3 Big Problems Therapists Had in 2014

You know how your clients often get stuck coming in and talking about the same problem session after session? You review with them strategies you've previously discussed or you process why the same patterns seem to continue across relationships and circumstances. And, while every person is unique, you begin to see common themes emerge.

Well, in 2014 I started QA Prep because I noticed therapists asking lots of questions related to clinical documentation... and I started to see patterns emerge. The same questions, over and over again. And I thought, "what if I developed resources for therapists so they didn't have to search all over for answers?" I opened shop in April and spent a lot of time answering emails, responding to questions in Facebook groups and problem-solving over free consultation calls... and here are the main things therapists had problems with in 2014:

Time Management

Did you know the majority, yes the vast majority, of your colleagues struggle to keep up with their paperwork? If this is a struggle for you, you are not alone! This is one of the most common and one of the most destructive problems I see. When therapists think documentation is boring and meaningless, they avoid it or do sloppy work. And once you're behind by one day, it's easy to push things back further... and before you know it, you're a whole month behind on documentation. And then the paperwork to be completed looks like a huge mountain to scale.

The game of catch-up, fall behind, catch-up, etc. becomes a vicious cycle and creates a lot of resentment toward documentation. 

The key is really to be honest with yourself and create a realistic plan. Don't do what your previous supervisor told you worked for them or what the therapist down the hall is doing. Do what works for you! Some people choose one day per week to do all their paperwork, some do notes for every individual in the 10 minutes between sessions, some do notes for an hour at the end of the day. These are all possible strategies to try. The "best way to do paperwork" is whatever works to actually get it done. I would recommend at least creating a weekly plan so that by the end of the week you know everything is complete and don't have to catch up later. 

Insurance

I consistently get a lot of questions about insurance, relating to reviews by the insurance company, how to write notes and treatment plans for insurance, and what CPT codes to use for different sessions. Honestly, the CPT code questions are the most common and also the easiest to answer! Here are the top three...

Q: What code do I use for couples counseling?

A: For insurance and coding purposes there is no such thing as couple's therapy, there is family therapy. Use the family therapy code, 90847, when doing couple work and clearly identify why the marriage counseling is assisting the individual client with his/her mental health needs. This still requires the individual to whom you are billing insurance to have a diagnosis. 

Q: Does insurance cover teletherapy and what code do I use?

A: The answer is, it depends. Some states have required insurance companies to reimburse for telehealth services but some have not. Furthermore, the requirement does not set a standard for payment, meaning the insurance company may reimburse teletherapy at a different rate from your in person sessions. The key is to know whether or not your state is included in this list and to check your individual contract with the insurance company. If you are able to provide teletherapy, use the regular therapy codes with a "GT Modifier."

Q: Does insurance cover (insert service or code here)?

A: Again, the answer is, it depends. Every contract with an insurance company is unique, meaning the therapist in Suite A may be contracted to bill seven different codes/services at a specific rate and the therapist in Suite B may be contracted with the same insurance company to bill nine different codes/services at a different rate! This means the answer to any question about what you can bill lies in your contract. Do not rely on your colleague's experience in this area, make sure to look at your individual agreement. As a side note, this also means that yes, your rates are negotiable... if you want them to be!

Staying Up to Date

Lastly, another concern that is common is figuring out how the heck to stay up to date. Many therapists feel pretty competent in their documentation but after 15+ years in practice they are unsure whether or not they're up to date. Documentation is not a common topic to discuss, especially among seasoned clinicians, and it's easy to start feeling as though you may be missing something. 

The obvious is answer to this dilemma is taking continuing education classes, especially in areas such as ethics, HIPAA, and clinical documentation. Also, join your local and/or state professional association. Their job is to stay abreast of changes in mental health and update their members accordingly. Interestingly, I first heard about the 2013 changes to CPT codes from the California Psychological Association, not my agency or connections while working in quality assurance!

However, another great way to stay up to date is through consultation with colleagues. Choose a trusted colleague and discuss one to two cases together and how you do your paperwork for that case. Better yet, choose a colleague who has recently attained their license and then another colleague who has 15+ years experience. You can also review 1-2 of your client files ahead of time and come with questions. It's a great learning experience and you'll likely gain a few helpful tips from one another!

If you're not sure how to get started with a consultation group, sign up for my monthly newsletter (and get immediate access to my free Paperwork Crash Course), where I review tips on this and other ways to improve documentation. I take a totally judgement-free approach in all my material and I'm always creating new programs for therapists who want rock solid documentation. 

Share in the comments below any other struggles you think are common and we'll problem-solve together!

Like the tips in this blog post? This blog is part of the compiled tips in the ebook Workflow Therapy: Time Management and Simple Systems for Counselors.