Your First Telehealth Psychiatry Appointment: What to Expect

Scheduling a first psychiatric appointment takes courage. Doing it via telehealth for the first time adds an additional layer of unfamiliarity. What will happen? Will it be awkward? Is it as "real" as in-person care? Will my information be private?

These are completely understandable questions. This guide walks through exactly what to expect from your first telepsychiatry appointment at Segal Telepsychiatry Network — before, during, and after.

Before Your Appointment

Completing the Intake Form

When you submit our Get Started form, a member of our team will contact you within one business day to schedule your appointment and verify your insurance benefits. Before your appointment, you may be asked to complete intake paperwork — a questionnaire about your psychiatric history, current symptoms, medications, and goals for treatment.

Taking time to complete this thoughtfully helps your provider understand your situation before you even connect, making the appointment itself more efficient and focused.

Insurance Verification

We verify your insurance benefits before your first appointment at no charge. We accept most major insurance plans including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Optum/United Healthcare, Humana, Medicare, Medi-Cal, and many others. We will let you know your expected cost sharing in advance.

Technology Check

You need:

• A device with a camera and microphone (smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop)
• A reliable internet connection
• A private space where you can speak freely

No special software download is required — you'll receive a secure link to join your session. We recommend testing your camera and microphone before your appointment. We use a HIPAA-compliant, encrypted platform.

During Your Appointment

The Psychiatric Evaluation

Your first appointment is typically a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation. It lasts approximately 60 minutes. Your provider will:

Take a detailed history: This includes your current symptoms, when they started, how they affect your life, and what you've tried before. They will ask about your psychiatric history, any previous diagnoses, medications you've taken, and how they worked.

Review your medical and family history: Some medical conditions affect mood and cognition. A family history of psychiatric conditions is relevant to diagnosis and treatment planning.

Ask about your life context: Work, relationships, housing, substance use, trauma history, and current stressors all inform the clinical picture.

Discuss your goals: What do you want to be different? What would feel like improvement to you? This helps your provider understand not just your diagnosis but what success looks like for you.

What You Won't Experience

• Judgment: Our providers are non-judgmental clinicians who have heard it all. There are no wrong answers.
• Being forced into anything: Nothing will be prescribed or decided without your involvement and consent.
• An awkward stare-down: Telehealth conversations feel remarkably natural once you're a few minutes in. Many patients report they quickly forget they're not in the same room.

At the End of the Appointment

Your provider will share their clinical impressions, discuss diagnosis if applicable, and propose a treatment plan. This might include:

• A prescription for medication (if appropriate)
• Referral to therapy
• Referral to TMS therapy (California only)
• Additional evaluation or testing
• Follow-up appointment scheduling

You are entitled to ask questions. If something isn't clear, ask. If you disagree with something, say so. This is a collaborative relationship.

After Your Appointment

Prescriptions

If medication is prescribed, your provider will send the prescription electronically to your preferred pharmacy. Schedule follow-up appointments as recommended — medication management typically involves check-ins every 2–4 weeks initially and less frequently once you're stabilized.

Follow-Up

Psychiatry is not a one-appointment discipline. Follow-up is important — to assess your response to treatment, adjust medications if needed, and continue building a therapeutic relationship. We offer secure messaging between appointments for non-urgent questions.

Continuity

If you're connected with a therapist elsewhere, let us know. We are glad to coordinate with your therapy team to ensure your psychiatric care and psychotherapy are aligned.

One More Thing

Whatever brought you to seek psychiatric care — whether it took years of struggle before making this call, or whether you're being proactive early — we are glad you're here. Getting help takes something, and reaching out is the hardest step.

We look forward to meeting you. Schedule your first appointment today.