::::Legal stuff

Mission Statement :::::::.......

.....::::: The mission of WestPhD Inc. is to make a positive difference in the lives of each individual that visits, by providing proven massage techniques and other therapies to assist the client in regain optimum health allowing them to achieve a higher potential in there life.

.....::::: At WestPhD Inc., we are confident, caring, and competent. We provide services with the highest integrity, standards and ethic's in the areas offered. Each of our Therapists has been trained extensively in these areas, and even specializes in one or more of the massage modalities.

.....::::: Our Future Goal is to be a recognized leader in Massage, Hypnosis, and Reiki; to offer products and information that can relax and repair the emotional, spiritual and physical body.

at 321Massage - Acuassage! We offer Professional Massage Only!

We at 321 Massage are law-abiding therapist. All Sexual Misconduct will immediately end the session and client will be held responsible for cost of that session. We DO NOT participate in any sexual acts with clients , our massages do not contain sexual elements OR sensual arousal!

We strictly adhere to the Florida Statutes and Rules #480.0485 Sexual misconduct in the practice of massage therapy.--The massage therapist-patient relationship is founded on mutual trust. Sexual misconduct in the practice of massage therapy means violation of the massage therapist-patient relationship through which the massage therapist uses that relationship to induce or attempt to induce the patient to engage, or to engage or attempt to engage the patient, in sexual activity outside the scope of practice or the scope of generally accepted examination or treatment of the patient. Sexual misconduct in the practice of massage therapy is prohibited. History.--s. 159, ch. 97-264.

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

A. Appointments
We will be happy to schedule your appointment.
Tele / Fax: 407-644-9766 or contact us through "the Contact" page.

B. Reminders
As a courtesy to our clients, we call or email to remind you one or two days in advance of your appointment.

C. Cancellation Policy
In today's hectic world unplanned issues come up for all of us. We recognize this fact, but we respectfully request that you cancel your scheduled appointment by phone, fax or e-mail a minimum of …..::::: 24 hours in advance :::::….. That way the open slot can be filled with someone needing an appointment.

D. Missed Appointment
For missed appointments, if you do not cancel by the deadline, you will be assessed a $45.00 missed appointment fee. This fee will be your responsibility to pay at the time of your next visit. Our aim here is to open otherwise unused appointments for our clients, not to collect missed appointment fees. Your cooperation and consideration are appreciated as we institute this new policy.

E. Billing and Payments
Full payment is required when services are rendered.
We are considering insurance billing, so please speak directly with us for that.

F. Collected Information
Intake Procedure - is usually about 15 minutes of your first session to ascertain the needs of the client and find out what type of services they desire to have. It is not counted as part of the session itself. During the intake session we will explain the following:

1. Process of intake and scheduling the client if multiple sessions are required.
2. Massage has therapeutic benefits.
3. Limits of confidentiality.
4. Payment / Financing.
5. Cancellation policy, importance of keeping the appointments.
6. Available Packages.
7. Possibility of referral into the community.

There is a Client Intake Form, which gathers some background information on the client, their situation, what services the client needs and how they will respond to massage. Here we will answer any questions that the client may have about massage.

G. Referral Policy for our clients
321 Massage will refer clients outside of our scope of practice, to qualified professional therapist, chiropractors, medical doctors, psychiatrist, psychologist, nutritionist, or personal trainers within the community. Clients are responsible to follow-up on that referral. Also, the client is responsible for the costs of the outside therapy.

H. Ethical Standards and Confidentiality
Here at 321 Massage we cater to the Elite! All sessions are confidential, personal issues that are discussed in a session are confidential, except in those unusual circumstances in which not to do so would result in clear danger to the person or to others. A difficult case may be discussed with other therapist providing that the client identity remains confidential, if feedback is needed on how to help a client.
PLEASE NOTE: In public, we will not greet you unless you acknowledge us first because of the Confidential Polices of 321! Please understand that this is to protect the confidential of those individuals wanting to remain anonymous.

