Office Policies

• Monday through Thursday: generally 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

• Friday: generally 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

Hours may vary based on provider availability, holidays, closures, or operational needs.

Nova Health is an outpatient practice and does not provide emergency or continuously monitored crisis services. Telephone, voicemail, portal, text, and email are not continuously monitored and should not be used for emergencies.

For a medical or psychiatric emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. For a mental health or suicide crisis, call or text 988.

Patients should arrive 10–15 minutes before an in-person appointment when check-in or updated documentation is needed.

• Patients arriving more than 10 minutes late may be rescheduled or may have an abbreviated visit when clinically appropriate.

• At least 24 hours' notice should be provided when canceling or rescheduling whenever reasonably possible.

• A $50 late-cancellation or missed-appointment fee may apply and is generally not billable to insurance.

• Repeated missed appointments may affect scheduling or continuation of routine services.

Healthcare needs, emergencies, illness, weather, or other circumstances may occasionally cause provider delays or cancellations. Reasonable efforts will be made to notify and reschedule affected patients.

Routine scheduling and administrative questions should be directed to the main office. Electronic messages are not intended for emergencies or continuously monitored clinical care.

Clinically substantive telephone or electronic interactions may require an appointment and, when applicable, may be billed as a professional service.

For routine medication refills:

• Patients should contact their pharmacy first when appropriate.

• Refill requests may require 48–72 business hours for processing.

• Refills may require a current appointment, laboratory testing, medication monitoring, or other clinical follow-up.

• Controlled medications are subject to Nova Health's Controlled Substance Treatment Agreement and applicable prescribing requirements.

Patients who have not been evaluated by a Nova Health provider for 12 months or longer may be considered inactive and may be required to re-establish as a new patient. Updated intake information and a new evaluation may be required before treatment or medication management resumes

Consent and Legal Authority

Care involving minors will be provided in accordance with applicable law and the legal authority of the parent, guardian, or other authorized representative.

Parents or guardians are responsible for providing Nova Health with current court orders or other legal documents affecting medical decision-making, custody, access to records, or communication regarding the minor.

Nova Health may verify the identity and legal authority of an individual acting on behalf of a minor before treatment, disclosure of information, or access to records.

Custody and Parental Communication

Nova Health does not participate in or mediate divorce, custody, or parental disputes.

Unless otherwise required by law or court order:

• Parents or guardians are responsible for communicating with one another regarding the patient's treatment, appointments, medications, and care.

• Nova Health is not responsible for routinely duplicating communications to each parent or guardian.

• Nova Health is not responsible for resolving disagreements regarding scheduling, treatment, payment, or access to information.

• The parent or guardian presenting the minor for care is responsible for payment at the time of service unless another arrangement has been established.

Certain information involving a minor may be subject to additional confidentiality protections and may not be available to a parent, guardian, or other representative when restricted by applicable law.

Patients or their legally authorized representatives may request access to or copies of medical records in accordance with applicable federal and Nebraska law. Requests or authorizations must be submitted in writing when required. Reasonable fees may apply as permitted by law.

Under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 71-8403, certain mental health medical records may be withheld when a treating physician, psychologist, or mental health practitioner determines, in their professional opinion, that release would not be in the patient's best interest, unless release is required by court order.

Nova Health will review and process requests for records in accordance with applicable federal and state privacy requirements. Certain records or information may be withheld, limited, or subject to additional authorization or confidentiality requirements as permitted or required by law.

Nova Health may verify the identity and legal authority of any individual requesting records on behalf of a patient before releasing protected health information.

Third-Party Requests

Requests from attorneys, employers, schools, disability or insurance companies, government agencies, or other third parties generally require valid patient authorization or other legal authority.

Additional requirements may apply to specially protected information, including certain mental health and substance-use disorder records.

Requests involving record review, forms, summaries, letters, or other administrative services may require additional processing time and may be subject to reasonable fees when permitted by law.

Privacy in Common Areas

Nova Health takes reasonable precautions to protect patient privacy; however, healthcare is provided in a shared professional environment. Patients may encounter other patients, visitors, vendors, staff, contractors, or other individuals in waiting rooms, hallways, reception areas, parking areas, or other common spaces.

Nova Health cannot guarantee that a patient's presence at the practice will not be observed by another person.

