Psychiatric evaluation by telehealth in Tennessee

What we cover

• What brings you in and how long it has been going on
• Mood, sleep, energy, focus, anxiety and safety
• Past treatment and medications, what helped and what didn’t
• Medical history and current medications
• Family history and what’s happening in your life now

What you leave with

• Your provider’s findings, explained in plain language
• A discussion of psychiatric treatment options and whether IOP may fit
• A discussion of medication and pharmacy arrangements when clinically appropriate
• A follow-up plan

Standalone therapy appointments are not offered. Therapy within the IOP program is part of that program’s care plan.

How to prepare

• A list of your current medications and doses
• Past diagnoses or records, if you have them
• Your insurance card and photo ID
• A private space with a good connection

Cost

Self-pay is $250 for a new patient. With insurance, we verify your benefits first. See psychiatry insurance and cost.

What is a psychiatric evaluation?

A psychiatric evaluation is a structured clinical conversation in which a psychiatric provider learns about your symptoms, history and daily life in order to form an impression and recommend next steps. It is the starting point for diagnosis, medication decisions and referral to more structured care.

Unlike a quick screening questionnaire, an evaluation looks at patterns over time and how they affect work, relationships, sleep and health. At Great Care it takes place by secure video for adults 18+ anywhere in Tennessee.

Can you have a psychiatric evaluation online?

Yes. A telehealth psychiatric evaluation covers the same history, symptom and safety questions as an office assessment, over a secure video call instead of across a desk. Every first evaluation at Great Care happens this way.

Timing is one practical reason people choose an online evaluation. Psychiatry appointments are available within 5 days. Evening psychiatry: intake through 7:00 PM; follow-ups through 7:30 PM Central. Treat those as availability statements rather than a booked slot; intake confirms the real date and time after reviewing your request.

How do you find a psychiatric evaluation near you in Tennessee?

With video care, “near you” means wherever you can sit privately with a steady connection, as long as you are in Tennessee at the time of the visit. There is no clinic to locate and no drive to plan, because the Nashville address handles administration only.

The process is identical for someone in a Memphis apartment and someone in a small town on the Cumberland Plateau. For local planning details such as your time zone, start from the Tennessee locations directory, then come back here to prepare for the evaluation itself.

What is the difference between a psychiatric evaluation and a psychological evaluation?

A psychiatric evaluation is a clinical interview with a prescriber that can end in a diagnosis and a treatment plan, including medicine. “Psychological evaluation” is a looser term: it can mean answering questions about your thoughts and feelings, or it can mean formal testing of thinking skills.

MedlinePlus lists a psychological evaluation, in which you answer questions about your thinking, feelings and behaviors, as one step toward a mental health diagnosis, alongside a medical history and sometimes a physical exam and lab tests. Formal testing goes further: NIMH describes tests of cognitive processes such as memory, planning and reasoning, used to map strengths, challenges and possible learning disabilities.

Who performs the evaluation at Great Care?

Your evaluation is conducted by Tamieka Sholar-Conard, MSN, PMHNP-BC, whose PMHNP-BC credential means board certification in psychiatric mental health nursing at the nurse practitioner level. Her published background includes more than a decade of nursing and behavioral health work, including inpatient psychiatric care, and Lucas Trautman is the practice’s psychiatrist medical director.

A nurse practitioner evaluation covers the same core ground a patient would expect from any psychiatric assessment: symptoms, history, safety, medicines and a plan. If you have a question about who is involved in decisions about your care, ask it during the visit; it is a reasonable thing to want to know.

What happens before the evaluation starts?

Before the visit, intake confirms your appointment, explains cost and sends joining instructions. You may also have registration forms to complete.

1. Request the appointment by phone (615-682-8150) or online.
2. Share insurance details, or choose self-pay at $250.
3. Receive the confirmed date, time and joining method.
4. Ask intake how much time to set aside and whether any forms come first.
5. Test your camera, sound and connection in the room you will use.
6. Join early, as the patient policies request, so registration does not cut into your visit.

What happens during a telehealth psychiatric evaluation, step by step?

Most evaluations move from why you came, through your history, to a shared plan. The order below is typical, though your provider may follow your lead.

