John M. Talmadge, M.D. - Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine
HOW TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT AND FIND MY OFFICE
Before calling, review this page.
This is important.
Before you call, be ready to tell me what type of help you're looking for. My voicemail is confidential, and I can respond more effectively if I know what your needs are and what you're looking for.
To make an appointment, call me at 214-661-8020.
1. Leave me your name, your phone number, and the purpose of your call.
2. Tell me briefly what type of help you need. Also, if you have a question that can be answered by text message, I'm happy to text you back.
3. Check my FAQ (frequently asked questions) page for answers that may save you a phone call.
My office is Suite 300 in the Nurses Quarters at Old Parkland, a four-story brick building on the right as you enter the campus. The street address is 3949 Maple Avenue, Dallas 75219. The Old Parkland campus is a scenic site with an elegant gate, brick and iron fence; and the main entrance is on Maple, one block north of the intersection of Maple and Oak Lawn. As you enter from Maple Avenue, The Nurses Quarters is the smaller building immediately to your right; it's also the building closest to the street.
(Click here to go to the dynamic Google Map) 
PRACTICE POLICIES
1. Appointments
I provide psychiatric consultation only to individuals I have seen in face-to-face meetings, and with whom I have agreed to have a doctor-patient relationship. This website is for education and information only, as described in the legal disclaimer at the end of this web page.
Anyone seeking consultation can make an appointment by calling me at 214-661-8020.
I generally see individuals, couples, and families in my office on weekdays between 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. I try to be accommodating and flexible whenever possible.
I am not a provider for any insurance companies, managed care organizations, or third parties. I work on a private pay basis, accepting cash, check, or credit card.
2. Medications and Prescriptions
Medications are prescribed based on assessment and discussion with the individual involved, and only after in-person evaluation and exploration of the conditions involved.
If your pharmacy benefits manager or your insurance company requires "prior authorization," I will make these phone calls and complete the paperwork during your appointment time. If you wish, I can do this on my time and bill you accordingly at my usual hourly rate.
Prescriptions for controlled substances have different rules. A controlled substance (stimulants like Ritalin, Concerta, and Adderall, for example) are closely monitored and regulated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). These medications require a special written prescription and cannot be called in by phone to pharmacies. This means that patients have to pick up the prescription. Patients taking these medications must be seen regularly and come for office visits for refills.
Medications that are habit-forming or associated with abuse (like Xanax, Valium, stimulants, sleeping pills, and pain pills) require close monitoring and cannot be casually prescribed or renewed. These are valuable medications that help many people, but I am strict in my approach to prescribing them.
I expect all patients to be responsible and accountable for medications they are taking, how they are supposed to be taking medications, and what the correct doses are for the medications. If you call me about your medication, have this information on hand, including phone numbers for your pharmacy.
3. Payment at Time of Service
I charge for my time, just as attorneys, accountants, and other professionals do. If you authorize services that require work beyond an office visit, I will keep an accurate record of my time and bill you for the time. Examples of this include conferences with your other doctors, calls or discussions with lawyers, or consultation involving your care.
Payment by cash credit card, or check is required at the time of our appointment. I accept Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. I do not send bills, as I have no office staff and do all the paperwork myself.
I do not accept insurance or third-party reimbursement. I do not call insurance companies or fill out forms. I am not on any insurance company networks or plans. I do provide a statement of services rendered (invoice or receipt) that you can submit to your insurance plan. Some insurance plans will reimburse you for part of the charges for out of network providers. Informative articles about the damage done by managed care and insurance companies can be found here.
I do not work on a sliding scale or provide free services except in special situations. I may be able to direct you to less expensive community care or to a physician who will accept your insurance company rates.
4. Confidentiality and Privacy
I will treat what you tell me with care, sensitivity, and sound common sense. My professional ethics and the laws of The State of Texas prevent me in general from telling anyone else what you tell me unless you give me permission. These rules and laws are the ways our society recognizes and supports the privacy of what we talk about.
There are a few exceptions. The law may require me to tell things to others under certain circumstances. I want you to understand clearly what I can and cannot keep confidential. You need to know about these rules now, so that you don’t tell me something as a secret that I cannot keep secret. Please read carefully. We can discuss any questions you might have at any time.