Patients and visitors are expected to respect the privacy of others and should not photograph, record, identify, discuss, or disclose information about other patients encountered at Nova Health.

Security Cameras

For the safety and security of patients, visitors, staff, and property, Nova Health may use security cameras in designated common areas. Security systems may record video and, where enabled and permitted by law, audio.

Cameras may be located at entrances, exits, exterior areas, reception areas, hallways, or other common areas and are not intended for restrooms or private clinical treatment areas.

Recordings may be accessed or disclosed when reasonably necessary for safety, security, incident investigation, legal compliance, or another purpose permitted or required by law.

Vendors, Representatives, Contractors, and Students

Patients may encounter pharmaceutical or medical representatives, vendors, contractors, delivery personnel, students, trainees, consultants, or other authorized individuals within the practice.

Their presence does not mean they are involved in a patient's care or have access to protected health information. Individuals requiring access to clinical information or patient-care areas must have an appropriate role, authorization, confidentiality obligation, or other lawful basis for access.

Students or trainees participating in patient care will do so under appropriate supervision and applicable privacy requirements.

Visitors and Support Persons

Patients may request that a family member, caregiver, interpreter, or other support person participate in an appointment when appropriate.

A provider may request private time with the patient or limit a visitor's participation when necessary for privacy, safety, clinical assessment, space, or effective treatment.

Children and Supervision

Patients and visitors are responsible for supervising children or dependents accompanying them to the office. Nova Health staff cannot provide childcare or assume responsibility for unattended children.

An appointment may be modified or rescheduled if supervision needs interfere with safe, confidential, or effective care.

Photography, Recording, and Social Media

Patients and visitors may not photograph, audio-record, video-record, livestream, or otherwise capture other patients, staff, providers, medical records, computer screens, conversations, or clinical areas without prior permission from Nova Health and any other consent required by law.

Nova Health may require recording to stop or take other appropriate action when unauthorized recording interferes with privacy, safety, or clinical care.

Nova Health is committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and therapeutic environment. Threatening, abusive, harassing, discriminatory, sexually inappropriate, destructive, or physically aggressive behavior is not permitted.

Examples include:

• Threats, intimidation, harassment, stalking, or aggressive confrontation

• Abusive or threatening telephone, portal, text, email, or social-media communications

• Physical aggression, fighting, throwing objects, or damaging property

• Interference with another patient's privacy or care

• Unauthorized recording or photography

• Possession or use of dangerous items in a manner that creates a safety concern

Depending on the circumstances, Nova Health may issue a warning, establish behavioral expectations, end an encounter, require an individual to leave, restrict communication, involve security, law enforcement, or emergency services, or terminate the provider-patient relationship consistent with applicable requirements.

Immediate threats, violence, or serious safety concerns may require immediate action without prior warning.

Weapons and Dangerous Items

Weapons, dangerous items, or the threatening use of any object are not permitted when prohibited by law, building or practice policy, or when their presence or use creates a reasonable safety concern. Nova Health may contact law enforcement or other appropriate authorities when necessary to protect patients, staff, visitors, or property.

Administrative Forms, Letters, and Documentation

Requests for disability or FMLA forms, school or employment forms, letters, legal paperwork, summaries, or other administrative documentation require adequate review and processing time.

Completion is subject to the provider's clinical ability to support the requested information and may require a current appointment, additional records, or a reasonable administrative fee when permitted.

Receipt of an outside record, fax, laboratory result, portal document, or other information does not necessarily mean that it has been immediately reviewed. Urgent or time-sensitive concerns should be communicated directly to the office or an appropriate emergency resource.

Contact, Insurance, and Financial Information

Patients are responsible for promptly notifying Nova Health of changes to their address, telephone number, email, legal name, emergency contact, insurance coverage, or payment information.

Financial responsibility, insurance billing, card-on-file requirements, fees, and other financial obligations are described separately in the Patient Financial Agreement.

Termination or Transfer of Care

Nova Health and/or the treating provider may terminate or transfer services when clinically, operationally, ethically, or legally appropriate. Reasons may include repeated policy violations, unsafe or abusive behavior, persistent nonadherence that prevents safe treatment, nonpayment when permitted, loss of the therapeutic relationship, or treatment needs that exceed the scope or capabilities of the practice.

When required, Nova Health will provide appropriate notice and reasonable transition or referral information consistent with applicable legal, ethical, contractual, and professional requirements.