How to Get Antidepressant Care Online in New York

Step 1: Look for a New York licensed physician

The New York State Education Department's Office of the Professions says any use of the title "physician" or practice of medicine in New York State requires licensure, with limited exemptions in state law. It says a New York licensed physician has an MD, DO or equivalent degree, has completed postgraduate residency training and has passed a licensing exam.

Specialty titles work a little differently than many people expect. The Office of the Professions says New York State does not certify physicians in specialty areas. Those designations come from specialty certification boards, so it is reasonable to ask a psychiatrist about their training and any board certification. The State Board for Medicine cannot refer you to a physician, so your search will start elsewhere. The Office of the Professions suggests asking people you know, or state or county medical societies.

Step 2: Verify the license and registration

The Office of the Professions offers an online verification search. New York physicians must also reregister every two years to practice, and the state says licensed professionals must display a current registration certificate. So you are checking two things: that a license exists, and that the registration is current.

For more background, the Department of Health runs the New York State Physician Profile. It says the profile covers doctors of medicine and doctors of osteopathy registered to practice in the state, with information provided by the physician, including education, specialty and legal actions.

Step 3: Check the conduct records

New York separates licensing from conduct oversight, which is useful to know. The Department of Health's Office of Professional Medical Conduct (OPMC) investigates complaints about physicians and monitors those under orders of the State Board for Professional Medical Conduct. Its site lists physicians who have been disciplined, are under a non-disciplinary order, or have been served with misconduct charges.

OPMC is also the office to contact if you ever have a complaint. Be careful with anyone who claims to act for it: the Department warns of scammers posing as its staff, though those warnings are aimed at physicians.

Step 4: Know how New York prescriptions work

If a medicine is prescribed, New York generally requires it to be sent electronically. The Office of the Professions says prescribers must issue prescriptions for controlled and non-controlled substances electronically and directly to a pharmacy, with limited exceptions, such as a technical failure or a pharmacy outside the state. So have your preferred New York pharmacy's name and address ready.

Rules differ from one medicine to another, so ask about the one you have in mind. Esketamine is not something an online visit can provide, because its label requires a certified healthcare setting and monitoring afterward. Antidepressant labels carry a boxed warning about suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teens and young adults, which is why follow-up matters.

Step 5: Prepare for the video visit

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) says virtual care can include an assessment, diagnosis, treatment plan and a prescription, depending on your insurance and provider, and that it can be effective for depression. Check with your insurer or the provider's billing office that telehealth is covered, since NIMH says policies vary by state.

Our psychiatry service in New York, and what we do not offer

A licensed psychiatrist on our team, a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine with more than three decades of practice, offers online depression treatment by secure video for people physically located in New York or Pennsylvania during each visit. See online psychiatry in New York. Whether a medicine is an option for you is a decision for you and your prescriber, and a visit may not end in a prescription.

Therapy with us is not available in New York. Our therapists see clients only in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Arizona, Colorado and Florida, so if you want therapy as well, you would need a New York licensed therapist elsewhere. Your primary care provider or insurer can be a place to start that search.

To begin, ask us whether our psychiatrist can help using our medication care contact form, and ask us about fees, insurance and timing. If you are in crisis, call or text 988, or call 911. Locascio Wellness does not provide emergency services.