Recognized Providers
Code of Conduct
Draping
Payment
Gift Certificates
Cancellations & Missed Appointments
Same Day Appointments (current clients only)
No-Shows
Early Arrival
Late Arrival
Hygiene
Diabetes
Arriving to Your Appointment Under the Influence
REFERRALS
Clients are now accepted only when proper clearance is received from a recognized medical or chiropractic provider. In other words, you must have a health related issue that can be helped with therapeutic massage AND that your doctor or chiropractor is willing to confirm on your behalf. This can be anything from stress related headaches to thoracic outlet syndrome to chronic or acute pain to lowering blood glucose in diabetics and so much more. It does not necessarily mean you need to visit your doctor's office, although in some cases it might. Please call to find out how to get a referral.
In short, there are two basic reasons: 1) AHA is a health-based facility; therefore, you MUST have a diagnosis in order to be seen, and 2) it is imperative that anyone with a diagnosis and/or who is taking medication for any reason get the proper clearance from their doctor before proceeding with circulatory massage.
LMTs are generally not educated on the many different specific medical conditions that exist today nor are they generally knowledgeable about current medications and their effect on the systems of the body. Massage clients are also not always open about their medical conditions and medications with LMTs; however, this is extremely important to disclose as there are many factors that could come into play that the client may not realize could cause them harm when taking into consideration their current medical condition(s) and/or medication(s).
Clients have presented issues of diabetes, osteoporosis, blood thinning medication, recent heart surgery, cancer and more in the middle of their session that they did not disclose on their intake form because they felt it "doesn't apply to massage". Nothing could be further from the truth. Massage has an impact on just about every system of the human body and although it is beneficial in most cases, there are plenty of cases when it is not appropriate. Only a properly educated medical professional can make a decision on whether massage is safe for a certain medical condition and/or certain medications and only those same professionals can confirm a client's situation.
In cases where the therapist must directly bill your insurance a detailed prescription is mandatory not only for billing, planning, and documentation purposes but also for the best interest of the massage recipient.
RECOGNIZED PROVIDERS
Quite simply a recognized provider is added to the list when a patient from that facility receives massage here after receiving a direct referral or after a provider at the facility acknowledged massage as an effective form of treatment and suggested massage to their patient.
Biddeford Family Chiropractic, Biddeford
Nutrition Consultants, Biddeford
SMMC PrimeCare Internal Medicine/Pediatrics, Old Orchard Beach
Dr. Richard L. Levy, Neurologist, New Hampshire
Dr. Robert Sansonetti, Scarborough
Southern Maine Medical Center, Biddeford
Allergy and Asthma Associates of Maine, Portland & Kennebunk
Plastic & Hand Surgical Associates, South Portland
If you do not see your provider on this list please call AHA at (207) 590-4433 to obtain assistance on getting a referral. Massage is recognized as a health care service by many insurance companies. If you have a diagnosed condition for which massage is an effective form of therapy and your provider refuses to acknowledge massage as a health care service worthy of a referral, you may find it helpful to contact one of the facilities above and ask for another opinion. Keep in mind not all of the providers listed are primary care providers but are specialists in their field so be sure to contact only those who are relevant to your situation. Receiving a referral from your medical provider does not indicate insurance coverage and cash payment is often required at the time of service. Please call for details.
CODE OF CONDUCT
After being in business for six years an issue arose in 2010 here at AHA where a client, over a series of sessions, planned how he would attempt to solicit and victimize his therapist while hiding behind a mask of abundant wit and charm -- unfortunate, immoral, disturbing, offensive, perverse and illegal. That situation resulted in a discussion with many local practitioners and authorities about client conduct in which AHA discovered it was the only local facility that had ever reported this behavior even though the behavior was widespread. The information gathered in those discussions led to a lot of research on the topic of predatory clients and the need for this posting. AHA does not tolerate inappropriate behavior and has taken the lead in making sure these people stay away from licensed facilities by notifying local therapists, notifying the authorities, writing to professional massage groups and publications, and starting an online forum for local therapists to instantly share information about sexual predators. In addition, to provide the best service possible, any practitioner who can not satisfy both confirmation of an active license that has never been suspended as well as a reference and criminal background check will not be allowed to work here.
