Can You Get ADHD Treatment by Telehealth in Florida?

Yes, in part. At Padgett Medical Center, adult ADHD treatment starts with a 30-minute new patient visit that is always in person at the Tampa clinic. After that, monthly follow-ups can be by telehealth, as long as you are physically in Florida during the visit and show a valid Florida driver's license or state ID on camera.

At Padgett Medical Center in Tampa, the new patient ADHD visit is $169 when you book online with a card on file, 35% off the regular $260. Nothing is charged when you book. Monthly follow-ups, in person or by telehealth, are $136.

What does Florida law mean by telehealth?

Florida law defines telehealth as the use of synchronous or asynchronous telecommunications technology to provide health care, including assessment, diagnosis, consultation, treatment and monitoring. Email messages and fax transmissions don't count.

That definition is in section 456.47 of the Florida Statutes. Synchronous means live, like a video call; asynchronous means information sent and reviewed later. The same section says a telehealth provider must practice within their scope of practice and to the prevailing professional standard for in-person care in Florida. In plain terms, a telehealth visit is a real medical visit held to the same standard as one in the exam room.

MedlinePlus makes the matching point for patients: for a telehealth visit, just as for an in-person one, it's important to be prepared and to communicate well with your provider.

What happens at the first in-person ADHD visit?

The first visit is a 30-minute new patient evaluation with Morgan Colee, PA, at 6904 W. Linebaugh Ave, Tampa, FL 33625. At Padgett it is always in person, even if you plan to use telehealth afterward.

It covers your symptoms, how long they've been present, including childhood, how they affect work and home, your health history, current medications and any prior records. No diagnosis or prescription is promised in advance. What to expect at an adult ADHD evaluation walks through the visit step by step.

Who can have an ADHD telehealth follow-up at Padgett?

Patients already in treatment can have monthly follow-ups by telehealth when two conditions are met: you are physically in Florida at the time of the visit, and you show a valid Florida driver's license or state ID on camera.

Living in Florida isn't enough on its own. If you're traveling in another state on your follow-up date, schedule the visit for a day you're back in Florida or come to the Tampa clinic before you leave. If you don't have a Florida driver's license or state ID yet, for example because you recently moved here, plan on in-person follow-ups.

What rules apply to prescribing ADHD medication by telehealth?

Federal and Florida law set the rules for prescribing controlled medications by telehealth, and Padgett follows them. Many ADHD medicines are controlled: the FDA notes that prescription stimulants are controlled substances.

E-FORCSE is Florida's prescription drug monitoring program, which records controlled-substance dispensing. Section 893.055 of the Florida Statutes requires prescribers to consult it and review a patient's controlled-substance history before prescribing a controlled substance for a patient age 16 or older, with limited exceptions. Padgett checks E-FORCSE before prescribing any controlled medication. Your provider decides whether medication is appropriate, and no same-day prescription is promised.

What happens during an ADHD telehealth follow-up?

A telehealth follow-up is a 15-minute visit on camera with Morgan Colee, PA, at $136, the same price as an in-person follow-up. After your ID check, you talk through how treatment is going.

Expect to discuss what has improved, what hasn't and any side effects. The FDA lists loss of appetite, trouble sleeping, headache, stomachache, irritability, fast heart rate and high blood pressure among common stimulant side effects, so mention changes in appetite, sleep or mood. Medication, if prescribed, is filled at your own pharmacy and is not part of the visit fee. For how the medication classes compare, see adult ADHD medication options.

How should you prepare for an ADHD telehealth visit?

Be in Florida, have your Florida ID in hand and join from a private spot with a charged device and a steady connection. Bring a few notes about the past month.

Useful notes include how your medication has worked across the day, your sleep and appetite, anything new you've started taking and the questions you want answered. Join from somewhere you can talk openly, not a shared office or a moving car. Fifteen minutes goes quickly, so lead with the most important issue.

When is an in-person follow-up the better choice?

Choose an in-person follow-up when you'll be outside Florida on the visit date, don't have a Florida ID, or simply prefer to be seen face to face. Follow-ups cost $136 either way.

The Tampa clinic is in northwest Tampa near Citrus Park, Carrollwood and Westchase. It is open Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and until 7:00 PM on Wednesdays.

How do you start ADHD care at Padgett?

Book your first in-person visit online. Booking with a card on file gives you the $169 price. You can also book without a card at the regular price, but the appointment stays unconfirmed until staff confirm it by phone and is released after 48 hours if it isn't confirmed.

College students have their own reduced rate. Questions first? The medical staff offer a free 15-minute phone consultation, which is not a provider visit and includes no prescribing. See adult ADHD treatment at Padgett, then book your in-person Tampa ADHD visit.

This article is educational and is not medical advice. Talk with a licensed provider about your own health, medications and treatment options.