Here at Circle Medical, we can provide ADHD diagnosis and treatment for non-complex cases, over video appointments. Our ADHD Assessment process consists of:
• an ADHD intake appointment
• an annual physical exam if you have not had one within the last 12 months, and
• second ADHD appointment to complete the diagnosis process and discuss treatment options
• Non-stimulant treatment options for ADHD may include viloxazine (Quelbree), atomoxetine (Strattera/ATX), or Wellbutrin (bupropion) depending on clinical recommendation

If medically appropriate, our providers are then able to prescribe clinically-approved ADHD treatment options.

Please note that booking and paying for a video appointment with one of our providers does not guarantee that you will be given a "confirmed" diagnosis. We encourage you to read through this entire FAQ before booking an appointment, to ensure that our practice is a good fit for you.

Our goal as a primary care practice is to make behavioral healthcare more accessible and integrated with primary care. However, primary care has its limitations and this means that receiving behavioral health treatment through Circle Medical is not for everybody. Please read the following carefully to understand whether Circle Medical may be a good fit for you.

You are a good candidate for receiving a comprehensive ADHD assessment and/or ADHD treatment through Circle Medical if:

- You have never had an ADHD diagnosis before but have always suspected you may have mild to moderate ADHD
- You have had an ADHD diagnosis as a child but have not taken medication for it in months/years and are noticing the effects on your work and/or personal life
- You have a current ADHD diagnosis and are on a treatment plan with another practice, but would like to explore switching over your treatment to Circle Medical

Circle Medical is a primary care practice, which means that we are not able to treat more complex cases of ADHD/ADD. Circle is not a good fit for you if:

- You are regularly taking benzodiazepines for other treatment (such as Klonopin or Xanax)
- You are regularly taking opioids for other treatment
- You have a more complex mental health history that may require psychiatric expertise in order to treat safely (this can include recent hospitalizations related to mental health and/or having uncontrolled or unstable bipolar disorder)

To see our list of currently available states, begin booking an appointment.

You must be currently residing in the state of treatment as well as have your primary pharmacy be in that same state in order to be a patient at our practice.

Our ADHD providers are primary care providers (MD's/DO's, NP's, and PA's) who have received specialized training for ADHD intake. They are trained by psychiatrists to ensure a high standard of care, but they are not psychiatrists themselves.

Although it is a commonly accepted practice for many primary care providers to refer their patients to psychiatrists for ADHD diagnosis and treatment, primary care providers are actually also able to diagnose and treat mild to moderate forms of ADHD themselves. If you have mild to moderate ADHD, you can benefit from having your ADHD managed by your primary care provider at Circle while getting access to all of the general practitioner services you would find at your normal doctor's office.

More complex cases will require psychiatrists to diagnose. We encourage you to please read through this entire FAQ to make sure our practice is a good fit for your needs before you book a medical appointment with a provider.

Some states have different regulations regarding who can see you for certain ADHD medication management:

• In Florida, Tennessee, and Texas, ADHD care is available with a physician (MD or DO license).
• For other states, patients can book appointments with any provider that we have available.

Our providers undergo thorough training in ADHD diagnosis and treatment. Our team, which includes physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants, collaborates to maintain our high standards of clinical care excellence. Our patients can anticipate this consistent quality, even when changing providers. For patients discussing ADHD symptoms for the first time, the diagnosis process typically spans two visits to ensure comprehensive screening and diagnosis.

Our providers are required to conduct:
• An extensive medical evaluation, which includes an in-depth discussion of symptoms and goals of ADHD treatment (Appointment 1, 30 minutes).
• An annual physical exam with Circle Medical, or proof of an annual physical exam within the past 12 months (Appointment 2, 30 minutes).
• After your medical evaluation and annual physical, a controlled substance medication may be prescribed as part of a comprehensive treatment plan at your provider's discretion (Appointment 2 or 3, 20–30 minutes).
• Monthly follow-up appointments (via video or in-person) to monitor your symptoms, discuss medication side effects and make modifications to your care plan (Follow up appointments, 20 minutes).

