Dr. Daniel Chorney & Associates

helping families.
In order to continue providing services during the COVID-19 pandemic, our practice has made a number of modifications to help continue to see clients and families through this period. Below are a number of answers to frequently asked questions related to TeleHealth and instructions on how you can get set up for your first telehealth appointment (whether you are an existing client or wanting to make a new referral to our practice).

How do I get started? What do I do first?


If this is your Initial Appointment (first time ever using any of our services):
You'll be emailed and asked to complete two forms: 1) our "Client Information and Consent Form" 2) either the Child History Form for kids/teens 0-19 years old or our Adult History Form (ages 19+)

You don't need to print these off - they will be sent to you electronically for you to sign (digitally) and submit back to us online. It is important these are reviewed and signed (if consenting to services/information) immediately as we can't see you online without having the appropriate forms done. We may ask you again to "verbally consent" the first time we use telehealth.

In the end you'll receive TWO Forms - one History form and one Consent to Services form- so TWO total forms to read/review/sign/complete. These emails containing the forms look the same when they arrive in your inbox but they are different so please ensure you've clicked through to read it before checking in with us. While we realize this is a lot, it helps ensure you understand what treatment entails and any risks/issues that may occur.

Are sessions the same as face-to-face?

Yes and no. Most of us would agree we'd prefer to meet face-to-face, but we've found that meetings over telehealth are remarkably similar to in-person meetings once people get comfortable. The content of the session (in other words, what we hear from you and what we say back) is often the same or identical to an in-person meeting. For some individuals, telehealth may even be preferred as it allows you to stay home at a place you're probably more comfortable talking and opening up. Some younger children can find the technology distracting (what five year old doesn't love seeing themselves in an iPad!) but we can still work with parents if you're looking for help with parenting anxiety or behavioural issues (or just turn off the view/thumbnail of yourself on your screen to help reduce distractions).

For suggestions on how to make the most of our time together, see the Q&A below for tips on telehealth.

I've never done this before - is there anything I should do beforehand?

Yes - here are the necessary steps:

1) Please ensure you've completed all the forms you were emailed at booking (History Form + all consent forms) as soon as you finish the booking call.

2) Your "Welcome Email" or "Thanks for booking" email will contain a link that allows you to test your software to ensure it works with our Jane Telehealth. Look for the section that says "This is an online video appointment" and the button that says "Test my device" for where to click. Please don't wait until your appointment time to test your software, try it out immediately to make sure you have everything up and ready for appointment time (see section on this page "What telehealth software are you using?" for more).

Many of us have used video conferencing for fun reasons like chatting with friends or relatives but not everyone has used this sort of technology for work or medical/therapy appointments. We've put together a "tip sheet" that provides a number of recommendations and suggestions for making sure your session is distraction free, confidential, and easy to see/hear. Don't worry if you can't do everything suggested but try to follow as many of the recommendations as possible. The tip sheet can be downloaded by clicking here.


Can I book a Telehealth session online?

Absolutely. Our online booking software is all set up to allow you to book a telehealth session with one of our providers. Just visit our Contacts page, click on Book an Appointment, and book like you normally would (just choose "TelePsychology" as your option.


How can I pay for a sesssion/appointment?

Meeting in person allows us to collect payment at the end of sessions using a traditional debit/payment terminal but "virtual meetings" make this impossible. For all Initial Appointments we collect your credit card information at the time of booking (VISA or MasterCard) and store this information on our secure practice management software (JANEapp.com). At the end of your first appointment we will process your payment and you will be automatically sent an email confirming payment with a PDF receipt attached to your email. This PDF contains everything you should need for submitting to your insurance provider (see below).

If this is not your first appointment we ask that you consider entering your credit card information yourself at the time of your booking. Instructions can be found here.

Your credit card information will be stored in our practice management software ("JANE") but we do not have access to your credit card number (only the last four digits) and would never process a payment unless you've completed an appointment with us or you've missed your appointment (see our Cancellation Policy in the Consent Form). If you would like this information deleted in the future we have the ability to delete your credit card information from our system, just let us know.

Will my insurance pay for this?

With so many insurance plans and options out there we can't say with any certainty if your specific plan or provider will cover telehealth sessions. That said, most insurance companies are reimbursing clients for telehealth services. It is your responsibility to contact your insurance provider (Blue Cross, Manulife, Sunlife, etc) to ask them if "Telehealth" or "Telepsychology" is covered. We have a number of questions/answers about fees and insurance on our Fees page as well you may want to ask while calling.


What telehealth software are you using?

We are currently using Jane Telehealth as our preferred telehealth software. This secure platform is integrated within our practice management software but does require that you download Google Chrome as your browser (if you are using Android or a laptop) or, if you are using an Apple device using iOS (e.g., an iPhone or an iPad), please ensure you've read our Telehealth Instructions guide or visit Jane's Telehealth instructions for Apple/iOS here.

To learn more about Jane Telehealth you can visit their FAQ page here.

What if I want to wait for face-to-face meetings?

We 100% respect that decision. That said, at this time (April 1st) we have no ability to accurately predict when our office will resume daily face-to-face meetings again. We have been encouraging our existing clients (and those we've never met before) to consider trying the Telehealth option first before deciding if it's right for them. While it may not be perfect for everyone, our psychologists have found it really helpful to check in with clients during this time and have some continuity of care as it may still be weeks or more since we go "back to normal" with visits.

Some have asked us to call them when we re-open but we have been asking people to check in on our website (front page) regularly to see when our office reopens. The website will be updated immediately when the date is set to re-open and an announcement will also be made on our practice Twitter account - @DrDanielChorney. Just be sure to hit "Refresh" on your browser to ensure you have the latest update of our website.

Can I use my phone instead of video conferencing?

Absolutely. Just book a Telepsychology Session and as you're booking you'll see a box appear that says "Reason for Appointment" - just write in your telephone number that you'd like us to call and the word telephone - like this - "Telephone - (902) 444-1160" but just use your number.


who we are
Chorney & Associates is a group of registered clinical psychologists practicing in the center of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
contact us
Telephone: (902) 444-1160
Email: drchorney @ gmail.com
Fax: (902) 444-3210
Web: chorneyandassociates.com
what we do
Each clinician at Chorney & Associates specializes in a number of areas, ranging from preschool-aged children to adults.