I. Right of Refusal of Services
321 Massage reserves the right to refuse service to anyone. 321 Massage also reserves the right to refer future services of individuals whose concerns are beyond the capacity of this office as well as to any individual that abuses or misuse services in any manner, i.e., seeking sexual massages, non-compliance with treatment, frequent missed appointments, not participating in their own recovery, etc. If this should become necessary, other local treatment options and possible referrals would be discussed.

J. Refusal of Services
Clients has the right to refuse the service for any reason at any time. If they determine that the session should be stopped right in the middle, their needs will be respected. Be aware that a session interrupted before completed will still be billed.

K. Professional Massage
We at 321 Massage are law-abiding therapist. All Sexual Misconduct will immediately end the session and client will be held responsible for cost of that session. We DO NOT participate in any sexual acts with clients, our massages do not contain sexual elements OR sensual arousal!

We strictly adhere to the Florida Statutes and Rules #480.0485 Sexual misconduct in the practice of massage therapy.--The massage therapist-patient relationship is founded on mutual trust. Sexual misconduct in the practice of massage therapy means violation of the massage therapist-patient relationship through which the massage therapist uses that relationship to induce or attempt to induce the patient to engage, or to engage or attempt to engage the patient, in sexual activity outside the scope of practice or the scope of generally accepted examination or treatment of the patient. Sexual misconduct in the practice of massage therapy is prohibited. History.--s. 159, ch. 97-264.

General Principles of Ethics

• Ethics
  ... is defined by Webster as the study of standards of conduct and moral judgment; this system or code of morals of a particular person, religion, group, profession, etc.
  Since each person is unique with their own experiences and beliefs, ethics can be difficult to define. There is no concrete answer. As a professional, we are responsible for the comfort and safety of our clients. We can serve them best when we understand their needs and rights. We can serve them best when we have examined ourselves and worked through our own issues. We can serve them best when we focus on the development of ourselves. We can only guide the client to places that we have been willing to go ourselves. The healing process can begin only when we realize that we are just facilitators in the process itself. The healing is the responsibility of the client alone. They must be given the information to determine what is right for them and what they are going through.
  
  
• Informed Consent
  Clients need to be able to make a decision as to whether they want you to work on them and what they want you to do. This is informed consent. They must be given enough information, such as : what are the goals and purpose of the session, what are the possible consequences of the treatment, what risks are involved, what are the possible benefits of a treatment, how much time will the treatment take, how much money will the treatment cost and how will it be paid for. With this information, a client will be able to determine if they want the treatment for themselves or do they refuse the treatment.
  
  
• Right of Refusal
  Clients have the right to refuse the service for any reason at any time. If they determine that the session should be stopped right in the middle, their needs must be respected. Be aware that a session interrupted before completed may also cause a problem in the financial agreement. Does the client owe for the whole time?
  This same right also applies for the practitioner. You can end a session at any time, for any reason. The bottom line is to work on only people who are nurturing to you and do not drain your energy. If your mother just died of lung cancer it may not be advisable to work on someone who smokes.
  
  
• Confidentiality
  A clients information, both written and verbal belongs to the client. Conversations that occur during a session, should not be repeated or included in the chart notes unless it is describing their physical condition. A client may also not want to be approached outside the treatment clinic. If you see a client walking down the street and stop and say hello, this may violate their right of confidentiality, as they may not want it be known that they are seeking treatment.
  
  
• Boundaries
  • A Boundary is a space within a perimeter that may be a physical, emotional or mental space. The emotional (mental) space is determined by past experiences, values and morals. The physical space is the actual physical limits of space that is needed by each person to feel safe and secure. Boundaries can be communicated by verbal conversations or body language. Some people, especially those with a history of abuse of some sort, may not be aware of their boundaries let alone able to maintain their boundary. Boundaries may be determined before a session to ensure the clients comfort.
    
