FAQ

Current recommendations for diagnosing ADHD include a comprehensive history and a physical examination including a mental health assessment. Rating scales completed by parents, teachers, and the adolescent if ages 12 and up are also used. QbTest is used as an objective measure of activity, attention, and impulsivity in ages 6 to 60.

Stimulant medications and behavioral interventions are the mainstay for the treatment of ADHD in children. Unfortunately, other interventions including diets, EEG training, and neuropsychological or cognitive training interventions lack evidence as treatments in ADHD. Combined medication and behavioral therapy are the most effective.

Yes. Sometimes additional recommendations are made depending on the individual case. Prescription medication, however, has been proven to be the most effective treatment for ADHD. We may also make referrals as needed for counseling, ADHD coaching, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and occupational therapy (OT). Each treatment plan is individualized to your specific needs.

Other treatment options we offer are behavior modification techniques in the home, accommodations at work or in the classroom, and supplements. We sell books, supplements, and CBD products in our office, and you do not have to be an existing patient to purchase them. Please contact us for more information or to purchase.

We treat ADHD and related conditions typically associated with ADHD, including sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, ODD, autism, learning disorders, Tourette’s syndrome and others. Many times, treatment of ADHD leads to significant improvements of symptoms related to another condition. Once the patient has been evaluated, our clinician may recommend further testing in our office, an evaluation by other professionals, and/or counseling.

QbTest is a diagnostic test used to assess the core symptoms of ADHD: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. The QbTest helps our providers to more accurately identify or rule in or out ADHD in patients as well as monitor long term changes in symptoms over time. Pediatric Symptom Checklists or Neuropsychological Questionnaires are screening tools for problems such as anxiety, depression, OCD, etc.

QbTest will not indicate whether learning disabilities are present. Learning disabilities are diagnosed by educational testing completed either by public schools or by private psychologists. Since 50% of children diagnosed with ADHD may have some type of learning issue, it is important to treat the ADHD first and then see what learning issues may remain.

Yes. Often the diagnosis of ADHD has been previously determined by subjective methods and the value of objective data through the QbTest is important.  We will be happy to review any previous testing you provide to us.  Since we are the only office in the upstate who administers the QbTest, we do require that you take the test since it provides unique data different from any other ADHD tests.

No, it is best to take the first QbTest without medication to obtain a baseline measurement for assessment.

This varies for each patient. Repeating the QbTest is important because it shows exactly how well the medication is working and if there is any room for improvement. We ask some patients to take the test again at their first follow up appointment. At each appointment, patients will answer rating scales to help providers monitor long term changes in symptoms over time.

Initially while the patient’s treatment plan is being developed, patients usually follow up every 2 to 4 weeks. Once a patient’s medication is working well, we are required to see patients once every 3 months. We do offer Telemedicine appointments through confidential HIPAA compliant service. Telemedicine appointments allow our providers to treat patients remotely either through an app on your phone or on a computer.

Once a patient’s medication is working well, the providers will write 3 months of prescriptions to last until the next appointment.

Stimulant medications are the GOLD STANDARD in the treatment of all types of ADHD.

No. Stimulant medications are classified by the DEA as controlled substances, also known as Schedule 2 medications or Class 2 (C-2) medications. Stimulants are NOT OPIOIDS and are NOT NARCOTICS even though they are in the same Class/Schedule.

Titration directions are instructions to the patient on how to increase the dosage of your medication, if necessary, to achieve the best dose possible. This requires starting at a low dose and increasing the dose slowly to reach the optimal dose. This is the standard of care in using stimulant medications.

Federal law through the DEA dictates that controlled substances can be prescribed FOR 30 DAYS WITH NO REFILLS unless the dosage changes in less than the 30 days. South Carolina law dictates that stimulant medication prescriptions expire in 90 days and allows us to provide 3 months or 3 (three) 30-day prescriptions at a visit once you are comfortable with a dosage. If you fill your prescription every 30 days, you will be able to have an uninterrupted supply of your medication. If you fall behind in picking up prescriptions, your future prescriptions may expire.

Medication prescriptions for stimulant medications can be printed by your clinician or can be sent electronically from our Electronic Medical Record to the pharmacy of your choice.

It is recommended that you contact the pharmacy and request that they fill your prescription because most pharmacies will not automatically fill prescriptions for controlled substances even if it is sent the same day you wish to fill that prescription. If your clinician sends 3 (three) 30-day prescriptions electronically to your pharmacy, you will need to call the pharmacy every 30 days to request that they fill your prescription. Pharmacies do NOT put stimulant medications on automatic refill.

No. If you gave the pharmacy a paper prescription, you will have to pick it up and take it to the new pharmacy. If the office sent your prescription to the pharmacy electronically, you must call us and request we send it to a different pharmacy.

All Schedule 2 medications filled by any pharmacy are recorded by patient name and birth date on the confidential DHEC Prescription Monitoring Program website. We are required to check this site for every single patient at every single visit. We can follow when and where you filled your stimulant prescriptions.

You will NOT become addicted to your ADHD medication unless you abuse or ignore the dose that we have recommended. Your ADHD medication is providing DOPAMINE REPLACEMENT to your brain as needed in ADHD. People who become addicted to ADHD medications are people who ABUSE DOSE recommendations or DO NOT NEED DOPAMINE REPLACEMENT because they DO NOT have ADHD.

