San Francisco, California
Medication Management in San Francisco
San Francisco will optimize a deploy pipeline before lunch and spend two years not seeing a psychiatrist, because the in network lists are fiction, the academic centers are booked into next year, and admitting the system that needs debugging is your own feels like a failed code review. Psychiatric medication deserves an owner, not an autopilot. shrinkMD provides board certified medication management to San Francisco 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
Already know your state is active? Skip to the waitlist.
Why shrinkMD
Why San Francisco chooses shrinkMD
We are the low friction path: evaluation within days by video from the Mission, the Sunset, or a focus room, with measured follow up that treats your symptom scores like the dashboards you already trust.
No insurance billing means no diagnosis in any carrier database, relevant in a world of background checks and small networks. Travel weeks keep continuity across our ten states.
What's included
How medication management works here
Everything starts with your medication story: what you take now and every psychiatric medication you've tried, each with dose, duration, and response, because that history is the strongest predictor of what will work next. Changes are then made one at a time, at sensible doses, and judged against validated symptom scores rather than impressions.
Expect visits every two to four weeks while adjusting and every one to three months once stable. Side effects get adult guidance, what fades, what to report, and how to switch safely, and tapers are planned rather than abrupt. We deprescribe when a medication stops earning its place, we don't prescribe controlled substances, and labs, when needed, are coordinated through your local clinic or lab.
Keep exploring
Care and next steps in San Francisco
Frequently asked questions
Good questions, clear answers
How does the math work against my high deductible plan?
Flat published fees, HSA and FSA eligible, superbill for out of network reimbursement. Most patients find it favorable against a deductible that never gets met.
Can care continue through travel and relocation?
Across our ten states, yes. Many patients keep one clinician through job changes and moves.
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.
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.
About San Francisco
With about 800,000 residents, San Francisco is a community we're glad to serve. It's a major Bay Area metro and a center of technology and finance. We care for tech and professional workers, immigrants, and commuters.
Serving San Francisco
Across San Francisco, from downtown, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Mission District, residents can meet a board-certified psychiatrist by secure video with shrinkMD. San Francisco is a coastal city on the tip of the San Francisco peninsula, so virtual care means no drive and no waiting room, just steady follow-up with one clinician.
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.
Helpful guides to read next
More from a trusted source: Mental health medications - MedlinePlus.
Nearby areas
Medication Management in nearby California 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 San Francisco
Call 1-877-747-4656 now, appointments are available as soon as availability allows for San Francisco residents, by secure video from home.
Get StartedAlready know your state is active? Skip to the waitlist.