Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia › Department 609 - STATE BOARD OF EXAMINERS OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY AND AUDIOLOGY › Chapter 609-4 - PRINCIPLES AND STANDARDS OF CONDUCT › Rule 609-4-.03 - Welfare of Clients

Current through Rules and Regulations filed through June 27, 2024
(1) Licensees shall hold paramount the
			 welfare of persons served professionally.
(2) Licensees shall fully inform persons
			 served of the nature and possible effects of the services.
(3) Licensees shall take all reasonable
			 precautions to avoid injuring persons in the delivery of professional
			 services.
(4) Licensees shall
			 charge only for services rendered and shall provide itemized statements for
			 charges for goods dispensed and services provided to the consumer. Nothing in
			 this Rule shall preclude requests to the consumer for prepayment of fees for
			 service as long as fees are refunded for services not rendered. This Rule shall
			 also not preclude requests for appointment deposit charges when the consumer
			 has received prior notification of this charge policy.
(5) Licensees shall fully inform subjects
			 participating in research or teaching activities of the nature and possible
			 effects of these activities.
(6)
			 Licensees shall afford persons used in teaching or research free choice to
			 participate and shall protect their privacy.
(7) Licensees shall evaluate services
			 rendered and products dispensed to determine effectiveness based on recognized
			 standards of practice.
(8)
			 Licensees shall accept persons for treatment for whom reasonable benefit can be
			 expected.
(9) Licensees shall
			 continue treatment to clients as long as reasonable benefit is
			 demonstrated.
(10) Licensees shall
			 provide reasonable statements of prognosis to clients without guaranteeing the
			 results of any therapeutic procedures, directly or by implication.
(11) Licensees shall evaluate or treat
			 speech, language or hearing disorders exclusively within the confines of a
			 professional relationship.
(12)
			 Licensees shall avoid evaluating or treating speech, language or hearing
			 disorders solely by correspondence. This does not preclude follow-up
			 correspondence with persons previously seen, nor providing them with general
			 information of an educational nature.
(13) Licensees shall not discriminate in the
			 delivery of professional services on any basis that is unjustifiable or
			 irrelevant to the need for the potential benefit from such services, such as
			 race, sex, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or handicapping
			 condition.
(14) Licensees shall
			 avoid participation in activities that constitute a conflict of professional
			 interest.
(15) Licensees shall
			 reveal professional or personal information obtained from the person served
			 professionally only a) if authorized by the person served, b) if required by
			 law or, c) to protect the welfare of the person or the community.
(16) Licensees shall provide to clients
			 information relating to products dispensed, including but not limited to any
			 applicable warranties or guarantees, whether the product is new or used, and,
			 if the product is sold or leased, a receipt indicating the price of the product
			 and the amount paid or terms and conditions of payment.
Ga. L. 1974, pp. 1009,
				1013; O.C.G.A. Secs. 84-6705(c);
				  43-44-6,  43-44-6(a)(4),  43-1-19(a)(6).