What Happens After You Request an Appointment

What are the steps, in order?

Reaching out is often the hardest part, so it can help to know what comes next. You do not need a diagnosis to begin, and you do not need to know what kind of help you want.

1. 1You send a request or callUse the short request form or call 346-855-6216. The form asks for no health details.
2. 2We replyMessages are answered within 2 hours during office hours, Monday to Friday. We then work with you to find a time.
3. 3We check your coverageIf you are using insurance, we check your benefits before the first visit and tell you what we find. If you are not, we can talk about self-pay.
4. 4You complete forms in the portalIntake forms are completed in our secure patient portal before the first visit.
5. 5You have your first evaluationIt takes about 60 minutes, at the Sugar Land office or by secure video.
6. 6You decide about follow-upIf you continue, follow-up visits are about 30 minutes, and you see the same provider each time.

What will you need from me when you reply?

Very little at first. It helps to have a few things in mind, and writing a short note to yourself first can make the call easier. A loved one can help you write or call if that feels like too much. If the patient is a child, tell us: we see patients ages 5 to 65, and a parent or guardian must be present at appointments for patients under 18.

• Your insurance plan, or that you plan to pay yourself or want to ask about the sliding scale
• Whether you would prefer an office visit or video, and where you will be during video visits
• The days and times you can usually attend
• Anything you need for access, such as a disability accommodation
• A sentence on what you are looking for, which you can save for the phone

How soon can I be seen?

We do not give a general answer here, because availability changes. The 2-hour reply is about answering your message during office hours, and it is not a promise of when an appointment will be open. Ask us when we reply, and tell us if your situation is getting harder, so we can talk about what makes sense.

If you write outside office hours, expect the reply once the office is open again. You can also call if you would rather not wait for a message. If you are comparing several practices, it is normal to contact more than one, and to ask each of them whether they are taking new patients.

What happens during the coverage check?

We look at whether the clinic is in your plan's network and what your plan says you owe: a copay, coinsurance, or the full rate until a deductible is met. We tell you what we found before your visit. Your insurer still makes the final decision on what it pays, so it is worth calling the number on your card as well. Our guide to checking your benefits lists what to ask.

If you do not have insurance or are not using it, you can ask for a Good Faith Estimate of expected charges. Plans differ by state, and our insurance and fees page has the current lists, self-pay rates and sliding scale information. You do not need to send your member ID through the website.

What are the portal forms for?

Intake and assessment forms come to you through the secure patient portal, and you complete and return them there before the first visit. Your provider reads them before you meet, so the visit does not start from a blank page. Take your time with them, and answer as honestly as you can.

If you have trouble with the portal, a question on a form confuses or upsets you, or someone would need to help you complete the forms, ask us. Health details belong in the portal or in conversation, not in the website form or ordinary email.

What is the first evaluation like?

You meet with Victor Onodjacha, MSN, PMHNP-BC, a board-certified psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner, for about 60 minutes. It is a conversation about your symptoms and when they began, your medical and mental health history, medications, family history, daily life and goals. Standard questionnaires may be used where they are useful. Our psychiatric evaluation page explains more.

Office visits take place in Sugar Land. Video visits are for people physically located in Texas, Idaho, Arizona or Maryland at the time of the visit. Before you finish, we share our impressions and talk through options with you. A diagnosis may not be clear yet, and you can take time to think.

Medication is one possible option, not a given. Medication decisions are made after an evaluation, not every medication can be prescribed at every kind of visit, and some may require an in-person visit. We explain what applies to you, and our page on medication management describes how follow-up works. Please do not start, stop or change a medication before talking with your prescriber.

What happens after the first visit?

If you decide to continue, follow-up visits of about 30 minutes are used to check how things are going and adjust the plan with you. Before you leave any visit, make sure you know when the next appointment is and whether you need to do anything before it. Ask us how often visits are likely to be, since that depends on your care.

With your permission, we can coordinate with your therapist or primary care provider. If it turns out that you need something we do not offer, ask us what a referral might involve. It is also okay to say the fit is not right for you.

What if I need to cancel, or things get worse while I wait?

Please give at least 24 hours' notice to cancel or reschedule, by phone, voicemail or the patient portal. A late cancellation, a missed visit, or arriving more than 15 minutes late carries a fee that insurance does not pay, and a credit or debit card is kept on file. The fees and the exceptions for emergencies are in the cancellation policy on our insurance and fees page.

If your symptoms get worse before your visit, call us and tell us what has changed. If you or someone you know is in crisis, do not wait: call or text 988, or call 911 if there is immediate danger. DanShalom Behavioral Clinic is not an emergency service, and our website, email and text line are not monitored for emergencies. Crisis resources lists more places to turn.