Columbus, Georgia
Medication Management in Columbus
Columbus carries west Georgia's psychiatric shortage on top of military life at Fort Moore: transitions, deployments, and the civilian waitlists that stretch months or end in a drive to Atlanta. The Chattahoochee city deserves care that arrives this week. Medication that affects your brain should be managed, not merely refilled. shrinkMD brings board certified medication management to Columbus by video, with appointments as soon as availability allows and progress tracked at every visit.
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 Columbus
From uptown to the Fort Moore area to Phenix City across the river, visits happen by video from home or quarters, with veterans mental health a core specialty and duty realities respected in scheduling.
We bill no insurance including TRICARE, but fees are flat and published, superbills are provided, and nothing about your care reaches any external database.
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.
Keep exploring
Care and next steps in Columbus
Frequently asked questions
Good questions, clear answers
Can my spouse be seen even if they won't visit a clinic?
Often the building is the barrier, not the help: a first appointment from the living room within days lowers the threshold considerably.
Do you serve the Alabama side too?
Our clinicians treat patients located in Georgia; for visits from Phenix City we confirm licensing fit during intake and help you find the right arrangement.
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.
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.
About Columbus
Columbus is a regional hub on the Chattahoochee River home to Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning). It's home to about 206,000 people, among the largest cities in the state. The people we see here include military families, working families, and hospital staff.
Serving Columbus
Columbus is a Chattahoochee River city on the Alabama border, and reaching a psychiatrist here shouldn't take a long drive. shrinkMD sees adults across Columbus by secure video, whether you're near the Chattahoochee RiverWalk, Uptown Columbus, and the National Civil War Naval Museum. 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 Georgia 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 Columbus
Call 1-877-747-4656 now, appointments are available as soon as availability allows for Columbus residents, by secure video from home.
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