James Dixon is an advocate for mental and physical health, and has personal experience of ADHD within his family. Today, he assesses this online ADHD support and medication tool in our Done. ADHD review.
ADHD diagnoses are on the rise, as more adults than ever are being identified as struggling with the condition.
Previously thought of as ‘naughty child syndrome’, or something similarly ridiculous, it is gathering traction as an often-debilitating form of neurodivergence with plenty of associated mental health concerns attached to it.
ADHD is generally characterized by hyperactivity, impulsivity, inattentiveness, time blindness, and an inability to organize.
However, do note that this is a massive oversimplification.
ADHD can manifest in myriad ways. It can be incredibly complex to notice, diagnose, and learn to live with. A close family member of mine was only diagnosed in his mid-thirties, and the usual list of symptoms doesn’t come close to capturing the ways in which his brain works!
Combining medication with a broader treatment plan can be tricky. It’s a complex process that takes a lot of expert understanding, guidance, and ongoing monitoring. It can be hard to find the right care plan, especially for those for whom organizing this kind of thing is a unique struggle.
This presents a gap in the market. And where there is a gap in the market, there is a company – or there are a range of companies – eager to plug it.
This is where Done. ADHD steps in.
They offer a fully online, subscription-based treatment program for those with ADHD or associated conditions. It uses a full range of diagnostic tools and facilitates communication with doctors and other healthcare professionals and specialists to tailor a plan to meet an individual patient’s needs.
They’re a pretty new startup, so I thought I would do a little digging and find out what they are all about. Over the last few years, they have positioned themselves as one of the top online providers of ADHD diagnosis and treatment.
In fact, they’re one of the only outfits of their kind licensed to prescribe the kinds of stimulant-based medications, like Adderall, that often form the solid core of ADHD treatment.
They seem to offer a lot, but looks can be deceiving. They also charge quite a hefty fee for their services, so I really do want them to be good – like everyone, I like to see a company earn their money, giving good value to their patients/customers.
Done ADHD Verdict
Done ADHD is a near perfect product. It’s a telehealth company harnessing modern technology and specializing in ADHD treatment to create tailored treatment plans.
The concept is sound; many of their ideas and their support networks are great. They just seem a little poorly run, which is a real shame and is a tough sell when dealing with those suffering from ADHD who really need things to run smoothly in their treatment plans.
About Done ADHD
Done ADHD is a telehealth company. Their only remit is ADHD diagnosis and treatment, however. They are specialists with a wealth of knowledge in their field.
Treatment plans cover both adults and minors, and they can be very useful for those unable or unwilling to set up in-person meetings with their healthcare providers (typically, a range of specialists, including psychiatrists, will be involved in this process).
When you sign up, you go through an initial screening process to see if Done. ADHD is for you – if you are right that the symptoms you’re presenting are in need of further exploration, if you are a good fit for telehealth, and so on.
Providing the screening process says you’re a good fit, you will then be registered and put through a behavioral assessment. This kind of behavioral assessment is a core part of the usual diagnostic process. Adults will fill these in themselves. Minors will be required to submit assessments carried out by an adult in regular contact with them, such as their parents, guardians, or teachers.
They offer a wide range of tools online, including messaging and FaceTime as part of their care package. They can send prescriptions to your local pharmacy if and when medication becomes appropriate.
You will have access to a personalized health dashboard designed to help you track your symptoms and keep notes on your treatment plan, as well as enabling you to quickly and easily consult with your provider and message your care team.
Their packages also include limitless video and asynchronous consultations as necessary – you can request these or be given them if Done. ADHD think it relevant.
Your care team will help you to schedule appointments, as well as with administration like dealing with pharmacy issues, insurance questions, and so on. You get single-click medication refills with free medication delivery, as well as referrals to third-party specialists where necessary.
