Telemedicine Convenience for Californians
In-person evaluations are available throughout California if required.
Specialists
Dave Auluck, M.D.
Founder
Dr. Dave Auluck, M.D. is a 3rd generation physician, 2nd generation psychiatrist, and physician educator. He is passionate about improving the mental health treatment experience. His mission is to ensure personalized, industry-leading, preeminent care is accessible and affordable. He has worked with thousands of patients over the years and overseen program development for tens of thousands of others.
Dr. Auluck has suffered from Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) since childhood. He always excelled in schooling and education. Like many other adults, his symptoms did not become substantially impairing until later in life. For Dr. Auluck, that was after the birth of his first child and daughter. He turned to psychiatrists, psychiatrists specializing in ADHD treatment, and medical textbooks. Unfortunately, none of them could help him find the treatment regimen to effectively address his symptoms without causing bothersome side effects.
Frustrated and demoralized, he was left to come up with the answers on his own. However, through research and a deep understanding of the science of ADHD, he has formulated an effective treatment regimen without any adverse effects. His personal and professional experiences are the foundation of his unique and efficacious approach to ADHD treatment.
Dr. Auluck has over a decade of clinical experience. With his professional and personal backgrounds, he has an unparalleled combination of sympathy, skill, and expertise in treating disorders related to concentration. He understands what it takes for patients to have exceptional care experiences. He takes time to understand how patients are impacted by their symptoms and their concerns with various treatments. He tailors his treatment plans to align with patient preferences.
In a world with increasing distractions and suboptimal treatment, Dr. Dave Auluck, M.D. specializes in treating cognitive issues related to ADHD, Anxiety, Chemo Brain, Depression, OCD, and PTSD. In addition, he is cognizant of the long-term effects of COVID, like COVID Fog.
Andrew Kaminsky, PMHNP, DNP
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Dr. Andrew Kaminsky, DNP, PMHNP, completed his doctoral of nursing practice in psychiatry at Columbia University. He has had a diverse range of life experiences, including serving in the US Coast Guard for four years. These chapters in his adult life serve as the basis for his empathic, holistic, and patient-centered treatment approaches.
Dr. Kaminsky has a half decade of experience treating patients in various clinical settings. While working with patients with ADHD, Andrew became increasingly aware of the limitations of the typical vanilla treatment approach to ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, and other common psychiatric conditions. He fully recognizes the need for a more personalized approach to treatment. Like Dr. Auluck, he is continuously looking at ways to improve patient care experiences. For these reasons, he has trained psychiatry residents on ADHD & other related disorders in optimizing patient care.
Dr. Kaminsky works closely with Dr. Auluck and has been meticulously trained in The Focus Doc’s approach to ADHD, Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, and other related conditions. They consistently meet to examine means and methods of obtaining the best clinical outcomes for their patients.
“Over the years, I’ve supervised dozens of psychiatrists and worked alongside many dozens more. Dr. Andrew Kaminsky, DNP, is among the best psychiatric treatment providers.
In my opinion, the most essential skills for a medical provider are their:
- Clinical expertise (knowledge base, making the correct diagnosis, offering the appropriate treatments)
- Capacity to compassionately connect with patients
- Ability to ask questions and explain their clinical reasoning understandably.
Dr. Kaminsky excels in all three areas, which is what makes him exceptional.“
– Dr. Dave Auluck, M.D.
How It Works
step 1
Book an Appointment
You will be redirected to The Focus Doc's Jane App Portal.
The Jane App is a leading innovative electronic medical record that is patient-friendly, secure, and HIPAA compliant.
step 2
Complete Questionnaire
You tell us how we can help you and complete some past medical history.
step 3
Get Treatment With The Focus Doc
Be seen virtually from the comfort of your own home.
98%+ of Pharmacies in California support Electronic Prescriptions.
Feedback
Life Changing Patient Experiences with The Focus Doc
Statistics
We understand and recognize the degree of suboptimal treatment across various common mental health conditions. Our mission is to advance the level of care patients receive.
62%
ADHD
Multiple studies have shown that more than half of adults with ADHD are not receiving treatment.
Untreated ADHD can negatively impact just about every aspect of life: educational and professional achievement, family life and relationships, impulsive spending, substance use, accidents and other injuries.
24%
Chemo Brain
Approximately one quarter of patients receiving chemotherapy suffer from cognitive difficulties 1 year after receiving treatment.
28%
COVID Fog
Over a quarter of patients hospitalized for COVID had linger difficulties with concentration 3 months after discharge.
38%
PTSD
Over a third of patients with PTSD who have received enough treatment to no longer meet criteria for the diagnosis still had on going difficulty with concentration.
