Buffalo, New York
Medication Management in Buffalo
Buffalo tougths out winters that measurably deepen depression and waitlists that stretch past them, and calls both normal. The lake effect is real biology, shorter light shifting mood chemistry, and the city's bootstraps instinct keeps treatable conditions carried silently from October to April. Psychiatric medication deserves an owner, not an autopilot. shrinkMD provides board certified medication management to Buffalo by secure video, with follow up that happens on schedule and decisions driven by measured results.
Medically reviewed by Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, FAPA, board certified psychiatrist · Published June 7, 2026 · Last reviewed July 7, 2026 · Editorial policy
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Why shrinkMD
Made to fit life in Buffalo
Care here respects the season: explicit screening for winter patterns, light and sleep plans built before January, and no blizzard ever canceling a video appointment from Elmwood to Cheektowaga to Niagara Falls.
No insurance billing keeps everything off employer plans, fees are flat and published, and the same clinician sees you from intake through spring.
What's included
From handoff to dialed in
Many patients arrive mid treatment, a prescriber retired, moved, or simply stopped paying attention. After an evaluation and records review we can usually continue your non controlled medications without missing a refill, then begin actually optimizing: one change at a time, tracked with validated scores until the numbers and your life agree.
Visits run 15 to 30 minutes by video on a cadence your treatment sets, every two to four weeks while tuning, stretching to quarterly once stable. Side effects, interactions, and the question of whether you still need each medication all stay on the table at every visit. Labs are coordinated locally when needed, and nothing here ever touches an insurance database.
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Care and next steps in Buffalo
Frequently asked questions
Good questions, clear answers
Do storms cancel appointments?
Never. Video visits are the one Buffalo appointment lake effect cannot touch, with phone backup for connection trouble.
Do you serve the southtowns and northtowns?
All of western New York identically, Lackawanna to Amherst to Lockport.
Do you prescribe stimulants or benzodiazepines?
No, anywhere. We're upfront about it before you book, and skilled with the non controlled options the evidence supports.
How do labs work with a telehealth practice?
We coordinate orders through your local clinic or lab, lithium levels, metabolic panels, thyroid checks, and review results together. Telehealth changes the visit, not the monitoring standard.
Can you take over prescriptions from my previous provider?
Usually yes, for non controlled medications, after an evaluation and records review. Switching shouldn't mean starting over or missing a refill.
About Buffalo
Buffalo is New York's second-largest city and an Upstate medical and university hub home to the University at Buffalo. It's home to about 275,000 people in the city and more than 1.1 million across the metro area. The people we see here include working families, students, hospital staff, and professionals.
Serving Buffalo
Buffalo is New York's second-largest city, near Lake Erie and Niagara, and reaching a psychiatrist here shouldn't take a long drive. shrinkMD sees adults across Buffalo by secure video, whether you're near the Elmwood Village, Allentown, and downtown. You keep the same clinician each visit, with no commute and no waiting room.
What it costs
Transparent, published pricing
Our self-pay prices are the same in every state where we practice. No insurance billing, and no surprise statement later.
| Service | Self-pay price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Initial evaluation | From $295 | A full 50 to 60 minute evaluation, diagnosis, and written plan. |
| Follow-up visits | $110 to $215 | Per visit, depending on length and complexity. Member rates are lower. |
| Membership (optional) | $49 per month | Priority scheduling, member rates, and the Unstuck and QuitScrolling apps. First month free. |
Your care team
Who you will see
Your care is delivered by shrinkMD clinicians, and you keep the same one over time. You meet by secure video with a clinician licensed in your state.
- Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, FAPA, founder and board certified psychiatrist (ABPN), dual board certified in psychiatry and in sports and performance psychiatry.
- Matthew George, PMHNP-BC, ANP-BC, dual board certified psychiatric nurse practitioner with more than two decades of clinical experience.
Related reading
More from a trusted source: Mental health medications - MedlinePlus.
Nearby areas
Medication Management in nearby New York cities
Your next step in The Shrink Network
You are here: shrinkMD, the clinical care layer of The Shrink Network.
Each site in the network has one job. No matter where you enter, we help you find the next step that makes sense.
Get clinical care with shrinkMD
Want to understand more first?
Start medication management in Buffalo
Call 1-877-747-4656 now, appointments are available as soon as availability allows for Buffalo residents, by secure video from home.
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