    Boundaries are often difficult to determine. What may be good for one person, may not be appropriate for another. It is important to explore boundaries and constantly readjust limits to accommodate each individual.
    When boundaries are crossed, respect may be lost in the relationship.
    There are a main types of boundaries we deal with include: Legal boundaries, professional boundaries, and personal boundaries.
    
    
  • Legal boundaries are those that of course deal with the law and the rules and regulations that are set up by each state, city or county. Your scope of practice is defined legally. Your scope of practice is the limits or boundaries that apply to your practice. This may include areas you can work on and what you can or can not do. This will determine if you can do things like make diagnosis's, do physical adjustments, work in the mouth or other body cavity and sell vitamins and other related items.
    
    The laws vary so much that it is impossible to discuss here. Make sure you contact your local authorities to determine what your legal boundaries are and that you work within the law.
    
    
  • Professional boundaries are determined by many things such as your type of practice, your business rules and practices.
    Personal boundaries are just that- everything that determines your safety zone. They may be influenced by past experiences, beliefs and values.
    Boundary violations usually begin quietly, little by little, and without many problems. When you go through the process of looking at your values and needs and set your framework, boundary violations can be minimized. Recognizing your own boundaries will be based on your values and needs. There is no right or wrong here - only what is what is important to you.
    
    
• Transference occurs when the client makes the professional relationship, personal. Indications of transference are things like the client brings you additional gifts or asks to see you for lunch or outside the treatment. Personal conversation can also be an indicator. What you do depends on each situation. This can occur when a client is lacking in sufficient resources to take care of themselves. Unresolved needs, feelings and issues are transferred to the helper or caretaker.
  
  Counter-transference occurs when the therapist is unable to separate the therapeutic relationship from their personal feelings surrounding the client. Some of examples of this is when a therapist feels inadequate if the client is not making progress or excessive thinking about the client after the treatment is over. This occurs usually when the therapist plays the helper or fixer role. We begin thinking that we can get rid of the persons pain when we really don't do anything but facilitate the clients growth for their own healing of pain. We begin to think that only we can fix the problem and we have all the correct answers.
  
  
• Disclaimer - WestPhD Inc. The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Dr. West. They are intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. West and his community. Dr. West encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. The advice and knowledge presented within this website and its sister-sites, are for information purposes only, it is not the intent to provided medical advice. They are not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and they are not intended as medical advice.
  By using this website you agree to the above statements and release Dr. West of any legal action that could arise.
  
  
• Endorsement Disclaimer - Links to Other Sites
  • .....The links that appear on this website are solely for the information of a reader. WestPhD Inc. does not endorse any particular viewpoint of any related link. WestPhD makes every reasonable effort to assure that it does not link directly to web pages that contain obscene, scurrilous, or otherwise objectionable material. If you encounter objectionable material on this page or in any linked page, please notify the webmaster of this site immediately.
    
  • .....Reference in this web site to any specific commercial products, process, service, manufacturer, or company does not constitute its endorsement or recommendation by the WestPhD Inc.. Our web site has links to many other private organizations. You are subject to that site's privacy policy when you leave our site. WestPhD Inc. is not responsible for the contents of any "off-site" web page referenced from this server or from private, third-party, pop-up, or browser-integrated software or applications.
    
    
• Endorsement Disclaimer - Pop-Up Advertisements
  .....When visiting our Web Site, your Web browser may produce pop-up advertisements. These advertisements were most likely produced by other Web sites you visited or by third party software (spy-ware) installed on your computer. WestPhD Inc. does not endorse or recommend products or services which you may view when you receive a pop-up advertisement on your computer screen while visiting our site.
  
  
• Disclaimer of Liability
  .....Neither WestPhD Inc. nor any of its employees makes any warranty, express or implied, including warranties of merchantability, healing, and fitness for a particular purpose, or assumes any responsibility for the client to follow through any advice or the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information from this website or from any websites referenced by this website.