44%
Depression
Nearly half of patients who have had multiple episodes of depression continue to suffer from cognitive difficulties, even when their depression is considered to be in partial to full remission.
50%
ADHD & Co-occurring Conditions
About half of all patients with ADHD have a co-occurring condition such as Anxiety, Bipolar, or Depression.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where will my appointment be held?
Appointments are primarily through Telemedicine. Telemedicine is significantly more convenient and preferred by patients. In addition, patients can receive care from the comfort of their own homes or on breaks from work or school.
In-person meetings may be arranged on an as-needed basis in Northern (San Francisco Bay Area, Greater Sacramento Area) or Southern California (Los Angeles, Orange County, or San Diego). For certain medication types and when appropriate, an in person meeting will be arranged at no additional cost.
Do I have to be seen in person?
For certain medication types and when appropriate, an in person meeting will be arranged at no additional cost.
In-person meetings may be arranged on an as-needed basis in Northern (San Francisco Bay Area, Greater Sacramento Area) or Southern California (Los Angeles, Orange County, or San Diego).
Where are your offices located?
We have shared office locations in or near the major metropolitan parts of California.
More specifically, we have offices in:
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Los Angeles
- Irvine
- San Diego
- Folsom
What if I reside out of the State of California?
Unfortunately, due to regulations, you must primarily be a California resident. Proof of Driver's License or other means may be requested.
How can I best prepare for my appointment?
Please do your best to complete the intake forms as thoroughly as possible
Some patients feel it's best to have a list of notes, questions, or topics they would like to cover. This is optional and by no means required.
Can I "bring" someone to the appointment with me?
Yes, of course! Feel free to bring a loved one, friend, or furry to sit in with you.
It is your appointment, and you may ask them to listen, contribute, or leave the appointment at any time.
Will insurance cover my visit?
Dr. Auluck and Dr. Kaminsky strive to provide care above and beyond the current standard of treatment that is personalized and accessible. They focus 100% of their efforts on treating and improving the lives of their patients. Unfortunately, insurance companies generally do not recognize this level of care. As a result, they frequently put up hurdles and roadblocks in the way of treatment for well-accepted conditions such as Adult ADHD.
Insurance can generally be utilized to cover prescription costs. A Superbill can be provided upon request for reimbursement of appointments. This typically applies to patients with a PPO or similar plan. Patients with Medicare or Medicaid are not eligible for Superbills.
We have partnered with Reimbursify to ease the process of submitting your claims for out-of-network health insurance reimbursement.
How much will this cost? Do you have examples?
For Dr. Dave Auluck, M.D.:
Initial Evaluation - $399
This appointment is scheduled for 40 minutes in duration. By leveraging technology and clinical scales, Dr. Auluck is able to significantly reduce the cost of a comprehensive evaluation by a Board Certified Psychiatrist. Additionally, this allows for the appointment to focus on what matters most to you:
- Understanding your concerns with your symptoms and potential treatments
- Receiving the best care
- Personalizing the treatment to you
Elsewhere, the initial evaluation can run upwards of $600.
Follow Up - $199
This appointment is scheduled for 20 minutes in duration. Personalized clinical scales are selected to ensure patients use their time effectively answering questions pertinent to their treatment. Initially, Follow Up appointments are about once every 30 days. Typically 2-4 follow-up appointments are needed to review treatment progress, optimize dosing and demonstrate treatment plan stability. After your treatment plan is deemed stable (at least one month without significant changes), the time between your appointments will increase to a maximum of 3 months. More frequent visits are available if you would like.
Elsewhere, follow-up appointments can run upwards of $300.
For Dr. Andrew Kaminsky, PMHNP, DNP:
Initial Evaluation - $249
This appointment is scheduled for 40 minutes in duration. By leveraging technology and clinical scales, Andrew Kaminsky is able to significantly reduce the cost of a comprehensive evaluation by a Doctor of Nursing Practice. Additionally, this allows for the appointment to focus on what matters most to you:
- Understanding your concerns with your symptoms and potential treatments
- Receiving the best care
- Personalizing the treatment to you
Elsewhere, the initial evaluation can run upwards of $400.
Follow Up - $149
This appointment is scheduled for 20 minutes in duration. Personalized clinical scales are selected to ensure patients use their time effectively answering questions pertinent to their treatment. Initially, Follow Up appointments are about once every 30 days. Typically 2-4 follow-up appointments are needed to review treatment progress, optimize dosing and demonstrate treatment plan stability. After your treatment plan is deemed stable (at least one month without significant changes), the time between your appointments will increase to a maximum of 3 months. More frequent visits are available if you would like.
Elsewhere, follow-up appointments can run upwards of $200.
What forms of payments do you accept?
