Frequently Asked Questions

My practice is based at Tyger Valley Clinic in Cape Town. Psychical address: Room 1, Ground Floor, Block B, Belvedere Office Park, Pasita St, Rosenpark, Cape Town,7550. Once you arrived at the practice there are parking spaces. The reception area will welcome you. You welcome to be seated. I will come and call you when your consultation starts.

This is a brief introduction to therapy, how we might work together and what you might expect from therapy in order to make it enriching and helpful for yourself. Therapy tends to evolve in a number of phases, an understanding of which may help you to get more out of the process. Often, it begins with a phase of evaluation, where we will get to know one another and how we might best spend our time together. Then, in the therapeutic phase we will work towards some of the goals that we identified in the evaluation phase. It is important to understand that, while therapy can bring about personal growth in the long-term, it can be unsettling in the short-term. Successful therapy can also have unsettling consequences for people with whom you have close relationships. Because therapy is about change, others may struggle with the changes that you choose to make. Therapy will probably work better for you if you feel free to discuss any difficulties that you may have in the process of therapy, either with regard to the therapy itself or the content of what we discuss. Therapy can sometimes evoke strong emotions. For this reason, it is important that you feel entirely comfortable to speak about any dilemmas or difficulties you may have at any time during our work together. You or I may at any time consider that it is better to end therapy, for any number of reasons. Please raise this if you feel that it may be better to end therapy, so that we can draw it to a close in a way that allows you to get as much out of the process as possible.

By signing the practice T&C form, you acknowledge that you have understood and agreed to the following before starting therapy: Please take note that therapy and this practice specifically is solely intended for the purposes of supportive individual psychotherapy directly for the patient. This practice does not motivate or write reports/letters to any patient or to secondary parties or any motivation thereof. During the first consultation a complete Psychological Assessment will be conducted. For medical aid patients, a PMB (Prescribed Minimum Benefits) form will be completed during this session and if approved by your medical aid, your first consultation and subsequent follow up consultations will be claimed from this benefit directly by the practice. Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMBs) are a set of defined benefits to ensure that all medical scheme members have access to certain minimum health services, regardless of the benefit option they have selected. The aim is to provide people with continuous care to improve their health and well-being and to make healthcare more affordable. The practice may claim on your behalf from your medical aid. However, the practice does not contract with your medical aid. Should your medical aid fail to settle part or all of the account, you remain liable and responsible for settlement thereof. My practice is contracted to most medical aids and fees are charged according to standard medical aid rates. If you want us to claim directly from your medical aid kindly make sure that you have sufficient funds available before you arrive for your consultation. It is therefore also the patients responsibility to ensure that throughout our psychotherapy consultations that sufficient medical aid approved consultations are covered. Patients are responsible to inquire and contact about how many sessions they have available/left that was approved directly to their own medical aid throughout our therapy sessions before arriving for sessions. In the event that your medical aid does not pay the claim, you will remain responsible for the account. For private patients or for patients whose PMB sessions have been exhausted, all consultations will be charged at R1400 per consultation. If this is settled in cash, a 10% cash discount will apply. For private patients practice banking details will be send. EFT payment must be made 24 hours after consultation and once you received your invoice that have been send. Proof of payment must be emailed. PATIENT CONSULTATION PROCESS: Each consultation is scheduled for 50 minutes. It is advisable to make 9-12 appointment consultations in advance once a week or twice a month to ensure continuity. The practice will only see adults and adolescents patients. Unfortunately the practice does not have office space for dedicated play therapy for child patients.  The following points are listed as part of the T&C practice form: 1) That you have received a copy of the terms and conditions and have had an opportunity to ask questions on aspects thereof that you were not certain about. 2) My practice is contracted to most medical aids and fees are charged according to standard medical aid rates. If you want us to claim directly from your medical aid kindly make sure that you have sufficient funds available before you arrive for your consultation. 3) Patients are responsible to inquire and contact about how many sessions they have available/left that was approved directly to their own medical aid throughout our therapy sessions before arriving for sessions. In the event that your medical aid does not pay the claim, you will remain responsible for the account. 4) Private patients must settle the account within 24 hours after invoice for services has been send. 5) Interest and admin fees will be charged after 30 days. Accounts overdue by 90 days will be handover. All cost regarding this matter is the responsibility of the patient or main member. 6) To abide by the terms and conditions of the practice, in particular the provisions on the payments of accounts. 7) Each consultation is scheduled for 50 minutes per session. 8) For the first session a complete Psychological Assessment will be conducted. It is important to know that the first consultation is not a therapy session but a complete Psychological History Intake Assessment. 9) To always ask, even after you have left the practice if you were uncertain about something. If you keep quiet, practice staff and the psychologist will assume that you have understood everything and are in agreement with any processes, consents, policies or forms. 10) I understand that payment of services rendered remains my responsibility. The practice may claim on your behalf from your medical aid. However, the practice does not contract with your medical aid. Should your medical aid fail to settle part or all of the account you remain liable and responsible for settlement thereof. You will pay the practice any co-payment or any amount considered as not "not covered by your medical aid” .In the instance where a patient is divorced or a minor from such an instance is brought to receive services, the party who signs the contract will be held responsible for settlement of the account. The patient must acquaint themselves with their medical aid benefits as certain costs may not be covered. I agree that should my account be handed over for collection, I shall be liable for all attorney and own client fees, collection charges and all disbursements. I agree that the account and payment of the account is subject to the Prescribed Rate of Interest Act and that I remain liable for mora interest on accounts that have not been settled within 30 days. I agree to inspection of and negative listing of my credit information should my account remain outstanding. I agree to the jurisdiction of the Magistrate's Court despite the fact that the amount claimed might exceed the jurisdiction of the Magistrate's Court. I choose the above address as my domicilium. I undertake to notify the practice in writing within (7) seven days of any changes regarding the information giving above. No variation of or verbal agreements with any member of the practices staff shall be binding unless a written agreement signed by the practice manager will be binding. I agree that should I not cancel a consultation at least 24 hours in advance I remain liable for a full consultation fee.(cancelations must be via email or SMS only) Consent: I/we hereby grant Johann Krynauw to share my clinical information to my Medical aid and/or to other Dr’s for treatment purposes should it be necessary. I/we also grant Johann Krynauw account department and receptionist to use my personal details for billing/booking purposes.

