What can I expect at my appointment with Vita Psychiatry?

You can expect our help towards improving your mental health, overcoming the issue you’ve communicated to your primary care provider, and reaching a better life.

While our psychiatrists will have specific questions for you to answer, the appointment is fundamentally about understanding your life and how we can help. You can expect our doctors to listen actively and empathically, and to collaborate with you on your self-discovery and on an action plan to help get you to where you want to be in your life.

How can I book an appointment?

We are currently unable to directly accept consultation bookings from patients, however if you are interested in a consultation with Vita Psychiatry, please inform your primary care provider (family doctor or nurse practitioner) and they are welcome to submit a referral request here on our website via our secure form.

If your primary care provider has submitted a referral, you should have received an email with clear instructions to book your appointment. If you have not received this email, you can:

1. Check your spam folder

2. Check in with your primary care physicians office to ensure that the referral has been submitted

3. Contact our administrative team to re-send the booking instructions to you

If you are an existing therapy patient at our clinic and would like to manage your appointments, please reach out to our administrative team at admin@vitapsychiatry.com. Because therapy appointments are limited, they cannot be self booked via our booking portal.

Will I receive an appointment reminder?

Yes, when you book an appointment with us, you will receive:

1. An email reminder 48 hours prior to your appointment

2. An SMS reminder 24 hours prior to your appointment

3. An email with the link to join your appointment 30 minutes prior to your appointment

If you would like to opt out of reminder emails or SMS messages, please contact our administrative team at admin@vitapsychiatry.com.

How do I get the link for my virtual appointment?

An email will be sent to you 30 minutes before your appointment. Click on Begin Your Online Appointment. If you are on a desktop or laptop computer, this will open the link on your browser. We recommend using the Chrome browser for the best connection.

If you are joining from an iOS device such as an iPhone or iPad, you will need to download the Jane Online Appointments application that is available to download for free in the app store.

What is your cancellation policy?

Please click here to read our full cancellation policy.

How can I change my consultation appointment time?

Please send us an email at admin@vitapsychiatry.com

How can I change my therapy appointment time?

Please send us an email at admin@vitapsychiatry.com. It is imperative that you attend each of your therapy sessions with us. If you are not able to attend your sessions, you are at risk of your appointments being cancelled.

What if I have an urgent mental health problem?

If you are experiencing urgent mental health problems, please visit the nearest hospital emergency department or call emergency services by dialling 911 on your phone.

Will I be prescribed any medications?

Not directly. Rather, our psychiatrists provide expertise on psychiatric medications and provide recommendations on type, dose, and administration to your primary care provider if indicated.  It is up to your primary care provider to fill these prescriptions as they see fit.

What if I want to speak with a psychiatrist about something other than what I discussed with my primary care provider?

At the time when your primary care provider has referred you, they have already given us the reason for your visit to our virtual clinic. If you would like to speak with a psychiatrist about another subject, we cannot guarantee that there will be time in your appointment to fully cover the issue so it is important to be clear with your provider on what issue you would like to discuss. 

It is also important to note that our doctors will be sending your primary care provider a consultation note with details of the appointment. The report must be fulsome, although excessive detail is avoided for more sensitive topics.

What happens after my appointment? 

After your consultation appointment, no further action from you is required. Your primary care provider will receive a recommended treatment plan for your ongoing care within 5 business days. 

Depending on your primary care provider's office, you may reach out to them to book a follow-up appointment, or they will contact you to discuss your ongoing care. Please contact your primary care provider's office for any questions you may have.

Do I need to do anything before my appointment?

After booking your appointment, please ensure that you have filled out your intake form, and that you have read and agreed to our policies. 

When preparing for your virtual appointment, a reminder email will be sent 30 minutes prior to your appointment start time. We recommend logging in at least 10 minutes before your appointment starts. Please ensure that your personal device is charged, has an internet connection, and that your camera and microphone are in good working order. It is strongly recommended that you find a place to speak that is quiet and private.

Do I need to have my camera on?

Yes, we require that patients have their cameras turned on for their appointments. Visual assessment is vital to your appointment so that we can provide the best care possible.

What if I don’t have access to the technology required?

If you do not have access to a personal device required for your appointment, please inform our team as soon as possible by emailing us at admin@vitapsychiatry.com.

Can I see a psychiatrist in person, instead of a virtual appointment?

At Vita Psychiatry, all of our appointments are currently virtual. If anything changes in the future, we will be announcing this on our website. 

If you prefer to see a psychiatrist in person, please contact your primary care provider so that they can refer you to another clinic.

Why do you need a credit card if you’re billing to OHIP?

Although we directly bill OHIP with a valid Ontario Health Card, we require a valid credit card to secure your appointment as per our cancellation policy. If you’d like to read about our cancellation policy, click here. 

To avoid any charges to the credit card that you are providing, please ensure that you attend your appointment on time and that you have a valid Ontario Health Card. 

We will never charge your credit card for successful appointments with a valid Ontario Health Card.

If you do not have a credit card and cannot adhere to our policies, your referral will be declined, and you will be asked to contact your referring health professional to obtain a referral to another clinic.

What if I have a red and white health card?

According to the Ministry of Health, red and white health cards are considered valid, so yes, you may use your red and white health card.

For accurate and up-to-date information, please visit the Ontario website.

What if my photo health card has expired?

Please ensure that your Ontario Health Card is not expired. If you book your appointment and provide an expired health card, you will be billed for the full cost of your appointment ($228.75 for a consultation or $184.40 for therapy) to the credit card that you provided at the time of booking. 

If you do not have a valid Ontario Health Card but would still like to visit our clinic, you must first renew your health card. Please contact Service Ontario for more information.