The new patient intake appointment involves an initial assessment that lasts about an hour. During this session, your psychiatrist performs a comprehensive evaluation of your mental health. This includes obtaining a complete history of your presenting symptoms, psychiatric history, any current or previous medications and how well you tolerated them, substance use history, medical history, allergies, family and social history. A diagnosis is made, feedback is provided and a treatment plan is developed taking your needs into account.
We discuss goals and expectations for treatment. Treatment plans may include recommendations regarding medications, therapies, coping skills, lifestyle changes, relationships and other factors that impact your wellness. If it is determined that additional time is needed to complete this evaluation process, the session time may be extended if there is availability, otherwise a subsequent appointment will be scheduled. Extended sessions and/or subsequent appointments will be subject to charge.
We typically order labs and in some cases, lab testing may be necessary prior to starting treatment with medication. The assessment may involve obtaining collateral information from a close family member or friend with your consent; this is often essential with elderly patients.
By the end of this initial appointment, the patient and psychiatrist can determine if they would like to continue working together. If so, the psychiatrist will become the patient’s treating psychiatrist. If at any point during treatment, the provider or the patient determines that the patient would be better served by receiving treatment from a different provider, this will be discussed, and referrals will be provided to the patient.
Please note that the initial appointment is a consultation and provides an opportunity to decide whether or not we are the right practice for you. There is no guarantee that we will immediately prescribe medication, continue previous treatment, or complete forms.
We believe in allowing adequate time needed for proper evaluation and treatment of our patients.
- New Patient Intake – 1 hour
- Follow-up Medication Management – 30 mins
We strive to limit the use of addictive medications such as benzodiazepines. These are controlled substances that should be used infrequently and for a limited period of time due to potential risks. Therefore please note that we do not:
- Prescribe high doses or high amounts of benzodiazepines (including Xanax, Klonopin, Ativan, Valium, etc).
- Prescribe Xanax (Alprazolam) except under extremely rare circumstances and in very small quantities
If you are currently taking this medication, we will work with you to explore alternative treatment options to manage the symptoms that often lead to the use of these medications. These include nonaddictive medications, lifestyle changes, therapy, coping skills and relaxation techniques.
ADHD:
- If you have been diagnosed with ADHD/ADD in the past and received treatment with stimulant medications (e.g. Adderall, Ritalin, Vyvanse, etc) which are controlled substances, we have to ensure that the diagnosis is correct. Therefore in addition to requiring your previous medical records which should include proof of diagnosis, testing if any and past treatments, we also perform our own evaluation and in some cases may require additional assessment such as neuropsychological testing.
- For patients without prior ADHD diagnosis, we conduct a psychiatric evaluation and in some cases may require additional assessment such as a neuropsychological testing, this is usually performed by a Psychologist and a written report is provided upon completion.
We recommend submitting a claim to your insurance company if we don’t accept your insurance, you pay out of pocket and you have out-of-network benefits. Many patients get a sizable reimbursement or have the costs paid counted towards their deductible.
Start by going to your insurance company’s website. Find the form associated with Out-of-Network claims and fill it out. Then, take the billing statement/invoice we provide (which has the necessary information needed) and combine it with your claims form. Follow the instructions on how to send these documents to your insurance company.
You may benefit from exploring the company Better, which helps you navigate the insurance claim process.
I can only complete supportive documentation on your behalf for medical leave, excused absence from school, or other reasons if you have been my patient for at least six (6) months and I have seen you a minimum of 5 times (including initial evaluation and routine follow up appointments) as well as managed your psychiatric care during the applicable period of illness. This service is billed at an hourly rate of $300 given the significant amount of time it takes. Completion of any paperwork is at the discretion of the physician.
We use Zoom, www.zoom.us. Zoom is a HIPAA compliant, secure platform and has the highest quality video and audio capabilities. We also use doxy.me which is secure as well.
A Psychiatrist is a licensed physician (medical doctor) that specializes in the field of Psychiatry, which focuses on the diagnoses, treatment and prevention of mental, emotional, behavioral disorders, as well as substance use disorders. They can prescribe medications when treatment with medication is necessary and ongoing medication management.
A therapist may be a licensed Psychologist (doctoral level PhD or PsyD), Counselor or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (Master’s level); they receive extensive training in psychotherapy, often referred to as “talk therapy”.
Sometimes the best treatment for a patient may be a combination of both medication(s) and talk therapy; in such instance, a patient can see a psychiatrist for medication management and a psychologist/therapist for psychotherapy.
Both psychiatrists and therapists are able to evaluate an individual to determine whether one or both treatments approaches are necessary, and can make recommendations based on their assessment.
For more info: https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/what-is-psychiatry