Dr. Buffy Cramer-Hammann

Contacting Dr. Cramer-Hammann for an Initial Appointment:

Dr. Cramer-Hammann can be reached via the office phone or email.  If Dr. Cramer-Hammann is in session at the time of your call, she will be unable to respond in that moment, but will return your call or email as soon as possible.  If there is an emergency situation and you require immediate assistance, do no hesitate to seek care at the local emergency room.

During the initial contact, Dr. Cramer-Hammann will ask about the identified patient, referral source, method of preferred payment (self-pay or use of insurance) and availability for sessions.  Should you choose to use insurance, you will want to be aware if there is a requirement of pre-certification prior to beginning sessions.

Prior to the Initial Appointment:

If you should choose to use insurance to assist in covering the costs of your sessions, it is recommended that you contact your insurance company to determine if Dr. Cramer-Hammann is an in-network or out-of-network provider.  Also, you may wish to learn what your behavioral health benefits are, including deductibles and co-pays.

Dr. Cramer-Hammann asks that new patients complete the appropriate registration forms prior to their first session.  Click here to access the Forms page.

There are two types of Registration Forms, one for adults and another for patients under 18 years of age.  These forms ask for basic identifying information as well as the reason for referral and background data.  Also, if patients are choosing to use insurance to assist in session costs, that information is requested as well.

The Practice Policies Form reviews the fees associated with treatment in addition to other policies of the practice.  This form will need to be signed.

The HIPPA Statement and Signature Page Form requires new patients to read the statement and sign the second page.

The Cancellation Policy Form provides patients with information on appropriate means of canceling appointments and the fees associated with late cancellations or missed appointments.  Please provide your signature on this form to acknowledge your understanding of the policy.

Arriving to your Initial Appointment:

Please arrange to be at the office a few minutes prior to your scheduled appointment.  If you are using insurance, a copy will be made of the front and back of the insurance card.  Also, if you were unable to print and complete the forms prior to the appointment, please arrive 10 to 15 minutes early so they can be completed in the waiting room before your scheduled appointment time.

The Initial Appointment:

The inital session provides Dr. Cramer-Hammann with an opportunity to learn more about my patients.  Dr. Cramer-Hammann often talks with patients about "being on the same page" as they are.  In order to do this, she will ask new patients questions about the challenges they are having, their current living situation and important relationships.  Patients will be asked about their history.  This includes medical and mental health diagnoses and treatments.  Patients are always encouraged to provide Dr. Cramer-Hammann with any additional information they may feel important for her to know so that she is able to better assist them.

In the initial session, Dr. Cramer-Hammann is also interested in knowing what the patient hopes to accomplish in therapy.  This assists in determining treatment goals and plans.  Not all patients are able to provide therapy goals in the first session.  In collaboration with Dr. Cramer-Hammann, patients will determine the course of treatment.

While Dr. Cramer-Hammann's goal is to gather as much information about the patient as possible in the initial session, the appointment also provides the new patient with an opportunity to determine if they will be comfortable  working with her on their identified challenge areas.  As the therapeutic process relies heavily on the therapy relationship, it is important for the patient to have the chance to assess the therapist with whom they will be working.