Help me find a new psychiatrist in NYC pdq?

November 18, 2013 2:13 AM

I've looked at all the askme NYC psychiatrist questions but haven't found what I'm looking for, which is a recommendation for a doctor who will pretty much do two things: take insurance and manage meds. I am not interested in talk therapy; I have a non-MD therapist that I love. My prescriptions are just straightforward antidepressant/anxiety stuff.

My psychiatrist has dropped off the face of the earth apparently. No one has answered the phone at her office for... a month? six weeks? Her phone number either goes to voice mail or says the voice mailbox is full. When I've been able to leave a message (which has happened several times), no one has responded to it.

So that's kind of weird. I don't have any way to find out what happened to her, and I'm a bit concerned. But in the meantime, I also need my meds. She was a bit flaky as a doctor, but she accepted insurance and managed my prescriptions, and that was really all I wanted.

So, does anyone have a recommendation? I'm aware of the idea that the psychiatrists in NYC who accept insurance aren't the best. That's okay. I don't mind office waits and don't have tricky problems to solve. Would just like to find someone reasonably personable and competent.

Thanks!

posted by torticat to Health & Fitness (11 answers total)

Best answer: You can search ZocDoc for psychiatrists who take your insurance and have appointments in the next few weeks; they also have reviews. If you're in a pinch, your GP or another walk-in clinic (like Duane Reade or City MD) will probably write you a 1 month refill to hold you over.
posted by melissasaurus at 4:15 AM on November 18, 2013

Might be worth asking your insurance company who's in their network/referral group in NYC and then googling some names or calling around to the ones who are conveniently located to you.
posted by zdravo at 6:30 AM on November 18, 2013

In my experience in similar circumstances my GP managed the meds.
posted by BlahLaLa at 6:33 AM on November 18, 2013

Similar to BlahLaLa, my GP does my meds as they are pretty strait forward. If I ever get insurance I'll probably seek out a p-doc and a rheumy tho.
posted by kathrynm at 7:14 AM on November 18, 2013

If you're happy with your medications and dosages, and your therapist hasn't encouraged you to talk to your doctor about changing them -- basically, if you just need someone to keep writing refills -- your primary care doctor (even OB/GYN) would be a great back-up plan. (General practitioners actually write the majority of antidepressant prescriptions in the US.)
posted by jaguar at 7:39 AM on November 18, 2013

I would just go through your insurance company to find a list of psychiatrists who accept your insurance and call a couple of them.

If you want a specific recommendation for someone in NYC, I can give you one. You, of course, would have to see if she accepts your specific insurance.

If you need your medication now, definitely call your GP.
posted by inertia at 8:31 AM on November 18, 2013

Check your memail.
posted by soonertbone at 9:02 AM on November 18, 2013

Response by poster: Hmm, my GP has already covered me for the last couple months while I've been trying to reach my previous psychiatrist. I kind of had the impression that from her perspective this was a temporary fix, though, and I ought to be under the care of a regular psychiatrist. But now that I think about it, I don't think she ever actually said this. Is it really a thing for GPs to handle these meds on an ongoing basis? Even more controlled stuff like xanax (which I take as-needed)?

Thanks, all! Appreciate the help and recommendations.
posted by torticat at 10:51 AM on November 18, 2013

Perhaps this is silly or you've already asked but could your non-MD therapist recommend someone?
posted by Wretch729 at 12:44 PM on November 18, 2013

Response by poster: Thank you soonertbone!

inertia, if you want to memail me your rec, that would be great. If they take insurance at all, they probably take mine.

My therapist gave me a couple referrals, but they didn't take insurance. :(

I marked melissasaurus's answer best because I went ahead and made an appointment through zocdoc. Googling the doctors in my insurance physicians directory was an option of course, but I've found it kind of overwhelming to wade through all the reviews. zocdoc is really helpful though, having locations and insurance info and reviews all in one place.
posted by torticat at 1:42 PM on November 18, 2013

Is it really a thing for GPs to handle these meds on an ongoing basis? Even more controlled stuff like xanax (which I take as-needed)?

Yes, it's totally a thing. Sometimes the GP wants to know if someone else has recommended it and/or you've been on it successfully for a while, and some GPs are not comfortable with it and so will push you back toward a psychiatrist, but yes, 80-some percent of antidepressants are prescribed by GPs in the US.

I absolutely recommend that people deal with psychiatrists for their psychotropic medications, since psychiatrists have more training in that field, but if you're in a position where you know what works and/or you're just starting out and want to try the most reasonable course of action first, GPs are good for that.
posted by jaguar at 7:57 PM on November 18, 2013