Patient Care

Office Hours:
8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday (at times, earlier or later appointments may be made by personal request to the staff)

Appointments:
May be made by calling (304) 341-1500

Services:
The faculty of the Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry provide comprehensive psychiatric and psychological assessment and treatment. The staff is committed to assisting the patient and family to a healthier, happier, and more satisfying lifestyle by identifying areas of difficulty and helping the patient or family develop healthier coping strategies.

By offering comprehensive medical work-ups to investigate possible contributing medical conditions, the Department also provides care to patients whose behavioral changes relate to other illnesses or cerebral biochemical imbalances. In addition to psychotherapy, medication management is offered.

• Adult Psychiatry
• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Individual Therapy
• Couples and Family Therapy
• Group Therapy
• Psychological and Neuropsychological Assessment
• Trauma Therapy—Group or Individual
• Anxiety Disorder Treatment
• Mood Disorder Treatment
• Stress Management
• Grief and Bereavement Counseling
• Parent-Child Interaction Therapy
• Treatment for Adult Survivors of Sexual Abuse
• Hospital Consultation/Liaison Team

Patient Care:
Whether you are a new patient or a patient who has been referred to us by another physician, you will be assigned a medical or non-medical faculty member who will best suit your needs. Occasionally, our faculty consult one another for the assurance of treating you in the best possible ways. If you have an emergency, your therapist can be contacted, or another faculty member may respond to your needs. A faculty member is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Billing and Insurance:
All billing is handled by West Virginia University Physicians of Charleston (WVUPC). Most insurance plans may be billed at the time of service. However, co-payment is requested at the time of your visit. If you do not have insurance and are on a limited income, additional information will be needed to prepare your payment schedule. If you have questions concerning your billing, you may call WVUPC at 347-1290.

Pre-certification:
Patients are expected to verify authorization of all physician visits with their managed care insurance plans. Please note that mental health treatment is frequently handled by a different organization than the one that handles physical health insurance.

Prescription Refills:
If you need a prescription refill, please call during regular business hours. Expect to wait at least 24 hours, since some physicians may not be available the day of a call. Be sure to call for refills several days or weeks before you are likely to run out of medication.

Hospital Care:
The staff of the Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry admit patients to the inpatient service of Charleston Area Medical Center General Division, when an illness requires extensive, continuous, and supervised care. Your care may or may not be given by your usual clinician. However, your care will be coordinated between your inpatient and outpatient clinicians.

Medications:
Report to your physician all medications you have been taking that have been prescribed for you, as well as any over-the-counter medicines you use.

Health Care Students:
The medicine centers are affiliated with the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center of West Virginia University, Charleston Division. At times, psychiatric residents, psychology interns, social work interns, medical students, and nursing students may be involved with your care. These individuals are always supervised by faculty, and only participate with your permission.