Honolulu, Hawaii
Medication Management in Honolulu
Hawaii carries one of the worst psychiatric shortages in the nation, and Oahu feels it as months long waits and providers leaving for the mainland, while local culture keeps struggles inside the house and military families add visibility worries on top. Paradise weather never treated anyone's depression. That's what unmanaged medication looks like, and it's fixable. shrinkMD delivers real medication stewardship to Honolulu: board certified clinicians, measured follow up, and visits that fit your actual schedule.
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
shrinkMD in Honolulu, on your terms
Mainland supply on island schedules: board certified clinicians within days, early island mornings and evenings set in your time zone, from Kaimuki to Kapolei to Mililani, with family and cultural context honored in planning.
Nothing bills to TRICARE or any insurer, records move only with written authorization, and one clinician stays with you visit after visit.
What's included
What careful prescribing actually involves
Choosing a medication is reasoning, not reflex: your specific diagnosis, your past trials and their outcomes, family response patterns, side effect profiles, interactions with what you already take, and your own priorities, sleep, weight, energy, focus, all weigh in. We explain the tradeoffs and decide together.
Then we manage it like it matters: measured follow up every two to four weeks during changes, honest side effect guidance, planned tapers instead of cold stops, and deprescribing when something is no longer pulling its weight. Monitoring labs run through your local lab with results reviewed together. We don't prescribe stimulants or benzodiazepines, and we're direct about that up front.
Keep exploring
Care and next steps in Honolulu
Frequently asked questions
Good questions, clear answers
Does anything touch TRICARE around the bases?
No. We bill no insurance including TRICARE, no claims exist, and records release only with your authorization.
How do appointments work with the time difference?
Set in your time zone: early island mornings and evenings are core scheduling blocks for Hawaii patients.
How often will I be seen?
Every two to four weeks while starting or adjusting, then every one to three months once stable. The cadence follows your response, not a fixed grid.
What if my medication causes side effects?
You get clear guidance on what fades within two weeks, what deserves a message, and what means call now, and switches are planned rather than abrupt.
Will you coordinate with my primary care doctor?
With your permission, yes, in both directions, so interactions get caught and both plans pull the same way.
About Honolulu
Honolulu is home to about 350,000 people. It's the capital and largest city in Hawaii, on Oahu's southeast coast. Our patients here range across longtime island residents, military families, students, and healthcare and service workers.
Serving Honolulu
Care should reach every corner of Honolulu. As Hawaii's state capital, on the south shore of Oahu, Honolulu stretches from the Diamond Head area, Ala Moana Beach Park, and Waikiki, and shrinkMD brings board-certified telepsychiatry to all of it by secure video, with the same psychiatrist over time.
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.
Learn more
More from a trusted source: Mental health medications - MedlinePlus.
Nearby areas
Medication Management in nearby Hawaii 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 Honolulu
Call 1-877-747-4656 now, appointments are available as soon as availability allows for Honolulu residents, by secure video from home.
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