FAQs

Our offices

The practice name is Psychiatric Alternatives, could you explain a little more what the alternatives are/means?

We have a mix of psychiatrists/therapists at our practice. We do not just do medication management but also talk therapy. We also have providers with more of an holistic approach. The practice also offers weekly group medication classes held every Thursday evening at the 3611 Sacramento St location in SF.

Do you have a front desk?

We do not have a front reception desk, but our staff are available by phone and email during regular business hours.

We respond quickly to all patient requests for help.

How do you check in for your appointment if you do not have a front desk?

There is a tablet in every waiting room. Click on the tablet with your doctor’s name or suite number and they will come out to get you at the time of your appointment.

Why is the name of the practice Psychiatric Alternatives and Wellness Center?

The vision for the founding of our practice was to correct many of the problems with the current mental health outpatient care system and provide meaningful alternatives for treatment. In psychiatry and psychotherapy doctors often work in rundown offices with indifferent staff and with not enough time to adequately listen to and treat each patient in their schedule. Patients often cannot find a provider who takes their insurance and can collaborate with them on a treatment plan that meets their needs. We have tried to change this system by recruiting the very best doctors who will listen and collaborate with their patients on their care, and patients can consult with their doctor in a beautiful treatment setting. We accept all major health insurance so patients can receive affordable treatment that meets their needs.

Appointments

I need to cancel and/or reschedule a psychotherapy appointment.

You can cancel your appointment online by logging into your account on the PAWC patient portal link.

PAWC psychotherapists manage their own schedules and any cancellations or rescheduling need to be communicated directly to them. If you do not have your doctor’s contact info or are unable to log into your account on the patient portal please contact the office and we will help you contact your doctor.

I need to cancel and/or reschedule a psychiatry appointment.

You can cancel any appointment online by logging into your account on the PAWC patient portal link.​

PAWC administrative staff manage the psychiatrist's schedules. For scheduling changes with your psychiatrist please contact the office.

It is the day of my appointment and I don’t feel well, can I cancel without a fee?

If you are able to provide documentation from a doctor’s office, urgent care center, or the ER, we will waive the fee for you. If you are unable to provide documentation the missed session fee will apply. We do encourage patients to come into their appointments even if they are not feeling well.

Issues with Medications/Pharmacy

I have asked my pharmacy to send a refill request to my doctor, but no action has been taken.

We do not always receive faxes from pharmacies requesting refills. If you require a refill from your doctor please contact the office directly.

My Pharmacy says that my medication needs prior authorization from my doctor. What are the next steps?

What is a prior authorization?

  • A prior authorization is needed when a medication is not initially covered by the patient’s insurance.

What are the next steps?

  • Depending on your insurance, the prior authorization may either need to be completed with a form and faxed in or by phone. A PAWC Administrative Team Member will contact your insurance provider to obtain coverage for your medication. Usually these issues are resolved within 24-48 hours depending on the situation. The prior authorization will either be approved or denied. If the office receives an approval, they will contact the patient’s pharmacy and the pharmacy will then let the patient know when the prescription is ready for pick up.
  • If the prior authorization is denied, the patient and provider will receive a letter. The letter will provide medication alternatives that will be covered or an appeal process can be initiated.

I have asked my pharmacy to send a refill request to my dr but no action has been taken.

We do not always receive faxes from pharmacies requesting refills. If you require a refill from your doctor please contact the office directly

Contacting us/online portal

How do I contact my Doctor?

You can send a message through your online portal or you can email or call the office directly and we will send the message to your provider.

Help! I can’t login my PAWC account

  • Make sure you are using the same email address as your initial login.
  • When entering your password, make sure it is in the format of (MM/DD/YYYY). The password ​must be in this format (include the zero and slash​ ​(/) symbol).
  • If you have tried to reset your password and tried within the hour and is still not working, please wait a little longer. If you keep clicking on reset your password it will cause an error in the system and resetting the password will no longer work.

I have an urgent request, but the office is closed!

  • The PAWC Administrative Office is open Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.
  • If you have urgent requests after hours, please contact our urgent line at 415.237.0377 ext 18.
  • If you believe that you are a danger to yourself or others, please dial 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Insurance/Billing

The online registration forms are asking me to input my SSN. What is this for?

The SSN is for verifying your insurance benefits, but if you are not comfortable inputting your SSN, please input nine-0’s.

I have Beacon Health, but I don’t see it labeled in the drop down menu when filling out my online registration forms?

Beacon Health is also known as Value Options, and is labeled as such in the drop down menu.

I don’t know my copay or coinsurance, what should I do?

  • If you do not know your copay or coinsurance, please input 0’s.
  • If you would like estimates of your financial responsibility you may contact your insurance company to understand your benefits for mental health treatment. If you are unable to reach your insurance provider, you can contact the PAWC Billing Department for an estimate of your responsibility. Please note: we can only provide you with an estimate given to us by your insurance company, and this is not a guarantee of benefits or coverage.

I need to update my insurance on file, how do I go about doing that?

Please login to your account on the patient portal to update your insurance or email the Billing Department an image of the front and back of the new insurance card at: ​billing@psychiatricalternatives.com

I’m scheduled with a doctor that the office said takes my insurance, but they aren’t listed on my insurance provider’s list of in-network providers. How do I know that I am covered with them?

Any questions regarding insurance coverage should be directed to our Billing Department. They let you know if a provider is covered under your insurance. You can reach the Billing Department at: ​​billing@psychiatricalternatives.com