Done. are also qualified in adjacent areas of mental healthcare. They can help their patients work through things like anxiety, depression, and PTSD, which often all arise through the treatment process. Their clinicians are all highly qualified and experienced in a range of psychiatric conditions, all either board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners or board-certified or board-eligible psychiatrists.
In short, you’re in good hands. There is little wrong with the personnel.
There are some short fallings, however. They seem great for diagnosis, prescription, and medication. Again, this covers things like depression and PTSD.
They don’t offer some of the more basic treatment forms, however.
Specifically, they are good at dosing you up, but don’t offer anything by way of talk therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy. This is fine for garden variety ADHD, where a dose of Adderall and the odd check-in are appropriate and all that are needed.
It isn’t so good for working through trauma or dealing with any of the additional needs patients may face.
Given how easy it is for therapists to schedule online appointments, especially in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, this seems like an odd shortfall.
They have also suffered some major setbacks lately, beginning about a year ago in April 2022. Large domestic pharmacies including the likes of Walmart and CVS began blocking or delaying prescriptions from various telehealth outfits, Done. ADHD included.
They were reacting to concern that too much Adderall had been prescribed. This has caused significant delays and inconvenience for those looking to have their telehealth prescriptions honored.
It’s well-priced, however. There is an initial cost of $199 (Edit: This is now $399 for an initial 60-minute consultation, unless you have a previous diagnosis and can provide documentation, in which case it’s a 30-minute consultation for $199), which takes you through the first month. Thereafter, it’s $79 per month.
This includes video consultations, including initial and monthly consultations, and limitless online messaging with your care team. You get a personal treatment plan, easy automatic refills with free delivery, and access to their health dashboard, which can be a great source of knowledge and structure.
Do note that these membership fees do not cover the cost of your medication. It’s still reasonably priced for what you get, but you should be aware that you won’t get a full treatment plan for just the $79 monthly charge.
A month’s supply of Adderall will typically cost you around $25 from a major pharmacy. This means that in total you’ll be paying a little over $100 per month for your treatment. It’s a hefty expense, but well worth it for the kind of life-changing experience it represents.
You may also be able to use your insurance to cover medication costs, depending on your plan.
How Done. ADHD Works
After your initial screening, you will be asked to arrange an online consultation appointment with one of Done.’s medical experts. These are all certified medics with relevant experience in the field.
This appointment will allow them to delve a little deeper into your symptoms and concerns. They will go over your medical history with you, alongside your assessment questions, and will work with you to outline your treatment goals.
These providers really are there to listen to you and work with you to come up with your personalized treatment plan. They may diagnose you with ADHD, in which case medication may be relevant and forthcoming. However, this isn’t guaranteed – they really do vet and diagnose carefully.
After this initial consultation, you will have your treatment plan diagnosis and, if you qualify, will be enrolled as a Done. ADHD member. If the provider thinks you’re not a good fit – i.e., that your symptoms aren’t in line with ADHD – you will not be enroled.
I like the personalization on offer with Done. Like all treatment plans, ADHD treatment plans need to be open to variation person-to-person. Just as we are all different, so too should our medical regimes be.
A lot of the time, you will be offered some form of prescription (though not always) alongside the tertiary support their platform facilitates.
They don’t mention in any of their online literature what medications they prescribe. However, it’s likely that they go with things like Adderall and, when appropriate, Vyvanse, some of the more common ADHD treatments.
If you don’t want medication, or for any reason it isn’t suitable, Done. can help you structure your diet, ADHD-like supplementation, and lifestyle to help with your ADHD, including teaching you meditation and other coping strategies.
This is the winner for me. Before this, I was pretty skeptical. Why go with a telehealth company whose prescriptions can be awkward to fulfil when you can simply go to your doctor and have them set you up with a specialist?
(I’m from the UK, though, where healthcare is free; I appreciate that Done. offers a far more affordable package than most in-person treatment plans in the US).
