Frequently Asked Questions
| Care Philosophy |
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I believe that the broadest and most effective impact on our own wellbeing occurs when we attend to our lives via multiple, integrated paths - body, mind, social connections, and spirit. The attitude in which I approach the work involves not only addressing presenting symptoms and vulnerabilities but also working with my patients to identify and build upon their strengths. The overarching goal is emotional resilience and a healthy, centered life. The learning process in developing my approach encompasses the standard medical and psychoanalytic studies but also includes philosophy, anthropology and spirituality. Cultivating self-awareness and self-knowledge is a cornerstone of this approach. |
| Contacting Me |
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Non-emergency Phone, E-mail and Fax contacts, and the Website Appointment changes, non- emergent medication questions, and other administrative messages should be left on my voicemail (916/797- 2248). I check for messages several times daily on working days and will try to answer calls within a day. Questions and concerns related to psychotherapy are best approached in session. Please call all medication refill requests directly to your pharmacy, even if you have no refills left on your prescription; your pharmacist will contact me by fax or phone if my input is necessary. As of May, 2003, my email address is drsaz@surewest.net. Please do NOT use email for emergent scheduling or clinical messages. Faxes can be sent to 916/797-2289. I also have a website, http://www.sazimamd.yourmd.com, that provides information about my clinical practice, seminars I offer (through Sierra Lifeworks), and mental health issues in general. Emergencies For emergency contacts, call my voicemail (916/797-2248) and follow the instructions on how to reach me emergently. If am I available, my message will include how to contact me; if not, the message will have other instructions re: a covering clinician. Such contacts should be confined to emergencies only. In any event, should your emergency be such that you cannot wait up to 2 hours for a return call, instead call 911, or go to your nearest hospital emergency room. |
| About ResiliencePath |
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It is clear that patients who actively participate in their treatment have the most success. I have developed these ResiliencePath documents, to help you learn all you can about your illness and master techniques to helping yourself get and stay well. This site has ResiliencePath documents on: Depression Bipolar Disorder Anxiety Schizophrenia Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Relaxation Skills Recommended Reading Feedback is always welcome... thanks. Greg Sazima, MD |
| Scheduling Appointments |
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I personally manage my appointment schedule; leave me a voice mail message (916/797-2248) to set up an appointment. Please always leave your return phone number,even if we've spoken before, to make my getting back to you a little easier. The bulk of my office schedule occurs on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays; Fridays generally are set aside for other work. I'll do the best I can to set up a mutually agreeable time for our visits. If you cannot attend a scheduled appointment, please contact me as soon as possible, so that I can reschedule your appointment. The clinical time you are contracting for cannot be easily and quickly rescheduled on my part. Please note, then, that except for dire emergencies, any missed appointments ("no-shows") and appointments that are not canceled at least THREE BUSINESS DAYS before your scheduled time will be billed for the FULL cost of the visit. I appreciate you respecting these ground rules for our treatment relationship. Thanks - looking forward to working with you. GCS |
| Payment |
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Full payment of your fee for the visit is expected at the time of your visit, unless otherwise agreed upon. Payment may be by cash or check (I do not accept credit cards); I suggest that you have your check prepared prior to our appointment, so that we can spend your entire visit on clinical issues. My fee schedule is as follows(as of (2/1/08): Initial Evaluation (up to 90 minutes, plus documentation time) $300 Full psychotherapy visit (~45-50 minutes plus documentation time) $230 Brief psychotherapy visit (~20 minutes plus documentation time) $130 Medication management visit (~20 minutes plus doc, time) $130 Misc. administrative time* $300/hour (*In limited circumstances, I will bill for these services: reports or documentation beyond brief forms; letters on your behalf; lengthy/ emergent phone contacts. These charges are billed per 15 minute/$75increment.) Please note that I am contracted with these insurance entities only: 1) Blue Shield of CA (but NOT Blue Cross) and 2) United Healthcare, including United Behavioral Health. If you should be covered under one of these insurance plans, please advise me PRIOR to our first visit; I will bill those entities directly, and you will be responsible for the contacted copayments or deductibles at the time of each visit. If you are not contracted with either of these plans, then my services represent an out-of-pocket expense for you payable at the time of the visit. Upon your request, I will provide a billing statement with charges and your payments, should you wish to seek reimbursement on your own from your insurer. I am not a Medicare or MediCal provider. Also, note that a $10 fee will be charged for any checks returned for insufficient funds Thanks... Greg Sazima, MD |
| Sierra LifeWorks Seminars |
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In response to requests from many of my patients, I have developed and provide a series of seminar programs in wellness and stress management skills under the name Sierra LifeWorks. Let me fill you in on some details. Program Foundations I've learned a bit about stress management over the last fifteen-plus years of clinical practice and teaching. I developed wellness programs for Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose and for the Family Health Clinic at Stanford's Family Practice medical residency program in San Jose, where I teach as a member of their clinical faculty. While I often incorporate these concepts and skills in my work with individual patients, teaching them in a seminar format allows for the benefits of a group setting for learning. A central focus of the program is the understanding and development of mindfulness, a practice common to Eastern spiritual traditions and remarkably effective in preventing and moderating psychological stress. The seminar will help participants understand the physical and psychological causes and effects of stress and develop a integrated, mindful plan for healthy self care "from the inside out": from body to mind to social supports and beyond. Program Structure ResiliencePath is a series of 4 weekly classes, each 90 minutes long. Each seminar includes both a didactic lesson in understanding and managing stress and an experience training segment with specific training in relaxation tools - including relaxation breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, mindfulness (sitting) meditation, and other mindful practices. The style is informal and socratic. This is a powerful, rich curriculum that I believe can be of great benefit. Week 1: Introduction to Stress Awareness: Understanding the medical basis of stress and relaxation Week 2: Mindfulness and Meditation: Learning the basic foundations of a mindful practice Week 3: Healthy Lifestyle Practices: The basics of proper sleep, diet, and exercise ? and sticking to a plan Week 4: Living Mindfully: Building a life plan from body to mind to social supports and beyond Fees and Scheduling I offer the 4-week course for $325, pre-paid by cash or check. A reservation for the seminar can be held (a limit of 12 participants for each seminar period) for a non-refundable $100 deposit. Please contact me at your convenience to reserve a spot and/ or to discuss the seminar program. Thanks! GCS |
| Privacy and Confidentiality |
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The privacy and confidentiality of our work is something I take very seriously. Please note that confidential patient information will not be released without your consent, except in rare circumstances of imminent legal or medical risk. I do not electronically bill insurance companies; while I monitor claims issues online, the service used (www.ubhonline.com) is fully compliant with HIPAA regulations for protection of online/electronic transmissions of patient information. For reasons of securing privacy, I refrain from providing direct clinical advice via email. For more information about governmental HIPAA mandates (applicable as of 4-14-03), see... http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa. |