When you or other persons are in physical danger, the law requires me to tell others about it. Specifically:
a. If I come to believe that you are threatening serious and real harm to another person, I will try to protect that person. I may have to tell the person and the police, or perhaps try to have you put in a hospital.
b. If you seriously threaten or act in a way that is very likely to harm yourself, I will recommend hospitalization. I may call on your family members or others who can help protect you. If such a situation does come up, I will try to discuss the situation with you before I do anything, unless there is a very strong reason not to. By entering into a professional relationship with me, you are trusting me to use my best clinical judgment in making decisions about your care.
c. In an emergency where your life or health is in danger, and I cannot get your consent, I may give another professional some information to protect your life. I will try to get your permission first, and I will discuss this with you if possible. By entering into a professional relationship with me, you are agreeing that I will use my best professional judgment in making these decisions, and you understand that in some situations you and I may disagree about those judgments if questions of safety are involved.
d. If I believe or suspect that you are abusing a child, an elderly person, or a disabled person I must file a report with a state agency. To abuse means to neglect, hurt, or sexually molest another person. I do not have any legal power to investigate the situation to find out all the facts. The state agency will investigate. If this might be your situation, we should discuss the legal aspects in detail before you tell me anything about these topics. You may also want to talk to your lawyer.
5. Limits of Responsibility
It is perfectly appropriate for you to contact me when you need to ask a question or discuss something you don’t understand. I encourage patients to stay in close touch with me. It is important for anyone working with me to understand that my practice does not provide emergency services. In a crisis, I will respond and help to the best of my ability, but I cannot guarantee 24 hour availability or an urgent response in every situation.
I am not responsible for you or your behavior. Although you will have my phone numbers, including cell phone numbers, you are responsible and accountable for what you do, the choices you make, and how you behave in your own life. No psychiatrist can control or take responsibility for the behavior of other people.
In any emergency situation, a person in crisis should go to a hospital emergency room first and then call me from there. This situation is extremely rare, but I want to make myself clear so that there is no misunderstanding about my availability or how I practice.
6. Complaints and Disagreements
Never hesitate to let me know if you are not satisfied with some aspect of my practice. If you are dissatisfied with our work together, our agreement is that we will discuss your complaint and try to work out a solution. Because I have been in practice for many years, I can readily recommend other clinicians who can perhaps work more effectively with you. These situations do not arise very often; but when they do, I pledge to resolve them in collaboration with the dissatisfied party. This policy has worked successfully for me for many years, and I trust that it will for you as well.
LEGAL DISCLAIMER REGARDING ONLINE MEDICAL ADVICE:
Any opinion stated on this website is mine alone, and nothing stated on this website should be construed or interpreted as representing any other person or organization with whom I am affiliated, or have been affiliated. I am responsible for the content of this website. If any aspect of this site is objectionable, incorrectly created, or otherwise merits disapproval, I ask the disapproving party to notify me so that I can make appropriate changes.
This website is designed to offer you general information about my practice, and any information on this site is included for educational purposes only. I have tried to provide links and comments that will help people make informed and intelligent decisions about how to find psychiatric care. I do not provide medical services or offer medical advice through this website, and I cannot do that unless I see you in person. Submitting information to me through this website does not constitute establishment of a professional or therapeutic relationship. Any information provided to you on this site or in the interactive responses are not intended to be professional advice and are not intended to replace personal consultation with a qualified psychiatrist, psychotherapist, mental health provider, physician, pharmacist or other healthcare professional. You must always seek the advice of a professional for questions related to your health care. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, psychiatric disorder, psychological problem, or similar condition, you should contact a qualified healthcare provider. You should never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this site, or any site linked to this site.
This site is not designed to, and does not provide, medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment or services to you or to any other individual. Through this site and linkages to other sites, Dr. John Talmadge provides general information for educational purposes only. The information provided in this site, or through linkages to other sites, is not a substitute for medical or professional care, and you should not use the information in place of a visit, call, consultation, or the advice of your physician or other healthcare provider. John M. Talmadge, M.D. PLLC is not liable or responsible for any advice, course of treatment, diagnosis or any other information, services or product you obtain through this site. Any such advice, treatment, diagnosis or professional consultation can and will only be provided in person after agreeing to meet face-to-face for that purpose.
If you believe you have any other health problem, or if you have any questions regarding your health or a medical condition, you should promptly consult your physician or other healthcare provider. Never disregard medical or professional advice, or delay seeking it, because of something you read on this site or a linked website. Never rely on information on this website in place of seeking professional medical advice. You should also ask your physician or other healthcare provider to assist you in interpreting any information in this site or in the linked websites, or in applying the information to your individual case.
Medical information changes constantly. Therefore the information on this site or on the linked websites should not be considered current, complete or exhaustive, nor should you rely on such information to recommend a course of treatment for you or any other individual. Reliance on any information provided on this Site or any linked websites is solely at your own risk.
John M. Talmadge, M.D. PLLC does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, products, procedures, opinions or other information that may be provided on the linked websites. The linked websites may contain text, graphics, images or information that you find offensive, disagreeable, or unsuited to your tastes or needs. John M. Talmadge, M.D. has no control over and accepts no responsibility for such materials, although every attempt is made to assure that links are appropriate and helpful.