Home » Office Policies

Office Policies

At the practice of Brad Johns, MD, we are dedicated to providing compassionate, high-quality psychiatric care in a respectful and structured environment. To ensure smooth practice operations and provide the highest level of care, we ask all patients to review our practice policies below.

Office Hours & Emergency Protocols

Business Hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
Routine Inquiries: Phone messages left during normal business hours regarding non-urgent matters will be returned by the following business day.
After-Hours Urgent Calls: For urgent, non-life-threatening clinical questions after business hours, please call our office at (404) 495-5006 and leave a detailed message.

Medical & Psychiatric Emergencies

Our practice does not provide emergency, immediate crisis intervention, or same-day urgent care.

If you or a family member are experiencing a life-threatening medical or psychiatric emergency, please take immediate action:

Call or Text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (Available 24/7).
Call 911 for local emergency medical services.
Go directly to the nearest hospital emergency room.

Payments & Financial Responsibility

All patients are required to pay the full session fee at the time services are rendered.

Accepted Payment Methods: We accept major credit cards, debit cards, cash, checks, and HSA/FSA (Health Savings Account / Flexible Spending Account) cards.
Payment Requirement: We request that a valid credit card be kept on file and presented at each visit to cover applicable fees.

Appointment Changes, Cancellations & Tardiness

We do not double-book appointments; your session time is exclusively reserved for you.

24 Business Hours Notice: If you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, we require at least 24 business hours’ advance notice. Cancellations made with less than 24 business hours’ notice will incur the full session fee.
Leaving After-Hours Cancellation Messages: You may leave a cancellation message on our office voicemail at any time.
Punctuality & Parking: Please allow ample time for travel, traffic, and parking when attending an in-person visit at our Sandy Springs office. If you arrive more than 10 minutes late, we may need to reschedule your session to ensure other scheduled patients are not impacted.
Physician Cancellations: If Dr. Johns must cancel or reschedule an appointment due to an unforeseen circumstance, every effort will be made to notify you as far in advance as possible.

Phone Communications & Phone Consultations

Dr. Johns meets with patients throughout the day and is generally unable to answer phone calls immediately.

Leaving Voicemails: When leaving a message, please clearly state your full name, date of birth, and both your daytime and evening contact numbers.
Brief Inquiries: Returning phone calls during office hours is intended for brief, non-clinical administrative inquiries.
Scheduled Phone Appointments: Detailed clinical discussions, extensive progress updates, or complex medication reviews require a scheduled phone or telepsychiatry appointment billed at our standard prorated rates.
After-Hours Calls: Non-emergency calls requiring Dr. Johns’ response outside of standard business hours may incur an additional charge.

Medication Refill Policy

Dr. Johns strives to provide enough medication during your scheduled appointments to last until your next planned visit. To maintain patient safety and continuity of care:

Advance Planning: Please monitor your medication supply closely and request refills at least 7 business days before running out.
Requesting Refills: Refills may be requested during regular business hours by calling our office. Please allow 24 to 48 business hours for refill processing.
Controlled Substances / Stimulants: Refill requests for controlled substances (such as ADHD medications or specific anti-anxiety medications) require electronic transmission directly to your designated pharmacy and cannot be transferred once sent.
Refill Fees & Appointment Compliance: Prescriptions are only refilled for active patients who maintain regularly scheduled follow-up appointments. If a refill request is made when you are overdue for an appointment, a $10 to $25 administrative fee may apply.

Forms, Letters & Documentation

Completing medical forms, treatment summaries, or legal/disability paperwork requires clinical review and administrative processing time.

In-Session Requests: Whenever possible, please bring necessary forms to your scheduled appointment so Dr. Johns can review them with you.
Preparation Fees: Requests for forms or formal clinical letters completed outside of an appointment, or those requiring extensive preparation, are subject to a $50 preparation fee.

Termination of Treatment

Patient Opt-Out: You are under no obligation to continue treatment and may discontinue care at any time. If you decide to terminate treatment, we encourage you to discuss your decision with Dr. Johns so a safe transition plan can be established.
Practice Termination: Dr. Johns reserves the right to terminate the professional doctor-patient relationship under specific circumstances, including treatment non-compliance, financial delinquency, persistent missed appointments without notice, or disruptive/abusive behavior toward office staff.

Financial Guarantor Agreement

This agreement remains active until formal, written notification of an alternative payment arrangement is submitted to Brad Johns, MD.

The designated Financial Guarantor remains responsible for any and all charges incurred prior to receipt of written notification.
To update or change the Financial Guarantor on file, a newly completed Guarantor Agreement form must be submitted to our office.

Questions About Our Office Policies?

Our administrative staff is happy to clarify any practice policies, billing procedures, or appointment schedules.