1. Opening. Introductions, confirming your identity and where you are joining from, and how privacy works on video.
2. Your reason for coming. What has changed, when it started and what you hope will improve.
3. Symptom review. Mood, anxiety, sleep, energy, appetite, focus, unusual experiences and how each affects your days.
4. Safety. Direct questions about thoughts of self-harm or harming others.
5. History. Earlier diagnoses, treatment, hospital stays and medicines, including what helped and what did not.
6. Health and family. Medical conditions, current medicines and supplements, allergies, and family mental health history.
7. Life context. Work, relationships, stress and supports.
8. Summary and plan. The provider’s impression, options and the next appointment.

Why does the provider ask about suicide and safety?

Safety questions are a routine part of every psychiatric evaluation, not a sign that the provider has assumed anything about you. Health care providers ask about thoughts of suicide because honest answers help them choose a safe plan.

Answering truthfully is the most useful thing you can do. If you are having thoughts of ending your life before or after the appointment, call or text 988, or call 911 if you are in immediate danger.

Why does a psychiatric evaluation ask about physical health?

Physical health and mental health affect each other, so your provider needs both pictures. People with mental health conditions can also be at higher risk for conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, and some medicines interact with each other.

Sleep is part of this. Not getting enough good-quality sleep can affect focus, mood and how you react to others. Expect questions about your sleep pattern, medical diagnoses and recent changes in health. Because a video visit cannot include a physical examination, your provider may suggest your primary care clinician handle an exam or tests when they are needed.

Why does the provider ask about family history?

Some mental health conditions tend to run in families, so a relative’s history can help your provider understand your risk and watch for early signs. You do not need complete details.

Before the visit, consider asking relatives whether anyone had depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, ADHD, psychosis or a suicide attempt, and how a relative responded to a medicine if that is known. Share what you learn, and say so if you are unsure.

What should your medication list include?

Your list should include every prescription medicine, over-the-counter product, vitamin, herbal remedy and supplement you take, plus allergies and past medicine problems. A complete list helps the provider avoid interactions and repeat attempts.

Can a partner or family member join your evaluation?

Yes, a trusted person can often join for part of the visit if you want them there and the provider agrees. Someone who knows you well may remember details or notice changes you do not.

Tell intake beforehand. Expect at least part of the conversation to be with you alone. You decide what your support person hears, and you can change your mind during the appointment.

Will you get a diagnosis at the first visit?

Sometimes, but not always. When the picture is clear, the provider may share a diagnosis at the end of the first visit; when it is not, they may describe a working impression and gather more information first.

More information might mean earlier records, a rating scale, input from someone who knows you, or simply seeing how symptoms change over the next few weeks. Ask directly: what do you think is going on, how sure are you, and what would make it clearer?

What can happen after the evaluation?

An evaluation usually ends in one of four directions, and you should leave knowing which applies to you.

How does a video evaluation differ from an office evaluation?

The conversation is the same; the setting and a few practical details differ. You talk with the provider face to face on screen, from a place you choose.

The main limits are that a physical exam cannot happen on video and that your surroundings affect privacy and focus. The main advantages are no travel, no waiting room and the ability to have your pill bottles and notes right beside you. If something about your situation needs hands-on care, the provider will say so.

What if you feel nervous or do not know what to say?

That is common, and you do not need to arrive with the right words. The provider guides the conversation with questions.

• Bring a few written notes: what changed, when and how it affects you.
• Say so if a question is hard to answer or you need a moment.
• Be honest about symptoms, sleep and anything you have tried on your own.
• Ask questions whenever something is unclear, including medical terms.
• Write down the plan before the call ends, or ask to repeat it.

Who should not wait for a routine evaluation?

Anyone in immediate danger, thinking about suicide with a plan, or unable to stay safe should seek emergency help now rather than book a routine appointment. Call or text 988, or call 911.

A routine evaluation is also not the right first step for people under 18, or for anyone whose main goal is weekly standalone therapy. Intake can talk through options before you book.

Turn your concerns into an appointment agenda

Write down the two or three changes that matter most to you, such as difficulty finishing tasks, avoiding activities or struggling with sleep. Add when each change began and a few concrete examples from daily life. You do not need to choose a diagnosis before the visit. If you have earlier records, ask intake how to share them privately. Before the conversation ends, ask what remains uncertain, whether additional information is needed and what the next appointment is intended to review.