No matter what specialty you are certified in, you may come across patients who need help with drug or alcohol addiction. Have you ever been faced with having to refer patients to a rehabilitation center with limited knowledge on the ins and outs of them? These specialist clinics are safe places where patients can receive more individualized and comprehensive treatment to help them kick their habit and get their life (and body) back on track.
With so many different rehabilitation centers around, it can often be tricky knowing which clinic to recommend to patients, particularly if you don’t already know physicians working there. Read on for some tips you can follow today when working out which centers to send your patients to for care.
Ask About Costs
For many of your patients, the cost of a treatment center will be the most significant deciding factor. Prices for rehab centers are extremely varied. They typically start at around $2,000 for a lower-cost, 30-day facility program, and range up to $25,000 or more a month for a luxury clinic.
While some people will only have very limited funds and need to find a center which is very low cost, others will be able to afford to attend a luxury rehab facility, such as the West Palm Beach Treatment Center, where lodgings are more top-class and more services are likely to be included.
It is essential that you have a wide variety of centers on hand to recommend so that you can find the right option for each of your patients, depending on their needs and available funds. One thing to keep in mind when conducting research for a patient is to find out about insurance policies. Some programs can be covered by insurance, or partially covered, which will help alleviate financial costs to the patient and thus open up more options.
When you see patients, find out which medical plan they’re a part of and contact that provider to get specific details on what will be included and which facilities are part of the provider’s preferred network. The amount of coverage differs widely, which means out-of-pocket expenses will also differ according to the particular plan. Some plans will cover a variety of things, such as inpatient or outpatient care with approved facilities/providers, as well as follow-up counseling, medical detox (including medications), maintenance addiction medication, and the like.
In addition, make sure you find out exactly which services are provided in the standard cost charged at each center, and what the fees would be for additional items, so that you can compare properly.
Check Licenses and Qualifications
Of course, it is also very important that you check the licenses and qualifications of each treatment center you consider before recommending them to patients. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that they are all necessarily state-licensed and/or utilizing suitably qualified physicians and other practitioners.
Look for evidence that the proper paperwork and educational credentials are all in order, as well as food preparation and living spaces are kept clean, sanitized, and safe. If information about license numbers and the like aren’t listed on websites, emailed program information, or other marketing collateral, ask for details to be given out to you so that you can check the level of professionalism of each facility early on.
Read Testimonials and Speak With Colleagues
Another good way to find the best rehabilitation centers for your recommendations is to read testimonials from former patients, and even potentially those from their family members or friends too. Check out the websites of each center for details, or ask facilities for details of some past patients that you might be able to contact in order to get feedback.
Also, reach out to other practitioners to find out who your colleagues typically recommend. If they have sent patients to centers in the past and found that these people achieved beneficial results, this is a good sign that the facilities are top-class.
It is also worthwhile asking centers to supply you with information about their long-term success rates. Be wary of facilities which don’t track these figures or refuse to give them out, as this is a bad sign that their treatments are sub-par. Unfortunately, some organizations care more about making money from repeat clients than ensuring a thorough recovery for all patients.
Discover Which Types of Services and Therapeutic Methods Are Provided
One of the most important things to analyze about each treatment center is the type of services and therapeutic methods provided. This can vary greatly from place to place, and should be a determining factor when patients are deciding which facility to attend.
Ask if centers provide programs that can be highly individualized for each person, as this is preferable to those that do not; and look for organizations where patients receive a combination of group therapy and individual sessions, as well as those which utilize a variety of modalities.
You should also find out about the length of treatments they offer (they typically range between 30 days and 90 days, but longer programs are also available at many facilities), and if the centers provide follow-up care and other support to help prevent relapses. It is also beneficial if life skills are included as part of treatment programs too.
You will find that different centers have different ways of helping patients transition back into their everyday lives. Transitioning safely is a very important part of the treatment process, and will tend to include things such as detailed plans for dealing with triggers, outpatient services and other types of continued monitoring, alumni programs and support, and even family and friend involvement.
Visit Centers in Person
It also pays to go and visit centers in person so that you can get a proper look at the facilities, meet the management team and treatment providers, and get a better idea about how different places are run. If possible, try to arrive at facilities unannounced so that you can get an unfiltered view of the premises.
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