New Patients

Please send me a message and I will contact you to discuss potentially scheduling a new patient appointment. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are you taking new patients?

A: Determinations are made on a case-by-case basis, depending on current availability. I serve individuals who live in the middle TN area. 

Q: What do I need to do if I want to see you for the first time?

A: Please fill out the form on my website and I will get back to you with further details. There is a medical history form that I would like for you to complete and bring with you to your first appointment. I will also send you mood rating scales. You can either e-sign my office policies, notice of privacy practice, and other legal documents in Luminello, or this can be done in person prior to your appointment (we can arrange for you to come at least 30 minutes early, if so).

Q: Do you accept insurance?

A:  Gardner Wellness is NOT in network with any insurance companies.  As such, you can choose to keep your information private and control who has access to your psychiatric record.  Payment is due at the time of service, regardless of insurance. Upon your request, Gardner Wellness will provide you with a list of fees and billing codes.  If you wish to file a claim with your insurance carrier, it is recommended that you contact your insurance carrier in advance to verify your benefits and find out how your insurance may reimburse you for Gardner Wellness visits (if at all). It is your responsibility to obtain all referrals/authorizations required by your insurance plan to file your claim with your insurance company.  Upon request, you can be given a completed statement of service with all the codes necessary to file an out of network claim with your insurance carrier. It is your responsibility to contact your insurance carrier and request instructions for details about how to file your claim. Gardner Wellness cannot and does not guarantee insurance reimbursement of any kind.  Gardner Wellness is not a Medicare, Medicaid, or TennCare provider. Patients who have Medicare insurance policies must sign the federally-mandated “Private Contract” in order to receive services. 

Q: What are your prices?

A:  Please see below:

·        New patient appointment (90 minutes): $300  

($75 deposit required to hold your spot; remaining $225 can be paid at time of visit)

·        Standard Follow up visit (25 minutes): $135

·        Extended Follow up visit (55 minutes): $250

·        Prescription Refills outside of an appointment: $35

·        After hours calls: $120 per 10-minute increment

·        Missed appointments or cancellations less than 72 hours in advance will be charged in full

Q: Do you see patients via telehealth?

A:  For your convenience, Gardner Wellness offers telehealth visits.  An in-person visit is preferred for the first appointment and is required at least once per year (or more often if clinically indicated).  To protect the confidentiality of our sessions, Gardner Wellness uses a telehealth platform which is HIPAA compliant and which does not record or store the contents of patient communications.  The same rules of confidentiality and privacy protection apply to remote sessions as to in-person sessions.  By agreeing to our office policies, you consent to the use of a third party video conferencing platform which will facilitate any telehealth visit.  If you use a non-secure internet connection (such as public wifi) you may be taking on greater risk of the privacy of the session being breached.  Gardner Wellness reserves the right to decide whether telehealth visits are appropriate for your care or whether in-person visits are necessary, in which case ongoing telehealth visits will not be offered.

Q: What kinds of medications do you prescribe?  

A: Depending on the case, various psychiatric medications may be considered, including antidepressants, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, medications for attention disorders, and medications for anxiety.  I very seldom prescribe benzodiazepines (and recommend avoiding their use if at all possible). For more information on this topic, please visit: https://www.benzoinfo.com/  In addition to medications, I also make recommendations about vitamins, labwork, and genetic testing (if needed).  Finally, medications alone are never a complete treatment plan.  For every patient, we will discuss non-medication options and strategies.  I consider these to be equally or more important than medications in nearly every case.

Q: Do you accept money from the pharmaceutical industry?  

A: I do not accept money or gifts of any kind from the pharmaceutical industry.  If we decide to pursue genetic testing or a prescription-strength vitamin supplement for you, please rest assured that I do not accept money or a commission for doing so. I try to prescribe generic medications whenever possible to keep costs down.

 Q: What forms of payment do you accept?  

A: Cash, check, credit card, or HSA cards are all acceptable forms of payment. Cash or check is preferred (when possible/convenient for you)