Telemedicine has been a wonderful format to offer proper medical care and has become indispensable to our healthcare system since the COVID-19 pandemic. More recently there have been outfits that are nationally advertised and have offered to evaluate and treat adult adults with ADHD diagnosis. There’s been a recent concern about over prescribing stimulants and controlled substances after an inadequate form of an assessment. Although I do believe telehealth is making proper care possible for many patients, I share the concern that these online quick fixers are cheapening and potentially causing danger for patients by offering at one size fits all access to stimulant and controlled substance therapies.

There is no replacement for a Doctor / patient relationship that is individualized and can take both telehealth and in person format according to the personal clinical judgment. It is time for our society to recognize what it takes to develop proper clinical skills: Years of training in a scientifically-based undergrad degree followed by medical school training and minimum of four years of residency training along with fellowships in medical sub-specialties . Lowering standards for who is called a provider or a prescriber has led to an alarming devaluation of this clinical background.  Extensive training is needed to produce a professional skilled enough to address medical, pharmacological, and psychotherapeutic needs. My worry is that the excesses that are taking place now will lead to laws and regulations that would make an appropriate telehealth session impossible to access in future.