My personal and professional ethics require me to keep everything you say confidential. My notes are kept locked away and I will only pass on information with your consent (this includes partners, family members or anyone else in your life). You are of course free to discuss your therapeutic process with whomever you like, confidentiality only applies to myself as your psychologist. There are only 3 emergency exceptions to confidentiality. Please read them in the next FAQ.

There are only three exceptions to confidentiality. If I have reason to believe that you are a danger to (1) yourself or (2) somebody else, then I have a legal duty to inform someone. I may alert others in the interest of your safety or the safety of the threatened person. This does not mean that you cannot discuss thoughts of harming yourself or others. It simply means that I am legally obliged to inform someone if there is a realistic risk of you changing these thoughts into actions. If you get into difficulty with the law, (3) I may be subpoenaed, in which case I may be legally required to divulge aspects of our work together. If any of the above ever happened, I would make every effort to keep you informed of the process. In my practice, the reality is that I seldom need to break confidentiality, usually only to ensure that my client remains safe in an emergency. I have always discussed this with clients in person, before informing a third party.

Each session is scheduled for 50 minutes. After each 50 minute session, I spend 10 minutes in private, making notes and reflecting on what happened in the session. This allows me to reflect on what helped you in the session, but also to plan our future work. During therapy it can be difficult to look at the bigger picture, while at the same time attending to what you are saying. It is very helpful to me to be able to spend a few minutes to think about you and your difficulties after you have left the room.

My practice is contracted to medical aid schemes. We claim directly from your medical aid via an electronic system. Medical aid schemes vary widely in how much they are prepared to cover of this charge, so you are advised to check with your medical aid as early as possible before your first session. Patients are responsible to inquire and contact about how many sessions they have left directly to their own medical aid throughout our therapy sessions. In the event that your medical aid does not pay the claim, you will remain responsible for the account. Unfortunately we do not have access to information regarding your medical aid account. Please take the time to contact your medical aid personally to get the above information. Sometimes, medical aid funds require a diagnosis before they will pay a psychologist’s account, and some may refuse to pay without one. Please feel free to discuss with me the diagnosis that is entered on your account and question any consequences that this may have.

