OPTUM ADOPTING A CUSTOMER REVIEW PROCESS

Optum Health Behavioral Solutions has adopted a customer review process, in which clients can leave reviews for contracted providers on the plan’s Liveandworkwell (provider directory) website. Additionally, Optum is collaborating with Healthgrades and any reviews left for an Optum-contracted provider on Healthgrades will also appear on Optum’s provider directory site. Although not a contractual obligation or requirement, Optum is urging its providers to encourage clients to leave reviews on the plan’s site.

Members have expressed concerns over what this may mean for their practice and whether such encouragement would be unethical. While encouraging a client to leave a review is not unethical per se, CAMFT recommends therapists to carefully assess a client’s particular circumstances, the nature of the therapeutic relationship, and the potential for client exploitation or impairment of professional judgment prior to doing so. Note: The CAMFT Code of Ethics is currently under review by the Ethics Committee and the standard on solicitation of testimonials (10.6) may change.

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