In an effort to make it clear that this office contracts with only licensed, professional practitioners and to discourage those who shop the internet looking for less than licensed, professional practitioners, AHA has outlined the following conduct policies:
Full draping is required for both the front and back sides of the body at all times, no exceptions. Draping is provided by the therapist. You are not allowed to provide your own draping for any reason nor are you allowed to adjust the draping to your liking without first obtaining permission from your therapist. Preferably, you will ask your therapist to adjust it for you if you are uncomfortable. Asking for the removal of draping for any reason will end your session.
Unless you have a doctor's prescription for a legitimate condition in which massage is a proven, effective therapy and to which your therapist has
consented to prior to your arrival, massage is not applied to the lowest part of the abdominal muscles, upper-most part of
the inner thighs, and the more centrally located attachments of
the gluteal muscles. Asking for an excessive amount of time spent
on the belly, thighs, or buttocks will be a violation of AHA policies unless, again, you have a prescription that has been authorized by your practitioner.
Furthermore, it is completely unacceptable to:
*tell jokes or make statements that either state or imply a sexual reference
*attempt
to touch your therapist in ANY WAY, sexual or not, besides a handshake
*make statements or imply a suggestion about your therapist's body for ANY REASON, whether positive or negative in nature and whether the statement implies a sexual reference or not.
All will be understood as a sexual advance and will result in a terminated session.
Some people who provide intimate, unlawful services often hide under the title of massage therapists but please do not contact licensed professionals if that is what you are looking for; you won’t find it, that is not what we do. People who advertise "sensual", "erotic", and "prostate" massage are in a different profession and are not professional massage providers licensed by the state.
This is not a complete guide on the code of conduct. If you feel you need further clarification on what is and is not appropriate conduct when engaged in a professional massage session please click here for more information.
As previously stated, full draping is required and no exceptions will be made. Clients are not allowed to bring their own draping materials for any reason. If a client feels too warm he or she may request the blanket to be removed, a fan to be turned on, and windows to be opened (weather permitting). Feeling uncomfortable with the pull of the draping around the legs while the therapist works the lower body can be easily relieved by simply asking the therapist to adjust the sheet. Anyone insisting on a less conservative approach to the draping policy will not receive services.
The positioning of the draping is done carefully and deliberately to set a professional and ethical boundary; please do not adjust the draping without first requesting permission to be sure any adjustments that are made are still within the boundaries of the session or you may ask your practitioner to adjust it for you.
PAYMENT POLICY
All new clients are now required to provide a driver’s license when they come in for their first appointment. Should you forget your driver's license your appointment may have to be rescheduled and cancellation policies will take effect. By providing your driver's license you are ensuring that any medical records kept on file are accurate.
Full payment is now due upon arrival, prior to the beginning of your session.
CHECKS
Checks are subject to the terms listed below.
- Checks must be local and should be made out to your therapist.
- No third party checks will be accepted.
- New clients must show identification with a driver's license or state ID. No exceptions.
- Checks with NSF will be assessed a $39 fee.
- NOTE: Checks are deposited immediately.
CREDIT/DEBIT CARDS/FSA VISAS
MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Discover cards are accepted and are subject to the following criteria:
- The card must have already been signed prior to service.
- The card must have valid dates.
- You are willing to provide a valid driver's license for identification purposes.
- The person presenting the card must be the person whose name is on the card (cardholder).
INSURANCE BILLING
Please be prepared to present a credit card to be kept on file even if you have a situation where your therapy is billed to your insurance; this is part of your paperwork prior to receiving services.
GIFT CERTIFICATE POLICY
Please tell the therapist about your gift certificate when scheduling your appointment and be sure to present it, or your gift card, when you arrive. Certificates & cards must be used as stated, no refunds, no exchanges for cash, and must follow the cancellation & missed appointment policy below, as well as all other policies outlined in this document.
CANCELLATION & MISSED APPOINTMENT POLICY
It is your responsibility to remember your appointment. Understandably, unanticipated events happen occasionally in everyone's life, priorities can change quickly, and human error is sometimes a contribution to last minute changes. Business meetings, project deadlines, flight delays, car problems, snowstorms, illness, and parenting issues & schedule changes are just a few reasons why one might consider canceling an appointment. When you have committed to a massage appointment you have been made part of your therapist's daily plan/schedule/structure of the day. Out of fairness, but also because this is not a business that is staffed regularly (meaning when an appointment is made a special trip is made to the office to serve that client) the following policy is in place:
- 24 hour advance notice is required when canceling an appointment.
