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MICHAEL AKWO-ADELOWO

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, MSN, APRN, PMHNP

Get prepared for your Telehealth Appointment 

Telehealth at Humane Psychiatry means professional psychiatric care from

wherever you are — no commute, no waiting room, no disruption to your day.

Before Your Appointment: A Simple Checklist

The day before or the morning of your appointment, run through this quick checklist to make sure everything is ready:

✓ Confirm your appointment time — check the email confirmation you received after

booking

✓ Test your camera and microphone on your device

✓ Check that your Wi-Fi or data connection is stable

✓ Identify a private, quiet room and close the door

✓ Complete any intake paperwork sent to you in advance

✓ Have your insurance card or payment method ready

✓ Write down your current medications (name, dose, how long you’ve been taking them)

 

✓ Jot down 2–3 things you most want to discuss today (see notes section below)

✓ Join the appointment link 2–3 minutes early

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How to Make the Most of Your Appointment: Taking Notes

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Telehealth appointments — especially initial evaluations — cover a lot of ground. Patients who

come prepared with a few notes consistently report feeling more satisfied with their

appointments and more confident in their treatment plan.

You do not need to write pages. Even a few bullet points on your phone or a notepad can make a

real difference.

 

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What to Write Down Before Your Appointment

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• Your top 2–3 concerns or symptoms — the things that have been bothering you most.

What made you seek help right now?

• How long you’ve been experiencing these symptoms. A few weeks? Several years? Off

and on?

• How your symptoms are affecting your daily life — work, relationships, sleep, energy,

concentration.

• Any medications you currently take, including the name, dose, and prescriber. Include

supplements and vitamins.

• Any medications you’ve tried in the past for mental health — what helped, what didn’t,

and any side effects you experienced.

• Any relevant medical history — chronic conditions, recent diagnoses, surgeries, or family

mental health history.

• Questions you want to ask Michael. Write these down so you don’t forget in the moment.

 

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What to Write Down During or After Your Appointment

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• Your diagnosis or clinical impression, in your own words.

• The name of any medication prescribed — including the dose and how to take it.

• What to expect from the medication (when to see effects, possible side effects to watch

for).

• Any lifestyle or behavioral recommendations Michael made.

• When your next appointment is scheduled, and what to track between now and then.

What You Need for Your Telehealth Appointment

  • A Device with a Camera and Microphone

    You can use a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer — as long as it has a working camera and microphone. Most smartphones and laptops manufactured after 2015 have both built in

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    1. iPhone or Android smartphone: works perfectly for telehealth. Use the front-facing camera so Michael can see your face clearly.​

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    2. iPad or Android tablet: excellent for telehealth due to the larger screen. Prop it up so the camera is at eye level.

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    3. Laptop or desktop computer: ideal if you have a webcam. Most modern laptops have a built-in webcam above the screen. Desktop users will need an external webcam (available for $20–50 online).

    ​​

    4. Earbuds or headphones with a built-in microphone: strongly recommended. They improve audio quality significantly and add privacy.

  • A Stable Internet or Wi-Fi Connection

    A stable internet connection is the most important technical requirement. Telehealth video requires a consistent connection — not necessarily fast, but steady.

     

    1. Minimum recommended speed: 10 Mbps download / 5 Mbps upload. You can test your speed for free at fast.com or speedtest.net.

    ​​

    2. Best practice: connect to Wi-Fi rather than using cellular data alone, which can drop or fluctuate mid-appointment.

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    3. If your home Wi-Fi is unreliable, sit closer to your router. Walls and distance reduce signal strength significantly.

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    4. Mobile hotspot (using your phone’s data): works well as a backup if your home Wi-Fi is weak. Most carriers provide sufficient data speeds for video calls.

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    5. Avoid joining from a public Wi-Fi network (coffee shop, library) for privacy and reliability reasons.

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    If your connection drops during the appointment:

     

    Michael will wait up to 5 minutes and attempt to reconnect. If the connection cannot be restored, the appointment may need to be rescheduled. Call (469) 212-6565 if this happens.

  • A Private, Quiet Space

    What makes a good telehealth space:

     

    1. A room with a door you can close — bedroom, home office, bathroom, or study

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    2. Minimal background noise (turn off the TV, step away from the kitchen)

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    3. Good lighting — face a window or lamp so your face is visible, not backlit

     

    4.A neutral or tidy background (not required, but helpful for focus)

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    5.Pets, children, or others asked to stay out of the room for the duration

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    If you live with others and privacy is a concern, earbuds or headphones help significantly —they ensure your side of the conversation stays private even if others are nearby.

    ​

    If you truly have no private space at home, a parked car in a quiet location works well. Many patients find it to be one of the most private options available.

Appointment Fees

Initial Evaluation: $250 | Follow-up Visit: $150

Free 15-minute consultation available — call (469) 212-6565 to schedule.

Sliding scale available for eligible patients. Most commercial insurance accepted. See insurance list below.

Initial Evaluation (First Appointment - (60 minutes)

Your first appointment with Michael is a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation. Here is what to

expect:

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1. Michael will greet you and explain how the session will work. He will confirm your

consent to telehealth treatment.

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2. He will ask about what brought you in today — your main concerns, symptoms, and how

they’ve been affecting your life.

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3. He will review your personal history: medical background, mental health history, past

treatments, family history, and current medications.

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4. He will ask structured clinical questions to assess for specific conditions — this is a

normal part of the diagnostic process, not an interrogation.

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5. He will share his clinical impression with you and explain what he believes is going on.

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6. Together, you will discuss your goals and develop a treatment plan. This may include

medication, therapy strategies, or a combination.

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7. He will answer your questions and explain next steps, including your follow-up

schedule.

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Follow-Up Appointments (30 Minutes)

Follow-up appointments are typically 30 minutes and are focused on how you are responding to

treatment. Michael will:

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• Check in on your symptoms — what’s improved, what hasn’t, and what has changed.

• Review any medication side effects or concerns.

• Adjust your treatment plan as needed — dosage changes, trying a different medication,

or adding new strategies.

• Address any new concerns that have come up since your last appointment.

• Refill prescriptions as appropriate.

What Happens During Your
Telehealth Appointment 

Check Eligibility

Initial Evaluation (First Appointment - (60 minutes)

Insurance and Payment

Humane Psychiatry accepts a wide range of insurance plans, making it possible for patients

across Texas to access affordable, high-quality psychiatric care without financial barriers.

 

Insurance Plans Accepted

• Aetna / Aetna Medicare

• AmeriGroup

• Anthem

• Ascension (SmartHealth)

• Blue Cross / Blue Shield / BlueCross and BlueShield / BCBS of Massachusetts

• Carelon Behavioral Health

• Cigna and Evernorth

• Horizon BCBS of New Jersey / Horizon Blue Cross and Blue Shield

• Humana / Humana Dual / Humana Medicare

• Independence Blue Cross Penn

• Magellan

• Medicaid

• Medicare

• Meritain Health

• Optum / United Health/Optum / UHO Medicaid / UHO Medicare

• Oscar Health

• Oxford

• Quest Behavioral Health

• Scott & White Health Plan

• TRICARE

• United Medical Resources (UMR)

• UnitedHealthcare UHC | UBH

• WellCare

 

Payment Methods Accepted

For patients paying out of pocket or whose plan is not listed above, Humane Psychiatry accepts:

• American Express, Visa, Mastercard, Discover

• Apple Cash, PayPal, Zelle, Wire Transfer, Cash

A sliding scale fee may be available for patients experiencing financial hardship. Please ask

about eligibility when you call or book online.

Insurance and Payment

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