However, any doctor can prescribe Adderall. Not everyone offers the kind of lifestyle advice that can really matter, that can make a genuine difference to your wellbeing. Done.’s holistic approach has really won them a lot of points with me.
They aren’t a unique gig. There are plenty of telehealth companies out there, all fulfilling various ranges of services.
I’ve used online pharmacies and blood testing centers plenty of times over the years, monitoring hormonal health and the like. My close family member uses telehealth services as part of their ADHD treatment plan.
Ahead made a good name for themselves before shutting down, and Cerebral are at the top of the game.
However, few telehealth companies are able to prescribe stimulant ADHD medications like Adderall. Cerebral certainly can’t. Done. ADHD have got themselves a neat little corner of the market, here.
They are also willing and able to help beyond their own scope of services. If you ever need support or treatment that they don’t offer, they can refer you to an outside specialist and coordinate it for you.
Everything they run you through is fully HIPAA compliant so they can keep channels of communication open and ensure that all parties have up-to-date information on your health and treatment plans.
I really like the fact that they offer free prescription refills and delivery. These are coupled with SMS reminders that let you know when it’s time to refill your prescription, which is incredibly important for those suffering with ADHD.
Appointments are easy and fast to book, which is again vital when dealing with ADHD, where time management and remembering appointments can be a challenge. They are flexible and offer continuous support via email and video consultation.
This being said, everything isn’t rosy online. They have plenty of bad reviews. I’ve spoken to people who have experienced poor customer service, which really undermines Done.’s commitment to ease and simplicity. Non-responsiveness from their team seems to be a recurrent problem, which is inexcusable given the situation and their customer base.
The shortage of Adderall and unwillingness or inability of certain large pharmacies to honor Done.’s prescriptions also add to this, giving you grief and delays when you least need them.
They have a good concept here. They have a pretty decent product. It just needs to be well-run if it’s to work.
Verdict
Done. ADHD is a great idea. However, it often comes close to torpedoing itself with its own mismanagement. This mismanagement takes a few different forms.
Firstly, there is a good reason that certain large pharmacies are blocking or delaying telehealth prescriptions. There is a good reason they are blocking Done. ADHD’s in particular.
Prescribing doctors are getting trigger happy. They are too keen to sell drugs and so seem to be over-prescribing.
This presents health risks to patients who might not need such harsh stimulants as Adderall and so forth. It speaks of a reckless company. And, as we have seen, it harms the company’s users by blocking them from accessing medication that they might actually sorely need.
Secondly, Done. ADHD have a brilliant concept going, but seem intent on growing a reputation for lousy customer service. Brusque, inattentive team members and unresponsive healthcare professionals have no place in any kind of product’s treatment plans.
This is even more the case where ADHD is involved. If you’re already struggling to keep your ducks in a row, you don’t need the very people who are meant to be helping you instead making things infinitely harder to arrange.
It really is a shame. As mentioned above, it’s a good concept. Everything is in one place, virtual, accessible as needed; online chats with experts; a holistic approach that doesn’t simply dose you on Adderall and let you go (at least they’re not meant to – the over-prescription mentioned above undercuts this a little). It’s all good on paper.
It’s just seemingly poorly run. If they can get a hold on this, clean up their act, start responding to their users on time and in a helpful manner, and improve their industry reputation, telehealth companies like Done ADHD will have a lot going for them. We just might have to wait a while to see it come to fruition.
This article was written by: James Dixon – SOMA Analytics PT, Nutritionalist & Published Author
James Dixon is one of the key players in the SOMA Analytics’ team. He is a personal trainer and is educated to Masters level. He is a published author and is a keen advocate of high quality nootropic supplements. James enjoys helping others to reach their peak both physically and mentally and believes that expressing his knowledge through his writing is an effective way to positively impact the wellbeing of others on a larger scale.
Latest Updates:
✎ September 24, 2024: Updated Quick Verdict Image. Checked links. Updated initial cost price and requirements. Formatted and edited text. Updated feature image.