At a glance
- Who we see
- Adults 18 and over, anywhere in California, for the full range of outpatient psychiatry.
- Who we cannot see
- Patients under 18, patients who need a benzodiazepine continued, and emergencies. In an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
- How visits happen
- Almost entirely by secure video, and you must be in California at the time of each visit. In-person visits in San Francisco are possible but uncommon.
- Insurance
- In network with Aetna, Alameda Alliance, Cigna, Curative, and Lyra Health (all three physicians) and Anthem Blue Cross (Dr. Lodhi only). Blue Shield is not in network. Self-pay, HSA, and FSA are accepted. Insurance and fees
- Getting started
- Our office responds to appointment requests within two business days. Initial evaluations are 60 minutes with a physician, and appointments are often available within one to two weeks.
The evaluation process
- Initial request & intake forms
- After you request an appointment, our office will send you a secure link to our patient portal. You will be asked to complete comprehensive intake forms, including your medical history, psychiatric history, and specific rating scales relevant to your symptoms. We require these to be completed prior to your first visit to ensure your physician has adequate time to review your history.
- The initial evaluation
- Your first appointment is a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation, almost always conducted via secure video, typically lasting 60 minutes. Your physician will conduct a structured clinical interview, review your history, and discuss their diagnostic impressions. Depending on complexity, the evaluation may extend across two to three follow up sessions to ensure diagnostic accuracy.
- Treatment planning
- At the conclusion of your evaluation, your physician will collaborate with you to develop an individualized treatment plan. This may include medication management, recommendations for specific modalities of psychotherapy, lifestyle interventions, or further medical workup (such as labs or imaging) if indicated.
Important practice policies
- Telemedicine
- For telemedicine visits, you must be physically located in the state of California at the time of your appointment. In-person visits in San Francisco are possible but uncommon.
- Controlled substances
- We are highly conservative with controlled substances. We do not prescribe benzodiazepines (e.g., Xanax, Klonopin, Ativan). Stimulants for ADHD are prescribed only after a rigorous diagnostic evaluation confirms the diagnosis.
- Cancellations
- We require 48 hours notice for cancellations to avoid a cancellation fee.
You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your health care will cost
Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have certain types of health care coverage or who are not using certain types of health care coverage an estimate of their bill for health care items and services before those items or services are provided.
- You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any health care items or services upon request or when scheduling such items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.
- If you schedule a health care item or service at least 3 business days in advance, make sure your health care provider or facility gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing within 1 business day after scheduling. If you schedule a health care item or service at least 10 business days in advance, make sure your health care provider or facility gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing within 3 business days after scheduling. You can also ask any health care provider or facility for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service. If you do, make sure the health care provider or facility gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing within 3 business days after you ask.
- If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more for any provider or facility than your Good Faith Estimate from that provider or facility, you can dispute the bill.
For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises/consumers, email FederalPPDRQuestions@cms.hhs.gov, or call 1-800-985-3059.
If you are paying for your visits yourself, ask us for a Good Faith Estimate when you schedule, or call (650) 248-2467. More about Good Faith Estimates
Common questions
How long is the first appointment?
Initial evaluations run 60 minutes with a physician. Depending on diagnostic complexity, the evaluation may extend across two to three sessions. ADHD evaluations in particular typically require two to three sessions before any medication decision.
How quickly can I be seen?
Our office responds to appointment requests within two business days to schedule your first visit. New-patient appointments are often available within one to two weeks, varying by physician and insurance plan; urgent clinician referrals are triaged within two business days.
Do you prescribe benzodiazepines?
No. We do not prescribe benzodiazepines (such as Xanax, Klonopin, or Ativan). If you currently take one prescribed by another physician, we are happy to discuss your care, including a gradual, medically supervised taper if appropriate, but we will not continue this medication class.
Will I receive ADHD medication at my first visit?
No. Stimulants are prescribed only after a completed diagnostic evaluation confirms the diagnosis, which typically takes two to three sessions. This protects you from the consequences of a wrong diagnosis: stimulants can worsen anxiety and destabilize unrecognized bipolar disorder.
What do I need for telehealth appointments?
A private space in California, a reliable internet connection, and a device with a camera. We send a secure video link before each visit; there is nothing to install. You must be physically located in California at the time of your appointment.
Can I use my insurance?
We are in-network with Aetna, Alameda Alliance, Anthem Blue Cross, Cigna, Curative, and Lyra Health (participation varies by physician). If we are out-of-network for your plan, a Network Gap Exception often secures in-network rates. See our insurance page for a step-by-step guide and template letters.
More detail: insurance and feeshow telepsychiatry works
Requesting your first appointment
Our office responds to appointment requests within two business days. We will match you with a physician and send your intake forms through the patient portal.