Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1515580
of HIPA A comes with fines and jail time. (Check out www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1128556-july- august-2019/74 to familiarize yourself with HIPA A.) To obtain informed consent, you can use a simple form, such as the Permission to Communicate form I use (scan the QR code on this page), or you can download a more specific template from any number of HIPA A- compliant sites for free or a small fee. You do not need to use an official HIPA A Authorization Form because you are not requesting access to clients' medical records or results from diagnostic or other testing; you are requesting permission to speak with, write with, or meet with your clients' other provider(s), so a simple Permission to Communicate form will suffice. You can make the form a standard part of your intake process, or you can wait until you have built trust and rapport with your clients A B M P m e m b e r s ea r n F R E E C E h o u r s by rea d i n g t h i s i s s u e ! 75 Obtaining clear, well-documented permission to contact a client's other providers is necessary when reaching out on their behalf. Introductory Letter to Other Health-Care Providers Dear [OTHER PROVIDER'S NAME], My name is [YOUR NAME]. I am a licensed massage therapist in [JURISDICTION/STATE/CITY]. I practice at [NAME OF PRACTICE] in [CITY]. One of your patients, [CLIENT NAME], sought out my care on [DATE] to address [REASON CLIENT IS SEEING YOU]. I have been working with [CLIENT NAME] on a [FREQUENCY] basis since [MONTH AND YEAR] providing [DESCRIPTION OF CARE WITH AS LITTLE JARGON AS POSSIBLE] with a focus on [LOCATION and/or OUTCOME] (for example, "right knee and lower leg, but also incorporating full- body massage with a broad goal of relaxation"). [CLIENT NAME] has shared that they are feeling notable benefi ts from our sessions together. I have noted [BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF WHAT YOU WANT TO SHARE]. (You might say something like, "I have noted improvement in their pain and increased mobility. They have shared with me that they are sleeping better and are able to enjoy riding their bike without pain again.") I am grateful to participate in [CLIENT NAME]'s care and would welcome the opportunity to collaborate with you to achieve the best possible outcome for them now and in the future. Please feel free to reach out by phone or email to discuss this patient or to talk about how we can collaborate in the future. Thank you for all you do. In service, [Your signed name here] [YOUR NAME, CREDENTIAL, AND CONTACT INFO] and then employ the form after discussing it with them. Also, remember that you need to make this outreach by snail mail if you don't have a HIPA A-compliant email platform or encryption software. A handwritten letter in a hand-addressed envelope is also more likely to stand out than an email, so I recommend beginning your outreach on paper even if you have email encryption capabilities. At the end of the day, it's important to know why you're reaching out to another provider and to be clear about your goal when you conduct that outreach. Your goals don't have to be purely clinical or to seek out the answer to a specific question about a client's concern. One of your goals can always be to build relationships with fellow providers and to share perspectives. You don't have to wait until you're "stuck" in your treatment plan to reach out to a client's other providers. It's always the right choice to connect with a network of folks who share the same goal as you: to help people live better, more functional lives. Cal Cates is an educator, writer, and speaker on topics ranging from massage therapy in the hospital setting to end-of-life care and massage therapy policy and regulation. A founding director of the Society for Oncology Massage from 2007–2014 and current executive director and founder of Healwell, Cates works within and beyond the massage therapy community to elevate the level of practice and integration of massage overall and in health care specifi cally. Cates also is the co- creator of the podcasts Massage Therapy Without Borders and Interdisciplinary. DOWNLOAD FORM "PERMISSION TO COMMUNICATE"