You will need to ignore the “judgements” and “comments” that may come your way from family, friends, and even pharmacy staff. Unfortunately, there is still a lot of ignorance regarding ADHD. These episodes may be an opportunity to educate others about ADHD.

No. Doctors and nurse practitioners do not receive “kickbacks” of any kind for any prescription for any medication.

No. We do not receive any incentives or kickbacks to use manufacturer coupon/discount cards. We are very conscious of the costs of medication and will utilize these cards in order to decrease the costs of your medication.

On occasion, pharmacy staff may not understand how to “run” the coupon/discount card. They may tell you that you cannot use it, or they will not honor it. If this happens, please ask the pharmacy to call us.

Pharmacists are allowed by SC law to refuse to fill a prescription. If this happens to you, please go to a different pharmacy or ask the pharmacist to call our office at 864-305-1662. We are always happy to discuss a pharmacist’s concerns. On occasion, pharmacists may still refuse to fill a prescription, and in that case, you will need to take your prescription to a different pharmacy.

Unfortunately, pharmacists and their staff may not always agree with our treatment plan or may not understand titration directions. Remember, our clinicians are experts in the treatment of ADHD and pharmacists are not trained to be clinicians nor are they trained to make medical recommendations. You should feel 100% confident that we will only prescribe what our clinicians, along with your input, decide is best for you.

If you fill only part of the prescription, the rest is cancelled because it is a controlled substance. This means in order to get the remainder of the prescription filled, you will have to call our office and request another prescription for the remaining amount needed.

Some states may allow 90-day supplies of stimulant medications, but SC is NOT one of those states. It is against the law in South Carolina.

No, referrals are not required. We welcome self-referrals and referrals from other professionals.

For new patient appointments, we ask that you complete and return the new patient paperwork. Once the paperwork is received, reviewed, and accepted, we will contact you to schedule an appointment.

If you have any questions, please contact our office at 864-305-1662, select option 3 to listen to the new patient information which answers most questions.

You can also speak to a member of our staff if you have any additional questions.

Currently we are scheduling about 10 weeks out.

New patient evaluations are split into 2 separate appointments- testing and meeting the Provider.

On the day of TESTING: typically takes 45-60 minutes

1. No caffeine or nicotine at least 2 hours prior to your appointment for accurate testing results. If you are currently prescribed medication for ADHD, please do not take your medication the day of your testing.
2. Bring your insurance card(s), pharmacy card, and photo ID with you. We will also take a patient photo for your chart.
3. Bring a list of all current medications and supplements with dosage, or the original bottles.
4. Payment of $200 is required on the day of testing.

On the day of your new patient appointment: time needed is about 1-1.5 hours

1. Payment is due at the time of service. Cost is $500 (payment plans available, minimum $200 due day of) or $400 if paid-in-full.
2. If you live with a spouse or significant other, it can be beneficial to bring them to the appointment with you.
3. We suggest using a voice recording device or app on your phone to record your conversation with the provider. It can be very helpful to go back and listen, as you will be receiving a lot of information.

First and most importantly, we focus on providing exceptional patient care by spending time and listening to patients. This ensures that we fully understand the patient’s issues to develop an individualized treatment plan and explain available treatment options.

Unfortunately, medical insurance dictates the time that providers spend with their patients. It was essential to our vision of patient care to go self-pay in order to provide expertise in the diagnosis and management of ADHD and related conditions in our community. We need that time to listen to you. As of February 1, 2019, insurance is no longer accepted. We are considered an out-of-network provider.

We can provide a detailed receipt that contains the CPT and diagnosis codes necessary to file a claim with your medical insurance. You are welcome to file your own claim, however, your insurance company may or may not reimburse you for the visit depending on your specific plan.

We accept cash, credit card, check, or HSA and/or Flex Account cards that you may have through your work. We do not accept Care Credit or offer a sliding fee scale. We do offer payment plans.

We need your insurance information to help you obtain the medication(s) your clinician feels are best for you. Our interaction with your prescription coverage includes submitting Prior Authorization paperwork; submitting records; submitting letters of medical necessity plus MANY phone calls to insure you receive your needed prescription(s).

New patient evaluations for ages 6 and up consist of 2 separate appointments. The first appointment includes computerized assessments and testing and costs $250. All new patients ages 6 and up must go through testing even if previously tested or diagnosed. The second appointment includes an evaluation with the clinician and treatment plan options, the cost is $500 with payment plan arrangements, or $400 if paid-in-full that day. Follow up appointments cost $150, $250, or $350 depending on the length and complexity. We offer a 20% discount if payment is made in full on the day of your appointment.

There are very few other clinicians in the upstate of South Carolina who utilize evidence-based testing, specifically the QbTest for diagnosis. Sometimes the diagnosis of ADHD is made through Psychoeducational testing with private PhD clinicians at a cost of >$2000, and that does not include treatment. There are also some services that take drug-free approaches to treat ADHD, costing thousands of dollars. We are a bargain compared to other services that charge thousands of dollars for testing.