Telepsychiatry across San Diego County
Theodore Germanos, MDTriple board-certified — adult, child & adolescent, and addiction medicineSan Diego is not short of psychiatrists on paper. What is short is the list of psychiatrists taking new patients, giving appointments long enough to be worth having, and reachable without building an afternoon around the 5 or the 56. I see individuals throughout San Diego County by secure video, with thorough evaluations and appointments that are not run on a timer.
Why appointments here are hard to get
San Diego has psychiatrists. What it has fewer of are psychiatrists accepting new patients for the kind of care that actually changes something — a full diagnostic evaluation rather than a fifteen-minute medication check, and follow-ups scheduled around your treatment rather than around a panel size. Those practices fill, close their books, and quote waits measured in months. Meanwhile the reason you started looking does not wait.
The communities people reach me from
North County coastal. Del Mar, Solana Beach, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Encinitas, Olivenhain, Carlsbad and Rancho Santa Fe.
The 56 corridor and north city. Carmel Valley, Torrey Highlands, Torrey Pines, Del Sur, Santaluz, 4S Ranch, Rancho Peñasquitos, Rancho Bernardo, Poway, Scripps Ranch, Sorrento Valley and Mira Mesa.
Coastal and central San Diego. La Jolla, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Point Loma, Clairemont, Mission Hills, Hillcrest, North Park, South Park, Kensington and Coronado.
South and inland. Chula Vista, Eastlake, La Mesa, El Cajon, Escondido, San Marcos, Vista and Oceanside.
That list is not a boundary. Care is delivered by video under a California medical license, so where you sit in the county changes nothing — these are simply the places people tend to be when they get in touch.
Consistency is not a minor detail in psychiatry. It is close to the whole thing. Medication adjustments need follow-up to be safe and to be right; therapeutic work needs continuity to build. Anything that makes the next appointment harder to keep is a clinical problem, not a scheduling one.
How care works
I am licensed to practice medicine in California and see individuals across the entire state by secure video. You will need to be physically located in California at the time of each appointment, along with a private space and a device with a camera.
Care starts with a thorough evaluation — a real diagnostic conversation about what is actually going on, running about 60 minutes for adults and about 90 minutes for adolescents. From there, treatment may include medication management, targeted therapy, and performance-focused work. Follow-ups are scheduled at a rhythm that fits your treatment, and messages come to me directly.
Who I work with
Professionals across San Diego managing demanding careers alongside their own health — and individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, ADHD, autism spectrum presentations, or substance use. I am triple board-certified in adult, child & adolescent, and addiction medicine, so evaluations for teenagers and young adults are within scope as well.
Apply
A short application — about 5–7 minutes, no card required.
Evaluation
A thorough diagnostic conversation.
Plan
Treatment built to fit, with unhurried follow-ups.
Which San Diego communities do you see people in?
All of them. Because care is delivered by video under a California medical license, location within the county is not a limitation — La Jolla, Carmel Valley, Torrey Highlands, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Encinitas, Carlsbad, Rancho Santa Fe, Point Loma, North Park, Scripps Ranch, Rancho Peñasquitos, Poway, Chula Vista and everywhere else. You do need to be physically located in California at the time of each appointment.
Can a telepsychiatrist prescribe medication?
Yes. I prescribe as part of ordinary telehealth care when medication is clinically appropriate. Some medication categories involve additional requirements, which we discuss at the evaluation — nothing is decided before evaluation.
What do I need for an appointment?
A private space, a device with a camera, and to be physically located in California at the time of the appointment.
Do you take insurance?
The practice is private-pay and out-of-network, which is what makes unhurried, confidential care possible. You can request a superbill to submit to your insurance if your benefits include out-of-network reimbursement. Details are laid out inside the application before you commit to anything.
Do you see teenagers as well as adults?
Yes. I am board-certified in child and adolescent psychiatry in addition to adult and addiction medicine. Adolescent evaluations run about 90 minutes rather than the 60 typical for adults, because they include developmental history and parent input. More on that on the child & adolescent page.
How do I start?
Complete the short application on the home page — about 5 to 7 minutes. I review applications personally, typically within 1 to 2 business days, and you will hear back by email about scheduling.
Also see: Telehealth psychiatry in California · Telepsychiatry for Orange County · Telepsychiatry for Los Angeles · ADHD · Child & adolescent