New patients
An online psychiatrist built for new patients, without the long wait
Timely access to a board certified clinician, by secure video. No months-long waitlists.
Written under the clinical direction of Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, FAPA, board certified psychiatrist · Last updated October 4, 2026 · Editorial policy
Already know your state is active? Skip to the waitlist.
Timely access
Care in days, not months
Most people who need a psychiatrist wait weeks, sometimes months. HRSA's Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designations put the majority of U.S. counties in some level of psychiatric shortage, and county-level wait times for a new-patient outpatient psychiatric appointment routinely exceed 60 days.
shrinkMD is built to make timely care the norm rather than the exception. You'll get a full 45 to 60 minute evaluation with a board certified clinician by secure video, then the same clinician for every follow-up. See how the process works, from intake to your first visit, on our how it works page.
Why the wait is so long everywhere else
Three access bottlenecks we removed on purpose
Panel closures: most in-network psychiatrists close their panels to new patients because insurance panels reward volume, not accessibility. shrinkMD's panel is not closed. You do not need to be an existing patient of the health system to book.
Insurance credentialing delays: new prescribers waiting on insurance credentialing can sit unbookable for weeks or months. shrinkMD is cash-pay, so a new clinician licensed in your state can accept patients immediately.
Referral requirements: many hospital systems will not schedule a new-patient psychiatric evaluation without a referral from a primary care physician you may not have. shrinkMD does not require a referral. You complete intake, we confirm licensure fit, you book.
What 'accepting new patients' actually looks like at shrinkMD
The intake flow, in six honest steps
1. You confirm you are 18 or older and physically located in a state where we're licensed. 2. You complete a secure intake with symptom history, medical history, current medications, and goals. 3. We confirm shrinkMD is a fit or route you to a better option; this is a real filter, not a formality. 4. You book your first visit at a time that works, usually within days of intake in an open state. 5. You have a 45 to 60 minute video evaluation with a board certified clinician. 6. You leave the first visit with a written plan (diagnosis, medication or watchful waiting, therapy referral if useful, follow-up window).
The whole flow is designed to compress the time between 'I need help' and 'I have a plan' from months to under two weeks.
Where we're available
Currently opening in Maine and Nebraska
shrinkMD is launching first in Nebraska and Maine. Additional states where at least one shrinkMD clinician is licensed (Florida, Georgia, Texas, California, New York, Virginia, Indiana, Hawaii) open as we onboard clinicians and confirm each state's telemedicine and prescribing rules. If your state is on the list, you can join the waitlist now and we'll reach out the day intake opens. See every state on our locations page, and see per-state resources on the individual state hubs.
If your state is not licensed yet, joining the waitlist is still useful. It helps us prioritize which states to license next, and you get an early spot when licensing completes.
Who is a good fit
Which new patients shrinkMD serves best
Adults (18 and over) in a licensed state, dealing with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, OCD, PMDD, postpartum depression, insomnia, or stable psychotic disorders. Patients who want the same clinician across visits. Patients who prefer transparent cash-pay over insurance billing, or who have a high-deductible plan where cash-pay works out similar. Patients who do not need controlled substances.
Not a good fit: psychiatric emergencies (call 988 or 911), patients who need stimulants for ADHD or ongoing benzodiazepines, children and adolescents (we are adults only), patients who require in-network Medicare or Medicaid billing. The why shrinkMD page lists the full honest fit criteria.
Why the waitlist matters
What the waitlist actually does
The waitlist is not a marketing list. Signing up puts you in the first-day booking queue for your state, tells us where to prioritize state licensure next, and gets you a direct email the moment intake opens. You will not get generic newsletter content, and your information is not shared with third-party marketers.
If we open in your state and you decide you no longer need care, you can unsubscribe with one click and nothing else happens. If your situation is urgent, please do not wait for shrinkMD to open. Use 988, call your primary care doctor, or use a community mental health center.
“The time taken to explore and adjust my medication in hopes of improving my mental health.”
Verified patient reviews of our founder.
Frequently asked questions
Good questions, clear answers
Is shrinkMD accepting new patients?
shrinkMD is launching first in Nebraska and Maine, with more states licensed and launching. You can join the waitlist now and we'll contact you the day intake opens in your state.
How fast can I be seen?
In states that are open, most first visits happen within one to two weeks of intake. Exact timing depends on which state you're in and clinician availability that week. This is dramatically faster than the 60-day-plus wait times common at in-network practices.
Do I need a referral?
No referral is needed. You complete a secure intake and book your evaluation directly once care is open in your state. No health-system membership required.
What if my state isn't open yet?
Join the waitlist anyway. It tells us where to prioritize state licensure next and gets you an early spot when we do open. If you need care immediately and your state isn't open, we route you to the care-finder page for the options that do exist today.
Is the waitlist really used, or is it a marketing list?
It's a scheduling and demand-signal list, not a marketing list. You'll get one message when we open in your state and nothing else unless you subscribe separately to the Resource Center newsletter.
Get in line for care
shrinkMD is opening first in Maine and Nebraska. Join the waitlist and we'll email you when booking opens in your state.
Get StartedAlready know your state is active? Skip to the waitlist.