The first intake appointment is 30 minutes. Follow-up appointments are 20 minutes each.

Many of our patients enjoy the flexibility to see their provider virtually. Patients also see our providers in our clinic locations across the country. Our primary care providers see patients for a wide variety of clinical concerns and symptoms, including annual wellness exams, cold and flu symptoms, reproductive health, chronic disease management, etc.

Certain state requirements require patients to occasionally be seen in-person:
• New Jersey requires patients who are treated with a controlled substance to schedule an in-person visit prior to their first prescription, and then at least once every three months thereafter.

Your provider and our practice will ensure you’re prepared for any legislative or regulatory changes to your care in advance.

We contract with most PPO insurance plans. If you are a California Bay Area resident, we also work with a small number of HMO plans.

To verify if we work with your insurance, simply start booking an appointment online. You will be prompted to enter your insurance details and will receive eligibility results instantly as well as an estimate of your appointment cost prior to confirming your appointment.

Some PPO plans that we currently work with are:
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Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Aetna, Blue Shield of California, Cigna, Health Net, Humana, and United Healthcare.

Plans that we cannot work with are:

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide care for patients who have Medi-Cal or Medicaid insurance. This is because we are not licensed Medi-Cal or Medicaid providers, so we are not able to provide care, even if these patients choose to pay cash instead of use their insurance. If you have Medi-Cal or Medicaid, please do not book an appointment with us, as we will be unable to provide care even if you do not enter your insurance information.

If you've been diagnosed with ADHD before, or have had an annual physical within the last 12 months, and have your paperwork available, you can email it to [email protected]. Be sure to use the same email address that you used to sign up when booking your appointment.

Note: This step is optional. After your first visit, we will facilitate getting your medical records from your previous provider.
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If you haven't been diagnosed with ADHD before, or have not had an annual physical within the last 12 months, we are still able to conduct your ADHD evaluation and your annual physical exam via our telemedicine platform.

Note: An annual physical exam with Circle Medical, or records of an annual physical within the last 12 months, would be required before starting an ADHD treatment plan with a controlled substance medication.

Circle Medical always puts the health and safety of our patients first. For this reason, we require any patient that is going to receive a controlled substance as part of their treatment plan to either undergo an Annual Wellness Exam with a Circle Medical provider, or to submit the results of one that was conducted by a primary care provider within the past 12 months. This enables us to ensure that we are minimizing any potential health risks for our patients. 

After you are diagnosed, if you are prescribed medications, we will coordinate sending these prescriptions to your preferred pharmacy.

You may have a 2-week follow-up for treatment. Once your treatment plan is finalized, you will have monthly follow-up appointments to maintain treatment.

If you have questions at any time, please feel free to chat with your provider and care team via our secure app.

All of our ADHD appointments have the same initial step: booking a video appointment. We accept patients who have had prior ADHD diagnoses as well as patients who have never been diagnosed with ADHD before. You may book your first video appointment with any of our providers to get started.

Please note that booking and completing an appointment does not guarantee that you will have a confirmed ADHD diagnosis and controlled substance prescription. Your provider has full authority to determine whether or not you are a good candidate for treatment, just like with a traditional doctor's office. Please read this FAQ in its entirety to make sure you are a good candidate for treatment through Circle Medical prior to booking your appointment.

It takes 2-3 appointments to have a full Circle Medical medical evaluation.Our providers are required to conduct:

• An extensive medical evaluation, which includes an in-depth discussion of symptoms and goals of treatment.
• An annual physical exam with Circle Medical, or proof of an annual physical exam within the past 12 months.
• After your medical evaluation and annual physical, a controlled substance medication may be prescribed as part of a comprehensive treatment plan at your provider's discretion.
• Monthly follow-up appointments (via video or in-person) to monitor your symptoms, discuss medication side effects and make modifications to your care plan.