You are welcome to cancel an appointment, provided that you do so with at least 24 hours’ notice. If you cancel within less than 24 hours’ notice, you will be responsible for the cost of the appointment.

Private Practice Social Media Policy
This document outlines my office policies related to the use of Social Media. Please read it to understand how I conduct myself on the Internet as a mental health professional and how you can expect me to respond to various interactions that may occur between us on the Internet or other electronic media. If you have any questions about anything within this document, I encourage you to talk to me about it when we meet. As new technology develops and the Internet changes, there may be times when I need to update this policy. If I do so, I will notify you of any policy changes and make sure you have a copy of the updated policy.

Friending
I do not accept friend or contact requests from current or former patients on any social networking site (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc). I believe that adding patients as friends or contacts on these sites can compromise your confidentiality and our respective privacy. It may also blur the boundaries of our therapeutic relationship. If you have questions about this, please talk to me about it when we meet.

Following
I have a Twitter and Practice Facebook account. I use these accounts mainly to keep up to date with trends that interest me. I am not active on Twitter and have no expectation that you as a patient will want to follow me. However, if you use an easily recognisable name on Twitter and I happen to notice that you’ve followed me, we may briefly discuss it and its potential impact on our working relationship.

My primary concern is your privacy. I will not follow you back. I only follow other health professionals on Twitter and I do not follow current or former patients on blogs or Twitter. My reasoning is that I believe casual viewing of patients’ online content outside of the therapy hour can create confusion in regard to whether it’s being done as a part of your treatment or to satisfy my personal curiosity. In addition, viewing your online activities without your consent and without our explicit arrangement towards a specific purpose could potentially have a negative influence on our working relationship. If there are things from your online life that you wish to share with me, please bring them into our sessions where we can view and explore them together, during the therapy hour.

Interacting
Please do not use WhatsApp or messaging on Social Networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn to contact me. These sites are not secure and I may not read these messages in a timely fashion. Do not use Wall postings, @replies, or other means of engaging with me in public online if we have an already established patient/therapist relationship. Engaging with me this way could compromise your confidentiality. It may also create the possibility that these exchanges become a part of your legal medical record and will need to be documented and archived in your file.

If you need to contact me between sessions, the best way to do so is by phone or SMS. Direct email to info@johannkrynauw.co.za is second best for quick, administrative issues such as changing appointment times or going onto my website directly on my online booking system. See the email section below for more information regarding email interactions.

Adding Skills/Endorsement
I keep a LinkedIn profile page for professional reasons. You are welcome to view the page, but I do not accept patients as contacts on this service. I believe having patients as connections creates a greater likelihood of compromised patient confidentiality and I feel it is best to be explicit to all who may view the list of contacts on my profile page to know that they will not find patient names on that contact list. In addition, the HPCSA’s Ethics Code prohibits my soliciting testimonials (endorsements on LinkedIn) from clients or anyone else for that matter. I feel that the Endorsement function on the LinkedIn service is a promotional function and therefore equivalent to testimonials. This function comes too close to an implied request for a public endorsement of my practice.

Use of Search Engines
It is NOT a regular part of my practice to search for patients on Google or Facebook or other search engines. Extremely rare exceptions may be made during times of crisis. If I have a reason to suspect that you are in danger and you have not been in touch with me via our usual means (coming to appointments, phone, or email) there might be an instance in which using a search engine (to find you, find someone close to you, or to check on your recent status updates) becomes necessary as part of ensuring your welfare. These are unusual situations and if I ever resort to such means, I will fully document it and discuss it with you when we next meet.

Articles on the Internet
I do not follow current or former patients' articles on the net. If there are things you want to share with me that you feel are relevant to your treatment whether they are news items or things you have created, I encourage you to bring these items of interest into our sessions.

Email and SMS
I prefer using email and SMS only to arrange or modify appointments. Please do not email me content related to your therapy sessions, as email is not completely secure or confidential. If you choose to communicate with me by email, be aware that all emails are retained in the logs of your and my Internet service providers. While it is unlikely that someone will be looking at these logs, they are, in theory, available to be read by the system administrator(s) of the Internet Service Provider. You should also know that any emails I receive from you and any responses that I send to you become a part of your therapeutic file.

Conclusion
Thank you for taking the time to review my Social Media Policy. If you have questions or concerns about any of these policies and procedures or regarding our potential interactions on the Internet, do bring them to my attention so that we can discuss them.

