What is medication management in psychiatry?
Medication management is an ongoing prescribing relationship, not a one-time script. It starts with a full evaluation, then continues through regular follow-up visits where your prescriber checks how the medication is working, adjusts the dose if needed, watches for side effects, and refills your prescription. The visits get shorter as your regimen stabilizes, but the relationship continues for as long as you are on the medication. A primary care doctor might write a 30-day prescription for an SSRI and tell you to follow up in three months. A medication management practice is built around the follow-up. The first appointment is the start, not the end.
How is medication management different from a regular doctor visit?
A general practitioner can prescribe many mental health medications, and for stable cases that often works fine. The difference shows up when something is more complicated: a diagnosis that is not clear-cut, a medication that is not helping after the usual dose, side effects that need a different drug class, or a condition like bipolar II or PTSD where the medication choice matters and the wrong one can make things worse. PMHNPs are trained specifically in mental health prescribing, so the appointment is built around symptoms, response, and adjustment rather than fitted around a 15-minute primary care slot.
What conditions are treated with medication management at MindSpa?
We prescribe for the conditions our PMHNPs see most often in Florida adults. Depression is treated with SSRIs, SNRIs, and atypical antidepressants. Anxiety is treated with SSRIs, SNRIs, buspirone, and short-term options where appropriate. PTSD is treated with SSRIs and adjunctive medications for sleep and hyperarousal. ADHD is treated with stimulants and non-stimulants after a full evaluation. OCD, insomnia, and mood disorders including bipolar II and PMDD are also treated. Medication helps with the biological side of these conditions. For most patients, medication works best alongside therapy services, and we will tell you honestly when we think therapy should run in parallel.
Who prescribes at MindSpa?
Every prescriber at MindSpa is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC), licensed in Florida, with full independent prescribing authority including for controlled substances. Our prescribing team includes Marie Hankins-Lennox, PMHNP-BC (Founder), Beth Halprin, PMHNP, Nicholas Leggo, PMHNP, and Everton Chin, PMHNP. MindSpa is a nurse-owned practice, which means the people setting appointment length, follow-up cadence, and case load are clinicians. A typical first evaluation is 50 to 60 minutes and a typical follow-up is 20 to 30 minutes. Florida grants PMHNPs full prescribing authority, including Schedule II controlled substances. If you have been told you need to see a psychiatrist for medication, a board-certified PMHNP fills that prescribing role under Florida law.
What happens at each medication management appointment?
There are three appointment types. The initial evaluation runs 50 to 60 minutes and covers your history: symptoms, when they started, what has helped or made things worse, prior medications and how you responded, family history, current medical conditions, and current medications and supplements. If a medication is appropriate your prescriber will discuss the options, expected onset, common side effects, and what to call about. The prescription is sent to your pharmacy the same day. Follow-up visits run 20 to 30 minutes, usually two to four weeks after starting a new medication, covering sleep, whether side effects settled, whether the dose feels right, and what is still bothering you. Refill visits for established patients on a stable regimen run 15 to 20 minutes with a quick symptom review and refill. Early in treatment expect visits every two to four weeks. Once stable, every one to three months is typical.
How does telehealth medication management work in Florida?
The appointment is a video visit on your phone, tablet, or computer. You need to be physically located in Florida at the time of the visit because our prescribers are Florida-licensed. After the visit, your prescription is sent electronically to the local Florida pharmacy you designate, usually within the same business day. For controlled substances such as stimulants, the DEA has extended telemedicine flexibilities that allow prescribing through video visits in many situations under current rules. We do not promise a Schedule II prescription at the first appointment. The first appointment is a real evaluation, and if a stimulant is the right treatment after that evaluation we prescribe it. If a non-stimulant is a better fit, or more information is needed first, we say so.
What does medication management cost and what insurance is accepted?
We accept Aetna, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Healthcare, Oscar, Oxford, and TRICARE. Most patients pay only their plan's copay or coinsurance. Self-pay rates are flat: $200 for the initial evaluation and $150 for follow-up visits. Our intake team will run a benefits check before your first appointment so you know your cost in advance. New patient evaluations are usually available within the week, often within a few days. Call 561-576-9404 to check current availability.