Psychiatric Evaluation
Every new patient at Everhealth begins with a psychiatric evaluation. It's a thorough, structured assessment designed to understand your history, your current concerns, and what's actually going on, so that any treatment we recommend is grounded in a clear clinical picture.
This applies whether you're seeking help for the first time, looking for a second opinion, or establishing care with a new provider. The evaluation is where all care at Everhealth starts.
Why Evaluation Comes First
We do not prescribe medications or recommend treatments without first understanding your clinical picture. The evaluation exists to assess your symptoms, review your history, understand your goals, and determine the most appropriate path forward.
By the end of your first visit, most patients have a working diagnosis and a treatment plan. In some cases, the evaluation may take more than one visit when clinical complexity requires it. And in some cases, the right recommendation may be a referral rather than treatment with us. The evaluation is where that determination begins.
Before Your Visit
Before your appointment, you complete intake paperwork and clinical assessments online through our patient portal.
Based on the information you provide, we assign validated clinical questionnaires tailored to your situation. These are scored and available to your provider before or during your visit.
The result: when you sit down with your provider, they already have context and clinical direction. Your appointment time is spent on understanding you and building a plan, not collecting background information.
What Happens During Your Evaluation
Your evaluation is a structured clinical process. Each component serves a clear purpose.
- 1
Clinical Interview
Your provider reviews your personal and family history, current symptoms, daily functioning, and what brought you in. This is a conversation, not a checklist. The goal is to understand your full situation.
- 2
Assessment Review
Your provider reviews and discusses the results of the validated screening tools you completed before the visit. These scores provide objective data points that complement the clinical interview.
- 3
Baseline Measures
Vitals are taken during your visit. A drug screen may be conducted if clinically indicated. If lab work is needed, your provider will order it and you'll complete it at an outside lab.
- 4
Diagnosis and Treatment Discussion
Your provider shares their clinical findings, discusses the diagnosis with you, and walks through treatment options. This is a collaborative conversation. You'll understand the reasoning behind the diagnosis and have the opportunity to ask questions.
- 5
Psychoeducation
You'll learn about your diagnosis: what it means, what to expect from treatment, and how to recognize changes in your own symptoms. This is part of the clinical visit, not a pamphlet handoff.
- 6
Lifestyle and Coping Strategies
Treatment goes beyond medication. Your provider discusses sleep, stress management, and other lifestyle factors relevant to your situation, along with practical coping strategies you can use between appointments.
- 7
Treatment Plan
If medication is appropriate, prescriptions are sent the same day. If medication isn't the right approach, your provider will explain why and discuss alternatives. We don't provide standalone psychotherapy, but we work with therapists in the community and can help coordinate that part of your care.
What You Leave With
A Working Diagnosis
Most patients leave their first evaluation with a clinical diagnosis based on a structured interview, validated assessments, and a thorough review of history.
A Treatment Plan
A plan tailored to your situation that may include medication, lifestyle recommendations, psychoeducation, or referrals for therapy. Not a template. Not a guess.
Clear Next Steps
You'll know what comes next: when your follow-up is, what to expect from treatment, and how to reach your care team if questions come up.
After Your Evaluation
Psychiatrist Review
Every new patient's treatment plan is reviewed by Dr. Nazarani as part of our standard clinical workflow. This is an additional layer of oversight built into the process, not something that only happens when a concern arises.
First Follow-Up
Your first follow-up is typically scheduled within two weeks and is available via telemedicine. The purpose is straightforward: check in on how you're doing, assess early response to treatment, address questions, and adjust the plan if needed.
Transition to Ongoing Care
After the initial follow-up period, you transition to ongoing care management, where your provider continues to monitor your progress, refine your treatment, and support your long-term health.
Your Evaluation Team
Your evaluation is conducted by one of our experienced psychiatric nurse practitioners or physician assistants. These are the practitioners who conduct evaluations, manage treatment, and work with you throughout your care.
Every provider at Everhealth is personally trained by Dr. Nazarani and follows evidence-based clinical guidelines that the psychiatrist develops, maintains, and reviews. The psychiatrist reviews every new patient treatment plan and remains actively involved in clinical decisions across the practice.
Patients seeking evaluation for specialized services like TMS are evaluated directly by the psychiatrist.
Common Questions
Complete your intake paperwork and assessments online before your visit. That's the most important step. It ensures your provider is prepared and your time together is focused on the evaluation itself.
In most cases, yes. When clinical complexity requires more time, your provider will explain what additional assessment is needed and what the next steps look like.
We still conduct a full evaluation. A fresh assessment ensures your current treatment is appropriate and gives us a complete clinical picture to work from.
No. Medication is one tool in the treatment plan, and it's only recommended when clinically appropriate. If medication isn't the right fit, your provider will discuss alternatives with you.
Yes. For children and adolescents especially, parent or guardian involvement is an important part of the evaluation. Adults are welcome to bring a family member or support person as well.
In person at any of our four Texas locations: Houston, Tomball, College Station, and Lufkin.
If your evaluation indicates that your needs would be better served elsewhere, we'll tell you, and we'll help you find the right next step. The evaluation is about determining the best path forward, even when that path isn't with us.
Ready to Get Started?
The first step is a brief appointment request. From there, we'll guide you through registration and insurance verification before your visit.