Please find below the contact details of emergency service providers who may be able to assist in the event of a mental health related emergency. Included are the telephone numbers of the emergency service provider. Please note that any contact details provided below are for information purposes only and do not constitute a professional or clinical service through this website or by its proprietors or representatives. *Suicide Crisis Line 0800-567-567 *Lifeline 021-461-1111 *Childline 0800-055-555 Cape Town: *Medi Clinic (Cape Town) 021-464-5555 (Emergency Unit) *Groote Schuur Hospital 021-404-4157 (Emergency Unit) *ER24 Emergency Services 084-124 (Ambulance Response) *Emergency Medical Services 10-177 (Ambulance Response) *Vredekloof Clinic 021 982 2726 *Medi Clinic Cape Gate 021 983 5600

Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMBs) are a set of defined benefits to ensure that all medical scheme members have access to certain minimum health services, regardless of the benefit option they have selected. The aim is to provide people with continuous care to improve their health and well-being and to make healthcare more affordable. These benefits are defined as a golden standard to make sure that all medical aid members have access to certain minimum health services. Please contact your medical aid to double check their policy on PMB and which diagnostic codes are covered.

Electronic Communications Policy for Johann Krynauw Clinical Psychology Practice In today’s world, electronic communication is omnipresent and vital, particularly in professional environments. While it can greatly enhance interactions between doctors and patients, it is crucial for all participants to recognize the potential risks associated with these tools. Therefore, we have established a fundamental electronic communications policy. Although it is not all-encompassing, it aims to offer essential guidelines for the use of electronic communications within our practice. What types of communication are we addressing? This policy covers all forms of interaction between therapists/doctors and patients/clients that occur through means other than in-person conversations, utilizing any electronic communication method. This includes, but is not limited to, telephone calls, faxes, messaging applications like WhatsApp, emails, SMS, and more. Why is this significant? Healthcare professionals, including doctors and therapists, have an obligation to safeguard patient confidentiality in accordance with legal requirements. If you wish to delve deeper into the legal details surrounding this issue, we encourage you to review the POPI legislation (Protection of Private Information Act). It can be found at the following link: http://www.gov.za/documents/protection-personal-information-act What are the potential risks associated with electronic communication? While we make every effort to protect patient confidentiality at all times, it’s important to recognize that communication through electronic means is not always secure, and complete privacy cannot be guaranteed. The recipient might find it challenging to verify the identity of the individual sending the message. Electronic communications can be compromised by viruses or may be corrupted or altered during transmission. Messages are prone to misreading or misunderstanding, particularly when using brief-message platforms like WhatsApp or SMS. There is a risk that electronic messages could be intercepted and shared without the sender’s permission by unauthorized parties. Utilizing electronic communication can lead to potential fraud and breaches of confidentiality. If you use a work email address for sending or receiving emails, your employer is entitled to monitor and review your correspondence. Furthermore, electronic communications might be admissible as evidence in legal proceedings While these are some of the potential risks, there may be additional ones you should be aware of. It’s crucial to evaluate these risks thoroughly before using electronic messaging Who can access my electronic communications? The accessibility of your communications depends on the recipient and the email address you choose to use. If you send a message to your doctor or therapist’s private email, there is a higher likelihood of it being kept confidential compared to sending it to our practice’s general email addresses, such as info@johannkrynauw.co.za. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that you are using the correct address. If your message is sent to any of the practice’s email addresses, there is a greater risk to confidentiality. Please take this into serious consideration. How are these messages handled? Typically, doctors and therapists receive their emails and other communications throughout the day, which is a period during which they are often busy seeing patients or clients. As a result, they have very limited time available to check these messages, if they have the opportunity at all. When you send a message to the practice’s main addresses (such as info or reception), it will be directed to the appropriate individual. Doctors and therapists value the time they dedicate to their patients or clients, which is why electronic devices are generally turned off or set to silent mode during sessions. If you need to reach the practice urgently, please use email, or WhatsApp, or call directly using Tel: 0662136887. Please be patient for responding back and allow 2/3 days maximum. Who will respond? If you require a reply from a particular individual, please ensure your message is directed to the appropriate person. You may also choose to explicitly request a response from a specific individual. When should a reply be anticipated? It is advisable to allow several business days for responses to electronic communications. Keep in mind that emails can be delayed and may only be received by the recipient long after they were sent. Additionally, most doctors and therapists allocate specific times in their schedules to handle administrative tasks, which can result in further delays. Therefore, do not expect a response on the same day. What is the purpose of electronic communication? There are various possible applications; however, it is mostly utilized for administrative tasks and brief inquiries related to treatment. It is particularly well-suited for non-urgent issues. What should electronic communication be avoided for? Urgent messages, crises, or sensitive matters that you prefer not to have documented in your file or on the server should NOT be communicated electronically. Appointment Scheduling Notice We offer appointment scheduling through WhatsApp, email, or phone calls. When calling, please allow enough time for the phone to ring so that you can leave a voicemail. This will enable us to return your call and respond accordingly. Contact Information: WhatsApp/Phone Calls: 066 213 6887 Email: info@johannkrynauw.co.za URGENT IMPORTANT NOTICE: Communication via these channels is strictly for appointment scheduling and confirmation purposes only. All other matters will be addressed during your therapeutic consultation time. Why Face-to-Face Consultations are Essential for Complex Discussions Electronic communication, such as email or messaging, should not be used for lengthy discussions or to address complicated questions. These platforms are not designed to replace in-person consultations. If your message extends beyond a few sentences, it is more appropriate to schedule an appointment with your doctor or therapist to discuss your concerns directly. Moreover, doctors and therapists may not be able to respond to multiple messages or emails from the same individual in a single day. It is important to remember that electronic communication can never replace the depth and effectiveness of a face-to-face consultation. SMS Appointment Reminders Automatic appointment reminders via SMS can occur. We will send you a text message reminding you of your next appointment. However, we understand that some patients may find this intrusive or have concerns regarding privacy or confidentiality. If you do not wish to receive SMS reminders, please inform our staff. Please note that these SMS reminders are provided as a courtesy; it is ultimately your responsibility to remember and attend your appointments. Additionally, please be aware that, that the sms reminders number is automated generated and not a contactable number.

