule changes from week to week.
Will anyone know I am seeing a psychiatrist?
Not from us. Your care is confidential under federal and California law, and we do not share your information without your written authorization, outside a few exceptions set by law. In the office, the waiting area is inside our own suite, rooms are sound-protected, and appointments are spaced so patients rarely cross paths.
Can my employer find out that I see a psychiatrist?
We cannot give your employer information about you without your written authorization, unless another law requires it. If you use an insurance plan from your job, the plan receives what it needs to pay the claim. If that concerns you, you can pay for a visit yourself and ask us in writing not to send it to your plan.
What does my insurance company see if I use my plan?
Your plan receives what it needs to pay the claim: the dates of your visits, the type of service and a diagnosis code. If you pay for a visit in full yourself and ask us in writing not to send it to your health plan, federal law requires us to honor that request.
Will I run into other patients in the waiting room?
Rarely. Appointments are spaced so patients seldom cross paths, and the waiting area is inside our own suite, not a shared lobby. You can park in the building and take the elevator to our floor, and you can ask for the first or last appointment of the day.
Can I see a psychiatrist without coming to the office?
Yes. Video visits are available anywhere in California, and you start the visit from the patient portal. The first evaluation can be by video, and you can switch between video and the office at any time. You need to be physically in California during the visit.
Are there limits to confidentiality with a psychiatrist?
Yes, a few, and the law sets them. A psychiatrist must act on a serious threat of violence against an identifiable person, on suspected abuse or neglect of a child, an elder or a dependent adult, and on a court order. Outside situations like these, your information is shared only with your written authorization.
Reviewed by Veronica Sanchez, MD. This page is general information, not legal advice. Sources: HHS: employers and health information · HHS: disclosures for payment · 45 CFR 164.522 · 45 CFR 164.512 · California Civil Code 56.10 · California Civil Code 43.92 · Penal Code 11165.7 · Welfare and Institutions Code 15630 · CMS: Good Faith Estimates
