What is an Online Psychiatrist?

7/27/2020

What is an Online Psychiatrist? A definitive Guide

Many businesses have moved online recently as there have been limitations and lockdowns imposed throughout the world. As these lockdowns have been put in place, individuals have found themselves wondering how they will meet with physicians, physical therapists, or their psychiatrist.

Fortunately, we live in the era of technology, in which there are many different ways that you are able to meet with the health professional that you are in need of meeting. If you are someone that is in need of seeing a psychiatrist, then you may be wondering what an online psychiatrist is and how you are able to speak to one online. As you search for information on online psychiatrists, this blog may be able to help.

What is an Online Psychiatrist?
An online psychiatrist, via telepsychiatry, is able to conduct most, if not all, of the same essential functions of a psychiatrist that you would meet in person. The only main difference is the inability to meet in person and all functions are performed through phone, email, or face-to-face video technology - just like FaceTime, Zoom, WebEx, or Skype.

An online psychiatrist would meet with you during the timeframe that you request and ultimately perform the same functions as an in-person psychiatrist, such as analyzing, diagnosing, and treating mental health conditions. Online psychiatry has advantages above in-person psychiatry, which include convenience, comfort, cheaper, and ultimately has much more accessibility.

Online psychiatrists have the same degree and education as other in-person psychiatrists, they just specialize in meeting online as opposed to in person. This would be particularly common during the time of the coronavirus this year.

How to Locate an Online Psychiatrist

Locating and speaking to an online psychiatrist is not a difficult task, but can be fairly time consuming. It will require making calls, reading up on physician credentials and treatment methods, and obtaining an overall feel as to who you find to be the most comfortable. Once you locate the psychiatrist that you are the most comfortable with, you will begin the scheduling process and incorporate weekly, biweekly, or monthly sessions that can help you as you continue throughout your treatment.

Overall, online psychiatry is becoming more prevalent than ever before, and can be just as beneficial as seeing a psychiatrist in person. As the coronavirus continues to make waves across the world, it is important to take care of your mental health. If you find yourself needing to reach out or are struggling dealing with a mental health issue, online psychiatry is a wonderful option to look into. Call us for more information 281-849-4080

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Houston Discounted Labs

7/24/2020

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Discounted Lab Testing Houston

Have you ever been surprised by the cost of a medical bill for a blood draw at a lab, physician’s office, or hospital? I know I have. A family physician in Houston once tested my Vitamin D level, and my bill after insurance discounts was over $200. That was just one test. I was shocked! Does it really cost that much to analyze a Vitamin D level from one blood sample?

Discount Blood Testing Houston

Some negotiated lab rates have huge upcharges with insurance companies. The lack of price transparency in some aspects of medicine allows this to happen. Don’t pay these high cost lab fees any longer. Your Family Psychiatrist has established a collaborative relationship with a local lab company. In exchange for a simplified payment solution on the behalf of Your Family Psychiatrist, our current patients are able to receive significant discounts on lab costs. Some are downright cheap. A screening thyroid test is under $10.

Discounted labs through Your Family Psychiatrist are not always beneficial, like those getting free lab work. For patients that have already hit their maximum out-of-pocket allowances with their insurance company, all labs may be free for the remainder of the year. Certain health plans may cover all labs 100%, but this is not typical. In such instances, you will want to continue to use your health insurance plan to receive no cost labs. Discounted labs are beneficial for those with high deductibles or when you haven’t met your out-of-pocked maximums yet. If you don’t have insurance at all, these discounted labs can be significantly cheaper than using a generic lab in Houston.

We offer complete price transparency in that you will know the price of your labs well before you have your blood or other sample drawn. In the event that your psychiatrist wants to order custom labs for less common conditions, we will work with our lab partner to develop a reduced price for your specific needs. There will be no surprise bills in the mail.

To receive such discounted lab services, it is important to discuss your labs with our staff before you have your blood drawn. A special requisition sheet will be generated at our office and provided to you in advance of arriving at the lab facility.

Call us to schedule your appointment: 281-849-4080

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Houston Psychiatrists Directory

7/20/2020

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Houston Psychiatrists Directory

Houston Psychiatrist Directory

There are many great Houston psychiatrists to choose from, and we are often asked if there is a directory of Houston psychiatrists so we created one to help you find a psychiatrist near you*.

Child Psychiatrist Houston

Child and adolescent psychiatrists are board certified to provide evaluation and treatment of mental health and behavioral health issues of children and teens. This includes issues such as anxiety, depression, sleep issues, behavior issues, attention deficit disorder (ADHD), and more.

Cypress, TX Offices:
Your Family Psychiatrist - Dr. Heathman (certified in adult and child psychiatry)
Your Family Psychiatrist - Dr. Hinthorn (certified in adult and child psychiatry)

Adult Psychiatrist Houston

Adult psychiatrists are board certified to provide evaluation and treatment of mental health and behavioral health issues of adults and elderly patients. This includes issues such as anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, sleep issues, behavior issues, attention deficit disorder (ADHD), addiction psychiatry, and more.

Cypress, TX Offices:
Your Family Psychiatrist - Dr. Heathman (certified in adult and child psychiatry)
Your Family Psychiatrist - Dr. Hinthorn (certified in adult and child psychiatry)

QB Testing For ADHD

QB testing is specialized testing for diagnosing ADHD in children, teens, and adults.

Your Family Psychiatrist - Our office offers this ADHD testing

Genomind Genetic Testing

Genomind testing is personalized genetic testing that psychiatrists can perform to ensure you are on the best possible medications for your issue based on your DNA.

