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Psychiatric follow-up appointments
A follow-up psychiatric visit of 30 minutes (brief) or 45 minutes (extended), where we make a careful and thorough assessment of your progress, with review of your medications, your response to them, alternatives of treatment if warranted, and ongoing assessment of your symptoms and concerns, along with understanding of your psychosocial history. Supportive psychological interventions are always made throughout the treatment course. You decide how much time you need, and together we decide the best course of treatment, without pressure.
Prescribing is the easy part. Knowing whether a medication is working, whether a side effect is tolerable or dangerous, whether the dose is right, and whether the original diagnosis still holds — that is the actual work, and it needs appointments long enough to do it.
What a follow-up appointment includes
- Careful assessment of how you have actually responded to the treatment plan.
- Careful review of potential side effects of medications, and of any concerns you might have regarding treatment if it includes medications.
- Monitoring of medical concerns, vital signs and blood work results, if warranted.
- Supportive and behavioral interventions, alongside integrative interventions if warranted.
- Ongoing careful, honest assessment of your condition and collaborative treatment with you, at your own pace.
- Collaborative care with other providers involved in your care, if warranted.
This service
| Length | 30–45 min |
| Fee | See fees |
| Format | In person or telehealth |
| Refills | 2 business days |
| Patients | Adults 18+ |
How medication decisions are made
Starting, changing or stopping a medication is a decision made with you, not for you. That means the reasoning is explained: what this medication is expected to do, and how long before you should expect to notice improvement.
Deprescribing (taking away a medication) is treated with the same seriousness as prescribing. If you are on a medication that is not making you feel right or is no longer necessary, this is a clinical finding, not a failure, and the next steps in treatment are carefully addressed with you.
Appointment length is a clinical and mutual decision
Follow-up psychiatric appointments can run from 30 to 45 minutes (or more), depending on what the situation calls for. If your condition is stable, you may just need a brief appointment. If you are in the middle of a medication change, or you are going through difficult changes in your life, you might need more time. This is considered clinically, and you make the decision of how much time you need. No pressure, just collaborative care.
Related
Frequently asked
How often will I be seen?
Early in treatment, or during a medication change, appointments are usually every two to four weeks. Once things are stable the interval lengthens. The schedule follows the clinical situation rather than a fixed template.
Do you prescribe controlled substances?
Where clinically indicated and legally permitted, yes — for example in the treatment of adult ADHD. Patients prescribed them sign a Controlled Substance Agreement, refills are issued only in connection with appointments, and telehealth prescribing is subject to state and federal rules that may require at least one in-person appointment.
What if a medication isn’t working?
That is expected information, not bad news. Psychiatric treatment often involves more than one trial. What matters is that the trial was adequate in dose and duration, that the response was measured properly, and that the next step follows from what was learned.
Can you take over prescribing from another psychiatrist?
Yes, after a full evaluation. Dr. Torrijos will perform his own assessment and may continue or modify the existing plan based on what that assessment shows. Please have your records sent ahead where possible.
Do I also need therapy?
For many conditions the combination of medication and therapy outperforms either alone. This practice provides medication management with brief supportive intervention, and works directly with your therapist. If you do not have one, we can point you toward referrals.