How to Get Anxiety Medication Online in Pennsylvania

Step 1: find a psychiatrist licensed in Pennsylvania

Licensing follows where you are. The Pennsylvania Department of State says practitioners who provide services to people in Pennsylvania need to be licensed in Pennsylvania, whether care happens in person or through an electronic interaction such as a telehealth consultation.

That means a video visit from your home in Pennsylvania should be with someone who holds a Pennsylvania license. A national app or a doctor licensed elsewhere is not automatically able to treat you here, so it is fair to ask this question directly.

Step 2: check the license on PALS

Pennsylvania's Department of State runs the Pennsylvania Licensing System, known as PALS. The Department says you can search it at any time for a licensee's license number and status, and that it also shows whether a licensee has ever faced disciplinary action by their licensing board, including license suspension, fines or other penalties.

Two boards matter for psychiatrists. The State Board of Medicine regulates the practice of medicine through licensure, registration and certification. The State Board of Osteopathic Medicine regulates doctors of osteopathic medicine and surgery. So a psychiatrist with an MD generally falls under the first board, and one with a DO under the second. Look for the license that matches the degree.

Step 3: plan to be in Pennsylvania for each visit

With our practice, you must be physically located in Pennsylvania or New York during each visit with the psychiatrist. If you are traveling and will be outside those states at visit time, tell us before the appointment so we can talk about options.

Choose a private place where you can speak freely. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) notes that virtual visits may feel less private if people nearby can see or overhear, and suggests finding a provider who uses a secure platform that protects your privacy and verifies your identity.

Step 4: know what gets decided at the visit

NIMH says that, depending on your insurance and the provider, virtual care can include an assessment, a diagnosis, a treatment plan and a prescription for medication. Notice the wording. A prescription can be part of care, but it is not the reason a visit exists.

At a first visit, a psychiatrist generally wants to understand your symptoms, history and current medicines, and then talk through options. That might mean a medicine, therapy, more information from another clinician, or a mix of these. It may not end in a prescription, and it should never be promised in advance. Whether a particular medicine is an option for you is a decision for you and your prescriber.

Our guide to your first online psychiatry visit for anxiety covers what to bring. If you want background first, read about medications for anxiety.

Step 5: understand Pennsylvania's prescription monitoring

Some anxiety medicines, including benzodiazepines, are controlled substances with extra rules. The Pennsylvania Department of Health says its Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) collects information on all dispensed controlled substance prescriptions, and that this helps health care providers prescribe controlled substances safely. It also says the program shares data with many other states, so prescribers and pharmacists can see a fuller picture of a patient's controlled substance history.

So please be open about everything you take and every prescriber you see. Federal rules on prescribing these medicines by video are covered in our guide on whether benzodiazepines can be prescribed online.

How to reach us in Pennsylvania

A licensed psychiatrist on our team, a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) with more than three decades of practice, treats anxiety by secure video for people in Pennsylvania. He is open to new patients and referrals. Ask us about fees, coverage, ages seen and whether you also need to be in therapy here. Ask us whether our psychiatrist can help: contact us about medication care, or read about online psychiatry in Pennsylvania and online anxiety treatment.

Therapists on our team do not prescribe, but they do offer online therapy in Pennsylvania. See anxiety therapy. If you are in crisis, call or text 988, or call 911. Locascio Wellness does not provide emergency services.