New Patient Consultation

A consultation is a comprehensive evaluation that lasts anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes for an Adult Consultation, 75 to 90 minutes for a Child/Adolescent Consultation, during which the psychiatrist will try to understand the reasons that led you to seek an opinion or treatment. We will focus on your current symptoms and explore stressors and existing coping mechanisms to help develop a treatment plan that best suits you. Our treatment plan is always collaborative and stems from an exploration of what is not working with what is working for the individual.

During this appointment, we will explore the current issues that bring you to treatment and review in detail your history of prior treatments including medications and psychotherapy. Your psychiatrist will screen for common psychiatric disorders, discuss your medical and family history, and learning more about you and your life during the evaluation. Evaluation is a process that may take more than one appointment.

The initial consultation appointment serves to determine whether both you and your psychiatrist are in agreement, or whether this is a good fit for your psychiatric care.

Treatment recommendations will be discussed including the pros/cons of different options. We frequently request your medical records and order laboratory tests during this visit.

Common reasons why clients seek a New Patient Consultation include:

• Second opinion regarding diagnosis, treatment setting, psychotherapy, and/or medications
• Conditions where the diagnosis is unclear
• Illnesses that have proven resistant to standard treatment
• Conditions complicated by substance abuse and/or by medical illness
• New onset of psychiatric, behavioral and emotional problems

No matter the reason you are seeking a New Patient Consultation, Klein-Kraepelin Group provides a thorough assessment and treatment recommendation that is tailored to each patient’s needs and preferences, drawing on the latest and most effective medications and therapies.