Your Family Psychiatrist - Our office offers this genetic testing

Geriatric Psychiatrist Houston

Geriatric psychiatrists specialize in the treatment of psychiatric issues in the elderly, including Alzheimer's, other types of dementia and delirium.

The Senior Program for Behavioral Health - HCA Houston Healthcare

Forensic Psychiatrist Houston

Forensic psychiatrists provide examination of psychiatric evidence in criminal, family, and civil cases.

UT Health - Expert Witness & Forensic Psychiatry Department

Psychiatric Hospitals in Houston

UTHealth Harris County Psychiatric Center (HCPC)
Houston Behavioral Healthcare Hospital
The Menninger Clinic
West Oaks Hospital

*To be added to our directory please contact us

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Medication Genetic Testing with Genomind

7/12/2020

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Genomind Genetic Testing Houston

Your Family Psychiatrist is pleased to announce a partnership with Genomind testing in Houston to provide up-to-date genetic testing (pharmacogenetics) on 24 genes to better assess your potential response to medication.

What is Genomind genetic testing?

Genomind is a USA based company created by physicians with the goal of advancing precision based medicine. Their purpose is to improve quality of life by changing what appears to be a trial and error process at times. Genomind is a global leader in psychiatric genetics research and its relationship with pharmacokinetics.

What is pharmacokinetics?

Certain genetic enzymes control how quickly your liver breaks down the medications you ingest. If your liver metabolizes a drug too quickly, you may not receive any benefits, or your doctor may need to prescribe a higher dose. If your body metabolizes a drug too slowly, you might experience side effects or in some cases toxicity. If you are a slow metabolizer, you may need to start at a low dose and titrate more slowly. Your psychiatrist may consider avoiding that drug altogether. Your genome can impact how quickly or slowly you absorb certain drugs. It is this combination of absorption and metabolism that influences your overall exposure to a drug.

How should Genomind genetic testing be used?

The quest for the right psychiatric medication can be quite frustrating. There is an ever-growing number of FDA approved medications, and while your physician at Your Family Psychiatrist is an expert in these medications, everyone is unique. Your psychiatrist can identify medications to best target your symptoms without genetic testing, but there may be genetic abnormalities effecting treatment that can't be identified without analyzing your specific set of genes. Your results can help guide treatment to help you feel better faster.

Psychiatric medication genetic testing assesses 24 genes to analyze the genetic implications for 130 mental health medications. Any deviation from normal can be clinically important. That said, your genome is complex with 20,000+ genes. With advancements in science, Genomind hopes to find additional genes to fine tune the process. Even with a normal genetic screen, all of our psychiatrists at Your Family Psychiatrist are considered experts in their field.

How is the Genomind genetic test performed?

The test is conveniently performed in our Houston office. A cheek swab lasting 1-2 minutes is performed by our staff. The sample is shipped overnight to Genomind's CLIA certified lab. The genes will be analyzed and a report will be sent to your Houston psychiatrist within 1 week.

What does Genomind testing cost?

With commercial insurance, almost everyone pays $399 or less. This is completely dependent on your specific insurance plan. You can contact your plan in advance to determine the specific cost if you desire. Medicare and Medicaid currently pay $0. Without insurance, Genomind charges $2000.

Genomind and Your Family Psychiatrist

As Genomind continues to perform additional research and improve its genetic testing, we will offer their most up-to-date lab tests to obtain the most comprehensive information available. Any and all information that your Houston psychiatrist can accumulate will help in developing a treatment plan customized to you.

Call Us to Schedule Your Test! 281-849-4080

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QB Test for ADHD

7/7/2020

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QB Test for ADHD

What is a QB Test?

QB Test is a computerized ADD/ADHD exam that evaluates your abilities to maintain attention, minimize movement, and abstain from impulsivity. Test results are assembled into a report for your psychiatrist to compare your results to a large control group of patients your same age and gender. You will be able to visualize how your focus compares to that of people that do not have ADHD.

QB Test is the most widely used FDA approved test for ADHD in the world, and Your Family Psychiatrist is revolutionizing care by being one of the only treatment centers in Texas utilizing this advanced software.

How should QB Test be used?

Assessing for ADHD is much more complicated than most people imagine. There are many potential causes of inattention and distractibility. While there is no single tool that provides all of the answers, the QbTest provides objective data that combines with a clinical evaluation to help your clinician reach an accurate diagnosis. The Qb Test is approved for those 6-60 years old.

The Qb Test also provides a valuable baseline measurement that can help your physician determine the extent of the effectiveness of your medication dosage. QbTest is the only FDA cleared test to evaluate the effectiveness of medication in individual patients. This helps your physician to track performance over time. Your psychiatrist can now monitor treatment like never before.

How is a Qb Test performed?

This ADHD test takes about 20-30 minutes to complete. An initial tutorial with the test monitor will be provided. Your job is to push a responder button when certain symbols appear on the screen. The ADHD test is universal meaning that language, mathematics, and reading are not required.

Qb Test and Your Family Psychiatrist

QbTech is a Swedish based company that designed QbTest to revolutionize ADD/ADHD treatment. Your Family Psychiatrist is proud to be one of the exclusive private practices in Texas to offer diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring services utilizing the objective data behind QbTest. QbTech is continuing to collaborate with Your Family Psychiatrist to provide the most up-to-date ADHD test approved by the FDA. We diagnose ADHD with a high degree of certainty.

Do you think that you may have ADHD? Contact our office to learn more about QbTest and how it can assist you in your journey to lead a more focused, goal-oriented life.

Your Family Psychiatrists is an In-person and Online Psychiatry Houston Area Office.

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Psychiatry Blog

Discussing topics like how to find a psychiatrist, psychiatrist vs. counselor, what is psychotherapy, and much more.