What Can A Psychiatric Team Do For Me?
Revîv Psychiatry provides physician-led treatment by our trained Psychiatrist and team of Physician Assistants.
A Psychiatrist is a licensed medical physician who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of mental illness. A Psychiatrist has completed medical school, in addition to at least four years of additonal specialty training in Psychiatry. A Psychiatric Physician Assistant is a highly skilled practitioner who has advanced education and clinical training in the diagnosis and management of patient mental health and emotional disorders. A Physician Assistant has successfully completed an approved Physician Assistant training program leading to licensure issued by the Physician Assistant Committee of the Medical Board of California.
Psychiatrists are not only trained to diagnose and manage mental illness using medical approaches, but are also adept at providing psychotherapy (our team provides supportive therapy in conjunction with medication management). Certain specializations within Psychiatry require additional years of training and qualification. Within the profession, each Psychiatrist has specific areas of interest and specialization but has the skills to provide treatment from multiple approaches.
Our Physician Assistants, help patients with various mental health concerns and are able to prescribe medications working in coordination with the doctor. PAs (physician assisants) in psychiatry/mental health provide services under the supervision of a psychiatrist. Our Physician Assistants are highly skilled practicioners who have an advanced education and clinical training in the diagnosis and management of patient mental health and emotional disorders.
By the end of your first visit, our team of trained professionals will determine whether or not you will benefit from further evaluation or begin treatment. Sometimes, an additional visit may be necessary to complete the initial evaluation (for example, someone with an extensive psychiatric history or complicated presentation) as extra time may be necessary to get further information from you, speak to your family or loved ones, review past medical records, or order any necessary lab work. In that case, one of our providers will ask to schedule additional time (30-60 minutes) with you at a future date in order to complete your initial evaluation.
Your provider will not prescribe any medications or recommend any other treatment (such as TMS) until the evaluation is complete (to ensure accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment). Therefore, it is important that you have enough medication from your previous treating physician.
This first visit is a consultation and is a chance to determine whether or not Revîv Psychiatry's services offered best fit your needs. If it turns out that you may benefit from treatment elsewhere, you will be referred to an appropriate treatment center.
What Will Happen During My First Appointment?
Your provider will meet with you for an extensive interview and psychiatric evaluation in which they will gather information; such as your current symptoms, past psychiatric history, medical history and other relevant personal information. These questions may be personal and uncomfortable for some people. Please try to be as open as possible so that the most accurate information can be used in determining your diagnosis and treatment.
Any previous medical/psychiatric records and lab results that may be helpful should be brought to the initial visit. Providing our team with your previous psychiatrist's and other treating physicians' contact phone numbers will further help coordinate your care.
It is mandatory that you fill out the new patient forms prior to your initial appointment. This allows for you and your provider to focus on your concerns and care when you have your appointment. Our office requires these forms be completed and sumbitted at least 48 hrs before your scheduled appointment. Failure to do so will result in having to reschedule the appointment or cancelation of the appoinment altogether.
If your appointment is scheduled as an in person visit, please arrive 10-15 minutes earlier than your scheduled appointment time. If your appointment is a phone call or video call, our staff will instruct you on how and when to check in for your visit.
Will My Treatment Be Kept Confidential?
Revîv Psychiatry will not reveal any information regarding what happens within the work that is done together unless you have signed the Authorization to Disclose Information form. In the instance that you are in danger of harming yourself or another person, then we are obligated by law to notify the authorities of this.
Will The Cost Of My Treatment Be Covered By My Insurance Plan?
When you reach out to our office staff and express interest in becoming a patient, we will verify your benefits/eligibility. We will then let you know what your coverage is per your insurance contract as well as what your copayment/coinsurance may be.
Based on this you can decide if you would like to use your insurance benefits or, if your insurace does not cover your visits, you may like to see us on a fee-for-service basis. If you choose the fee-for-service option certain PPO Insurance plans may reimburse anywhere from 20-90% of the total cost of services.
Our office will provide you with a 'Superbill' with necessary codes which you can submit to your PPO Insurance for reimbursement. Payments (whether insurance copayments/coinsurance fees or fee-for-service fees) are due at the beginning of each session.
How Long Will My Treatment Last?
There are no precise determinations that can be made regarding the length of your treatment. Generally speaking, the longer you have had your mental illness not medically acknowledged, the longer the treatment will take. Certain conditions do not require a lot of time to treat, and others considerably more. Certain mental illnesses require just a couple of visits, and others require life long maintenance. We believe that you should seek treatment as soon as possible, for the best outcome.
How Can I Prevent The Mental Illness From Coming Back?
You will be given guidance and protocols to adhere to both inside and outside of our office. It is important that you follow the treatment regimen and plan of action that is prescribed. Make sure that you follow the medication regimen, attend the psychotherapy/counseling sessions, and keep your life as balanced as you can. It is also important to try and avoid stressful situations, let your loved ones help you whenever possible, and seek help the moment you feel like your mental illness is coming back or getting worse.
What Determines If My Mental Illness Will Come Back?
There are a few components that play a part in the recurrence of mental illness. These include:
Coexisting stresses in life: Often times, a mental illness will recur if there are additional life stressors (for example: family or marital problems, starting a new job, losing someone close to you).
Age: More often than not, if someone is diagnosed with a mental illness earlier than later in life, there is a higher likelihood of the illness recurring.
Diagnosis: Some mental illnesses are more common to recur than others. Some of the ones on the list that are more likely to come back are: OCD, drug and alcohol addiction, eating disorders, and bipolar disorder.
Family History: If a certain mental illness, like Schizophrenia, has been diagnosed in a close family member (a parent, for example) the chances of having the same illness increase. In some cases, such illnesses are considered chronic or long term and require ongoing management.
What If I Have An Emergency Or An Urgent Situation Comes Up?
Revîv Psychiatry does not provide any emergency medical services, provide after-office hour care, or do any hospital work. This is an office-based consulting service. If the occasion arises when urgent care or emergency services are needed please contact your nearest urgent care/emergency room or call 9-1-1 so you can receive care from the appropriate trained professionals.
