New Patient
Information
Everything you need to know before your first appointment — how telehealth works, what to expect, and answers to common questions.
How to Get Started
From your first request to your first appointment
Telehealth Appointments
How video visits work at Fall River Psychiatry
Fall River Psychiatry offers telehealth appointments via Doxy.me, a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform. No app download is required — you connect directly through your web browser.
Appointment links and instructions are sent through Spruce, our secure clinical communication platform. You will receive your link by text or email prior to your appointment.
A smartphone, tablet, or computer with a camera and microphone. A stable internet connection. A private, quiet space where you can speak freely.
Click the link sent to you via Spruce before your appointment. You will be placed in a virtual waiting room. No account or login is required.
Test your camera and microphone in advance. Join from a private location. Have your pharmacy information and current medication list available.
If you experience connection problems, contact us through Spruce immediately. We will do our best to resolve the issue or reschedule if necessary.
Telehealth services are available to patients located in Massachusetts or Rhode Island at the time of the appointment. You must be physically present in one of these states during your visit.
Your First Appointment
What to expect at your psychiatric evaluation
Your first appointment is a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation — typically 60 minutes. This is a structured clinical assessment designed to establish a clear diagnostic understanding before any treatment decisions are made.
What We Cover
The evaluation includes a review of your current symptoms, psychiatric and medical history, past treatment and medications, family history, and personal and social context. We will discuss your goals for care and what you are hoping to achieve.
What to Bring or Have Ready
Current medication list with dosages. Names of any past psychiatric providers. Relevant medical records if available.
Your preferred pharmacy name and location so prescriptions can be sent promptly if appropriate.
Your insurance card if applicable. Payment method for self-pay visits.
Write down any questions or concerns you want to address. There is dedicated time for this at the end of your evaluation.
Note: The initial evaluation is a clinical assessment — not a therapy session and not a prescription visit. Medication decisions, if appropriate, are made after a thorough diagnostic evaluation, not during a single intake appointment.
This practice does not provide emergency or crisis care. If you are experiencing a psychiatric or medical emergency, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. For mental health crisis support, call or text 988.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions from new patients
A psychiatrist (or psychiatric nurse practitioner) focuses on diagnosis and medication management. A therapist provides talk therapy and counseling. This practice provides psychiatric evaluation and medication management — not therapy. Many patients benefit from working with both a psychiatric provider and a therapist simultaneously.
Not necessarily. The first appointment is an evaluation — the goal is to develop a clear diagnostic understanding. Medication decisions are made deliberately, based on your specific clinical presentation. If medication is appropriate, it will be discussed and initiated with your informed consent after a thorough evaluation.
If you are currently on controlled medications, your regimen will be carefully reviewed during your initial evaluation. Continuation, adjustment, or transition of these medications is determined on a case-by-case basis and cannot be guaranteed. This practice prioritizes safe, evidence-based prescribing and does not routinely initiate or continue high-dose or long-term controlled medications without clear clinical indication.
Follow-up frequency depends on your clinical needs and where you are in your treatment. Early in treatment, appointments may be more frequent. As you achieve stability, visits may become less frequent. This practice is designed for ongoing, structured care — not one-time evaluations.
Medication refills are managed through your scheduled follow-up appointments. Refill requests outside of scheduled visits are handled through Spruce, our secure messaging platform. Please allow adequate time before your medication runs out and do not wait until the last day to request a refill.
Please provide at least 24 hours' notice if you need to cancel or reschedule. Late cancellations or missed appointments may be subject to a fee. This allows time to offer the appointment slot to another patient. See our Policies page for full details.
Non-urgent messages can be sent through Spruce or by email at info@fallriverpsychiatry.com. We respond within 1–2 business days. This practice does not provide emergency or crisis care — if you are in crisis, call 988 or go to your nearest emergency room.
This practice currently accepts self-pay and private pay. Insurance credentialing is in progress — check back for updates. You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate of expected charges before your appointment. See our Policies page for more information.
For psychiatric evaluation and medication management, telehealth has been shown to be equally effective as in-person care for most patients. Both in-person and telehealth appointments are available at Fall River Psychiatry. Your provider will discuss which format is most appropriate for your specific situation.