For Professionals
The Renfrew Center is committed
to the ongoing education and training of our staff and other health
and mental health professionals. Programs are sponsored by The
Renfrew Center Foundation and include:
Join Our Professional Resource Network
To become a part of The Renfrew Center's professional resource network,
click here.
Membership in our nationwide network of women's mental health care
professionals includes:
- A free subscription to Perspectives.
- Schedule and registration materials for The Annual Renfrew Center
Foundation Conference on Eating Disorders.
- Advance notification on Renfrew seminars, workshops, and opportunities
to earn continuing education credits.
- Referrals for individuals in need of outpatient therapy.
Click
here for more information on The Renfrew Center Foundation programs.
Perspectives
Perspectives is The Renfrew Center Foundation's biannual
publication for women's mental health care professionals. Produced
under the editorial direction of Doug Bunnell, PhD, each edition
features original articles by leading professionals in the field.
A variety of perspectives are represented and thoughtful dialogue
and comment from readers is generated.
Read the latest issue of Perspectives.
Adobe Acrobat Reader is needed to read Perspectives. Download
Acrobat Reader here.
Admitting a Patient for Treatment of an Eating Disorder
If you are considering referring a patient for the treatment of
an eating disorder, we want to help you understand the stages involved
in the admission process. Please review the following steps, all
of which are taken to ensure that the patient receives the most
appropriate care in the most appropriate setting.
1. Call 1-800-RENFREW (736-3739)
This phone call connects you with a representative from Renfrew's
Program Information staff. We will discuss your patient's needs
and answer any questions you may have about Renfrew's programs and
services. You will be asked to supply the patient's demographic
information and insurance policy number (if insurance is being used).
Our staff will verify insurance coverage through the insurer's customer
services department. We will then contact the patient/family to
explain the insurance coverage, including any out-of-pocket costs
they might expect. Because this part of the process may take up
to three business days, it is best to call as soon as you have identified
the patient as someone in need of treatment.
If you are a therapist or physician who would prefer that your patient
initiates contact with us, we will be happy to speak with her directly.
All she needs to do is dial 1-800-RENFREW.
2. Scheduling An Assessment
After we explain the insurance information and any financial responsibilities
to the patient/family, the Program Information staff will either
schedule an assessment or, if necessary, refer the patient to a
more appropriate treatment facility. The assessment process will
determine:
- The clinically appropriate level of care
- The projected length of stay
- The location of treatment
- All other related details
We prefer to assess the patient in-person at the Renfrew Center
closest to her home, but a phone assessment may also be acceptable
in some cases. The assessment may take 60 to 90 minutes.
3. The Assessment
During the assessment interview, the Renfrew team will obtain biopsychosocial
information including the patient's medical, psychiatric, and family
history. We will request information about medical and psychiatric
treatment interventions since the onset of the eating disorder.
If the patient is an adolescent, family members are consulted during
the assessment process. Following the interview, the referring therapist,
physician, or other member of the patient's outpatient team is consulted
to help determine the appropriate level of care and treatment goals.
We require recent laboratory work for medical clearance for our
residential programs; in some cases, patients enrolled in Renfrew's
outpatient programs may also need medical clearance before beginning
treatment. Once the patient is cleared from both a medical and psychiatric
standpoint, an admission date is established for the recommended
level of care and the precertification process begins with the insurance
company or managed care organization.
4. Pre-Certification
On the day of or day prior to the scheduled day to start treatment,
a Renfrew staff member will pre-certify the patient's stay with
her insurance company. Depending upon the particular requirements
of the insurer, final authorization may not occur until the patient
is at Renfrew.
The complexities of the insurance/managed care verification procedures
can occasionally stretch this part of the process to several days.
The Renfrew Center will move forward in the clearest way possible
for all parties. All insurance issues will be communicated to the
family.
5. Arrival for Treatment
For treatment at Renfrew's residential facilities, the patient and
her family need to arrive early in the morning. Prior to arrival,
we will have sent a schedule of the first day's activities and a
list of items that will be needed through the course of treatment.
An Admission Day Coordinator will serve as a guide through the first
day of treatment. For outpatient treatment, we will work with the
patient and her family to set up the initial appointment.
Please keep in mind that the assessment process
is vitally important to ensuring that the patient receives the most
appropriate care. It can sometimes take several days to gather all
the pertinent information—and we understand this process may
cause anxiety in the patient and her family. To minimize undue worry,
call 1-800-RENFREW as soon as you
are aware of a patient who could benefit from our services.
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