Payments are made securely through the Jane HIPAA Compliant platform via credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover) or HSA/FSA cards.
What is the cancellation policy?
Appointments that are not canceled ahead of this cutoff time are charged the full appointment fee. This ensures that other patients have adequate opportunities to book the time and prepare for the appointment. Many patients are waiting weeks or longer for an appointment. Additionally, this time is reserved specifically for the patient who has booked it.
Can I use my mobile phone for the appointment?
Absolutely. Appointments are conducted over the secure and HIPAA compliant Jane Portal. Jane is a leading Telemedicine platform which is patient friendly and easy to use.
Patients can use a smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer. Microphone and camera access are required.
How often would I need to be seen?
Initially, follow-up appointments are about once every 30 days. Typically 2-4 Follow Up appointments are needed to review treatment progress, optimize dosing and demonstrate treatment plan stability. After your treatment plan is deemed stable (at least one month without significant changes), the time between your appointments will increase to a maximum of 3 months.
More frequent visits are available if you would like.
Can a prescription be guaranteed?
What conditions do you treat?
Dr. Auluck and Dr. Kaminksy treat psychiatric conditions ailing contributing adults (homemakers, stay-at-home parents, students, & professionals). These conditions include Anxiety, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Depression, Chemo Brain, COVID Fog, Insomnia, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), among others.
Do you treat severe mental illness such as Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder, or patients requiring frequent hospitalization?
Unfortunately, as a small private practice, Dr. Auluck and Dr. Kaminsky are not appropriately equipped to best treat these patient populations. Larger organizations or healthcare systems can likely better suit your needs.
Can you help with accommodations?
Absolutely! Accommodations can be a significant part of a patient's treatment plan. Accommodations can come in many forms, including but not limited to academic, professional, and standardized testing. When implemented correctly, accommodations can help patients decrease their need for medications, reduce a patient's distress, and help patients achieve their full potential.
The type and amount of documentation can vary significantly for accommodations. This is a personalized service, which is billed at the pro-rated hourly rate.
Do you require a monthly membership fee?
Absolutely not. Dr. Auluck and Dr. Kaminsky do not believe in patients paying for services they are not using.
How long will my prescriptions last me?
Initially, prescriptions are written for approximately 30 days in duration. However, once your treatment plan is deemed stable (i.e., not needing any changes for a few months), your prescriptions can be written for up to 90 days.
The prescription duration may be limited by factors such as your insurance. Depending on the insurance company and plan, you may not be eligible for 90-day prescriptions. You may want to review your plan or verify this with your insurance company.
What if I am already taking medications?
Dr. Auluck and Dr. Kaminsky look forward to working with you and may offer suggestions to optimize your treatment. Naturally, it's impossible for a physician or healthcare provider to guarantee a specific treatment.
Patient satisfaction is of utmost importance to Dr. Auluck and Dr.Kaminsky. Therefore, they do everything they can to understand their patient's needs, goals, and how to best address their symptoms.
Does Dr. Auluck do long term or disability evaluations?
Dr. Auluck is not a forensically trained psychiatrist, who may specialize in such evalutions. Adidtionally, doctors providing long term or permanent disability evaluations as a service are considered to be independent and unbiased.
Dr. Auluck is a treating psychiatrist who biased in the favor of his patients. He wants what is best for them.
Am I able to access my treatment records?
Absolutely! The Jane Portal is 21st Century CURES Act compliant, allowing patients to access their treatment records. However, the Jane Portal does not automatically make treatment records visible to patients. To request your records, notify Dr. Auluck or Dr. Andrew, and you will have access to them within 1-2 business days of the request.
Am I able to message Dr. Auluck and Dr. Kaminsky?
Yes, of course. At the completion of the Initial Evaluation, patients are invited to the Spruce Care HIPAA compliant communication platform.
Do you offer a sliding scale?
That's a great question.
Dr. Auluck and Dr. Kaminsky do not offer a sliding scale as they believe in fairness and transparency. Therefore, every patient seeing Dr. Auluck and Dr. Kaminsky pay the same prices, respectively (Dr. Auluck and Dr. Kaminsky have different fee schedules).
For example, multiple patients may benefit from a sliding scale because of their circumstances. On the other hand, some patients either forget to bring up the question, or others may not feel comfortable broaching the topic.
Additionally, Dr. Auluck and Dr. Kaminsky do what they can to keep their rates as reasonable, affordable, and accessible as possible.
Do you do therapy or coaching?
Elements of psychotherapy and coaching are integrated into your treatment visits.
That said these elements are not a replacement for psychotherapy or coaching, and most patients would likely find a better return on their resources to work with a separate coach or therapist, given the differences in training to perform each one of these roles.