Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
"We help people, who help people."
What if I'm not sure what services would best suit my agency's needs?
That's no problem at all. Please leave us a message, give us a call at (305) 814-7762, or send us an email with your contact information, and we can set up a phone or video consultation at no cost to you to discuss your individual needs further.
What is an outcomes monitoring system (OMS), and what benefits would an OMS offer my agency?
A well-designed outcomes monitoring system (OMS) recognizes that "recovery" encompasses more than simply stopping alcohol and drug use, by also assessing for improvements in health and social functioning, as well as reductions in numerous threats to public health and safety. Ideally, a comprehensive OMS would adopt a multi-domain, multi-method, multi-informant approach to measurement in which relevant data from various areas of interest (e.g., clinical, employment, social, legal, quality of life, consumer satisfaction) using a number of methods (e.g., self-report, toxicology screens) are collected on a regular basis from a variety of sources (e.g., patient, clinician, family), and those data are used to inform routine clinical practice and document the overall effectiveness of your treatment services. Incorporating a comprehensive, personalized OMS into your agency's practice will not only enhance your overall quality of care, but it will undoubtedly offer numerous additional benefits to all stakeholders, including payers, front-line clinical staff, supervisors, program directors, and perhaps most importantly, the patients and families you serve.
How much do your consulting services cost?
A precise estimate of the total costs associated with our services is difficult to provide given the range of available services (e.g., assistance in the development and implementation of a personalized outcomes monitoring system, preparation of comprehensive summary reports/scientific articles for publication in peer-reviewed academic journals, independent evaluation of clinical services, training or keynote/plenary presentations) and diverse needs of our clients. It is our belief that in some instances, clients may be better served with hourly billing. As such, many of our consulting services with the exception of site visits, speaking engagements, and media appearances can be billed at an hourly rate. We have found that, in some cases, clients pay less at an hourly rate than they would in a flat fee arrangement. However, other clients may be better served with a retainer agreement or hybrid billing model. That is, the possibility for a strictly retainer agreement or a combination of hourly billing for selected services and a nominal monthly retainer fee are also viable cost-effective options for some agencies depending on the scope of work. Certain organizations, such as those approved to be tax-exempt under the terms of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, may also qualify for a discounted rate. Please contact us so that we can arrange a free consultation and provide you with a personalized quote.
What if my agency already has a system in place for collecting patient intake and outcomes data?
Then kudos to you for being ahead of the bell curve! If your agency already has an established system for the routine collection of patient intake and outcomes data, a comprehensive research report detailing your treatment program's effectiveness, return on investment, clinical/demographic profile of the patients you serve, etc. can be prepared based on your program's existing patient data. A detailed summary of findings may be used for presentation to relevant stakeholders, marketing and sales purposes as a competitive advantage, or even publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. Empirical evidence documenting the effectiveness of your treatment services from an independent evaluator will also be of interest to payers or health insurers to negotiate rates, as well as prospective patients or their loved ones who may be reluctant to seek professional help in order to help them differentiate providers. A description of our basic internal report/scholarly article writing service using existing patient records is provided below as an example to give you a better understanding of potential deliverables and the work involved:
Assuming your agency can provide us existing patient data in an appropriate Microsoft Excel or tab-delimited text format, services will be billed at an hourly rate in 15-minute increments for an estimated 40-60 hours of work (depending on the scope of work). Often times, Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems are capable of automatically generating a report with such data and sending to us electronically, thereby eliminating any staff burden on your part. We offer three hourly rate options for all work involving data formatting, statistical analysis, and writing services (i.e., internal summary reports and/or scholarly articles). Hourly rate is determined based on your agency's tax exemption status and the desired turnaround time for deliverables: (a) Rush [< 4 weeks], (b) Standard [8 weeks], and (c) Reserved [12 weeks]. Furthermore, payment is based on actual time required to produce the report/manuscript. If the work should require less time than projected, only that time spent towards the project will be billed. If the work should require more time than originally agreed upon to reach project completion, we can assess progress and collaboratively modify payment accordingly. It is also important to note that the aforementioned charges apply only to the work directly related to the production of the final report/manuscript. That is, if you desire publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, we do not charge for the additional time required to identify an appropriate peer-reviewed journal, format the manuscript accordingly per journal guidelines, revise if accepted for publication pending minor revisions, or identify another potential journal should the submitted manuscript initially fail to be accepted for publication. Thus, regardless of whether the manuscript is accepted for publication the first time it is submitted, we will continue to make the necessary revisions to ensure the manuscript is suitable for publication at no additional cost. Agencies interested in exploring potential options for publication will communicate with our Principal Consultant, Dr. Steven Proctor, directly regarding possible areas of investigation and the potential for publication.
Do you provide consulting services in any areas outside of addictions treatment?
Although Dr. Proctor's primary area of expertise lies in the assessment and treatment of addiction, he is a licensed clinical psychologist with broad training including varied clinical and research evaluation experience in additional behavioral health areas, and would be glad to discuss your individual needs further. There are also a number of trusted associates that Dr. Proctor has identified based on their demonstrated record of providing quality training and consultation in their respective areas of specialization that may be able to meet your needs. Please Contact Us, and we can discuss potential options moving forward.
What are "scholarly" or "peer-reviewed" publications, and why are they important to our patients?
One or more scholarly articles or peer-reviewed publications based on your treatment program's services––and derived from your patient data––will prove extremely useful for a number of reasons. From a sheer marketing standpoint, given that a peer-reviewed journal will not publish articles that fail to meet the standards established for a particular discipline, peer-reviewed articles that are accepted for publication exemplify the best research practices in a field and are held in higher esteem relative to articles published in magazines, newsletters, online blogs, or other less formal outlets. We have published a number of peer-reviewed articles in top scientific journals for numerous agencies based on their treatment services. We'd be happy to arrange a free phone or video consultation to discuss the range of potential research topics.
What is the best way to contact you?
We have included several ways to reach us. Feel free to leave a message, give us a call at (305) 814-7762, or send us an email at: info@ProHealthGroup.net