- If you are unable to give sufficient notice a note will be added to your file.
- If you are unable to give sufficient notice again (twice) within a calendar year a 50% non-refundable credit card deposit will be required when you schedule your next appointment WHETHER OR NOT YOU HOLD A GIFT CERTIFICATE.
- If you are unable to give 24 hours advance notice yet again (three times) within a calendar year your card will be charged the full amount of your appointment for each occurrence from that point forward and AHA reserves the right to stop accepting your appointments at any time. IF YOU HOLD A GIFT CERTIFICATE YOUR CERTIFICATE IS NOW VOID AT THIS POINT.
- Giving 24 hours notice is not the same as calling the day/night before your appointment, so please call ASAP if you need to cancel.
SAME DAY APPOINTMENTS (current clients only)
Same day appointments, when they are available, are offered to current clients only. Although it's not a policy necessarily, it is recommended that you try to schedule at least a day in advance when possible especially June through August.
NO-SHOW POLICY
Anyone who either forgets or consciously chooses to forgo their appointment for whatever reason will be considered a "no-show". He/she will be charged for the missed appointment and future service will be denied until payment is made.
EARLY ARRIVAL
The reception area for AHA is in the treatment room. It is not possible to check in and then wait for your practitioner. For this reason, and others, you will be seen at your scheduled time. If you arrive early please expect to wait while
your therapist finishes other work. This could mean finishing a
massage for another client, finishing post-session communication,
finishing paperwork, or finishing a scheduled break so that all clients
receive the best available therapy. If the office of Nutrition Consultants is open you may wait, but not check in, in their reception area. If their office is closed in this
might mean you will be greeted with a locked door, which is done for
security reasons and to be sure no client's session is interrupted
unless there is an emergency. In addition, clients here are seen by appointment only which means there is not always a practitioner in the office. Most of the time your practitioner is arriving at the office shortly before you are scheduled to arrive and needs time to prepare for your session. The goal here is to serve you in the best way possible and the best way to do that is if you arrive on time. Your understanding is appreciated.
LATE ARRIVAL POLICY
Out of respect and consideration for your therapist and other clients please plan accordingly and be on time. Appointment times have been arranged specifically for you in a way that allows sufficient turnover time from one client to the next so that all clients receive the best possible care and which allows the therapist to stay on schedule with all daily commitments both in and out of the office. If you arrive late your session may be shortened in order to accommodate others whose appointments follow yours or in order to allow your therapist to keep other commitments on schedule OR it may be determined that there is not enough time remaining to start a treatment. Regardless of the length of the treatment actually given, if any, you will be responsible for the FULL time that you reserved.
Although it is very polite to call when you are running behind please understand that if you call to say you are running late you are still late; therefore, the late policy still applies.
If there is no longer enough time to start your session, this is still considered a late arrival and you will be charged in the same way you would be if you canceled within the required time frame.
HYGIENE
It’s a good idea to bathe prior to your session whenever possible so you can get the most out of your session.
Perfume and cologne can linger in the air and on the massage table or chair long after a client has left the room. This is especially true of tobacco products. Please refrain from using these products until after you’ve left the office. Some people, including therapists, have a heightened sensitivity to these products and in some they can trigger allergic reactions and severe sensitivity reactions. Thank you for your understanding.
DIABETES
Massage lowers blood glucose, often significantly. Massage therapists are not nurses, doctors, or dieticians. Generally speaking, a LMT's knowledge of diabetes is extremely limited. Massage will lower your blood glucose and it’s up to you to heed the warning and prepare yourself for a significant drop in blood glucose for after your massage. If this means bringing your supplies with you, you are welcome to do so.
BEING UNDER THE INFLUENCE ON THE PREMISES
If there is any reason to believe you have arrived to your session under an altered state (drinking or drugs, whether prescription or not) you may be denied service and/or the rest of your session may be canceled. You will still be responsible for full payment of your reserved time. Showing up to your appointment with an alcoholic drink your hand will result in your immediate removal from the premises and you will be mailed a bill for your reserved time.