Practical Information Please note that due to clinical demands and the high volume of incoming WhatsApp messages, phone calls, and emails, we may not always be able to respond to your message immediately. We appreciate your understanding and patience. All enquiries via whatts up, email, calls, voice messages – allow 2 days. • For documents that need to be completed by the Clinical Psychologist (such as PMBs, insurance claims, Motivations, Medical Reports, etc.) – allow 2 – 4 weeks. Appointment Scheduling Notice We offer appointment scheduling through WhatsApp, email, or phone calls. When calling, please allow enough time for the phone to ring so that you can leave a voicemail. This will enable us to return your call and respond accordingly. Contact Information: WhatsApp/Phone Calls: 066 213 6887 Email: info@johannkrynauw.co.za URGENT IMPORT INFORMATION: Communication via these channels is strictly for appointment scheduling and confirmation purposes only. All other matters will be addressed during your therapeutic consultation time. As a patient, you are required to confirm your appointment with the Clinical Psychologist either through WhatsApp or email. Additionally, please ensure that the Terms and Conditions are completed online before your appointment. You can access the Terms and Conditions through the following link: Terms and Conditions. We would like to remind you to confirm your scheduled consultation slot within 24 hours from the suggested date and timeslot. Unfortunately, if we do not receive a confirmation from you by then, we will have to offer your appointment slot to another patient due to the high demand and long waiting list. Each patient must contact their medical aid to see if you qualify for PMB and very important how much sessions you have left before seeing the Clinical Psychologist before you attend the consultation. In the event that your PMB / Medical aid is depleted, the patient will be responsible for settling the account. Therapy sessions are 50 minutes per session. It is advisable to schedule on average 9-12 consultations in advance to ensure continuity. IN CASE OF A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, please do not wait for a response. Report to your nearest emergency department. Please take note of our office hours: * Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 09h00 – 17h00 * Wednesday & Friday’s: 09h00 – 14h00 For account related queries, please send an email to Quinton: billing1@ekbmedical.co.za or billing@ekbmedical.co.za or contact them directly on: 082 464 1717 Please also make sure that you read our electronic communications policy, which you can view at https://johannkrynauw.co.za/electronic-communications-policy-for-johann-krynauw-clinical-psychology-practice