About Medical Massage Appointments
What Makes “Medical Massage” Different?
A medical massage is typically referred for a specific clinical diagnosis assessed by a physician. The intention is to improve a specific ailment or condition and achieve a measurably improved, positive outcome.
Medical massage referrals typically include a series of treatments, which the therapist should plan out with a treatment goal in mind. These treatments factor into a broader continuum of care for the patient.
Generally speaking, medical massage treatments are covered by insurance. As such, therapists who wish to perform medical massage must have an NPI (National Provider Identifier) number, which is required for insurance billing.
Clinical Documentation
Therapists practicing medical massage are required to perform a comprehensive initial evaluation in their first visit with a patient, along with clinical documentation for every treatment. This includes patient intake forms, functional outcome and pain scales, and a detailed SOAP note.
Zeel’s clinical team reviews all documentation, and if it does not meet clinical standards, the submitting provider is required to make the necessary revisions to maintain a high quality of care. Our clinical and Patient Care Coordination teams are also here as a resource for therapists who need guidance on best practices for clinical notes.
HIPAA Compliance
The HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) Privacy Rule protects the privacy of individually identifiable health information, called protected health information, or PHI. PHI is any piece of information in an individual’s medical record that was created, used, or disclosed during the course of diagnosis or treatment that can be used to personally identify them.
Zeel’s technology and official protocols are designed to be HIPAA-compliant, but you, too, must take special care to follow these guidelines on medical appointments.
Do not share any patient information with anyone outside of Zeel’s clinical team. Doing so can lead to the suspension of your professional license.
If you need to communicate with Zeel about a medical treatment, do so using secure, in-app chat. Never email or text about medical appointments or patients.
Tipping and Dress
Your usual 18% gratuity is factored into your Zeel fee structure, but you may not accept additional tips on ANY medical appointment.
You should dress professionally on medical massage appointments, in industry-standard all black clothes or scrubs. If you would like a Zeel-branded top to wear on these appointments, contact Provider Support via in-app chat, who will provide instructions for getting Zeel provider apparel at an exclusive discount.