Done Real Customer Outcomes: An Evidence-Based Review of the ADHD Telehealth Platform

What Is Done and How Does the Platform Work?

Done operates as a direct-to-consumer ADHD telehealth service connecting patients with prescribers through a mobile app and video visits. The company launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, a period when the DEA temporarily waived in-person visit requirements for controlled substance prescriptions under the SUPPORT Act telehealth flexibilities.

Patients complete an online questionnaire, schedule a video evaluation with a clinician (nurse practitioner or physician), and may receive a prescription during the first visit. Follow-up visits for medication management are scheduled monthly or quarterly. Done markets itself as a faster path to ADHD diagnosis than traditional psychiatry, where wait times for new patient appointments often exceed 8 weeks in urban areas and longer in rural settings. Adult ADHD affects an estimated 4.4% of the U.S. adult population according to epidemiologic data from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication [1], meaning tens of millions of adults may be seeking care at any given time.

The platform's appeal is speed and convenience. But speed in psychiatric diagnosis carries trade-offs that prospective patients need to understand before signing up.

Does Telehealth Actually Work for ADHD? What the Clinical Evidence Shows

Telehealth delivery of ADHD care has reasonable clinical support, particularly for medication management and follow-up visits. A 2018 network meta-analysis published in The Lancet Psychiatry (Cortese et al., 154 randomized controlled trials, N=25,952) confirmed that amphetamines were the most efficacious pharmacotherapy for adult ADHD, while methylphenidate was preferred in children and adolescents based on the efficacy-tolerability balance [2]. These medications work regardless of whether they are prescribed in person or through a screen.

Short answer: the drugs work. The question is whether the diagnostic process behind the prescription is adequate.

A 2021 cross-sectional study found that telehealth ADHD visits were associated with comparable patient satisfaction and medication adherence compared to in-person visits over a 6-month follow-up [3]. The World Federation of ADHD's 2021 International Consensus Statement, signed by 80 co-authors across 27 countries, affirmed that ADHD is a valid neurodevelopmental disorder with effective pharmacological treatments, while stressing the importance of thorough clinical evaluation before prescribing [4]. Thorough is the operative word. An initial ADHD evaluation in a traditional psychiatric setting typically runs 60 to 90 minutes and may include collateral history from family members, review of school or work records, and screening for comorbid conditions like anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders. Done's reported initial visits of 20 to 30 minutes raise questions about whether that thoroughness is consistently achieved.

Done's Legal and Regulatory History: What Happened

In 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice charged Done's co-founder and former CEO Ruthia He with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud. Federal prosecutors alleged that Done prescribed stimulant medications, particularly Adderall, to patients who did not meet diagnostic criteria for ADHD. The indictment described a business model that prioritized prescription volume over clinical rigor, with internal communications allegedly showing pressure on clinicians to prescribe.

This matters for anyone evaluating Done today. The company has continued operating under new leadership and has stated it implemented additional clinical safeguards. No independent audit of these safeguards has been published in the peer-reviewed literature, and Done does not publicly report patient outcome data such as symptom reduction scores, adverse event rates, or diagnostic accuracy metrics.

For context, the DEA has tightened telehealth prescribing rules for Schedule II controlled substances (which include amphetamine and methylphenidate) multiple times since 2023, eventually finalizing requirements that patients must have at least one in-person or audio-visual evaluation before receiving controlled substance prescriptions via telehealth [5]. These regulatory changes directly affect platforms like Done.

The legal case remains ongoing as of mid-2026. Patients should verify Done's current compliance with federal and state prescribing regulations before beginning care.

What Medications Does Done Prescribe?

Done prescribers can prescribe the same ADHD medications available through traditional psychiatric practices. The formulary includes first-line stimulants and several non-stimulant options.

Stimulants (Schedule II): Mixed amphetamine salts (Adderall, Adderall XR), lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse), methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta), and dexmethylphenidate (Focalin XR). The FDA-approved prescribing information for amphetamine-based ADHD medications carries a boxed warning for high potential for abuse and dependence [6]. Proper screening for substance use history before prescribing is not optional.

Non-stimulants: Atomoxetine (Strattera), guanfacine ER (Intuniv), clonidine ER (Kapvay), and bupropion (off-label). Non-stimulants are typically second-line but become first-line when patients have active substance use disorders, significant cardiovascular risk factors, or intolerable stimulant side effects.

Medication choice should be individualized based on comorbidities, cardiovascular status, prior treatment history, and patient preference. The American Academy of Family Physicians clinical guidance recommends stimulants as initial pharmacotherapy in adults without contraindications, with regular follow-up for blood pressure, heart rate, weight, and sleep quality [7].

Done does not publicly disclose its prescribing breakdown (what percentage of patients receive stimulants versus non-stimulants), making it impossible to independently assess whether its clinical decision-making aligns with guideline-concordant care.

Cost Breakdown: What You Actually Pay for Done

Done uses a subscription model. Costs vary by plan tier, but the typical range is $199 to $299 per month for the membership, which covers the platform fee, clinician visits, and care coordination. Medications are not included and must be filled at a retail or mail-order pharmacy at the patient's expense.

For a patient prescribed generic mixed amphetamine salts (Adderall), the additional monthly medication cost is approximately $30 to $60 with a GoodRx-type discount at a retail pharmacy. Brand-name lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) can exceed $350 per month without insurance, though a generic became available in 2023 at roughly $30 to $80 per month. The total monthly cost of Done plus medication therefore ranges from approximately $230 to $380 for generic stimulants, potentially higher for brand-name or non-stimulant medications.

This pricing should be compared against alternatives. Traditional psychiatry with insurance typically involves a $20 to $50 copay per visit, with visits every 1 to 3 months after stabilization. For an insured patient, the annual cost of ADHD care through a psychiatrist may be $300 to $800 including copays and generic medication. Done's annual cost of $2,400 to $3,600 (subscription alone) is meaningfully higher.

The value proposition for Done rests on three assumptions: that the patient lacks insurance, cannot find a local prescriber with availability, or values the convenience enough to pay a premium. Each patient should test those assumptions before committing.

Done vs. Alternatives: How the ADHD Telehealth Market Compares

Done competes in a crowded telehealth ADHD market. The following comparison framework helps patients evaluate their options systematically.

Cerebral charges $85 to $325 per month depending on plan, accepts some insurance plans, and also faced scrutiny over prescribing practices. In 2022, the company disclosed that it was under DEA investigation related to stimulant prescribing volume.

ADHD Online charges a one-time $199 assessment fee, with follow-up medication management visits at $199 each (not monthly subscription). It uses a more structured diagnostic process including the DIVA-5 assessment tool, which takes 60 to 90 minutes.

Talkiatry accepts most major insurance plans and employs board-certified psychiatrists (not nurse practitioners). Wait times are longer (2 to 4 weeks for initial appointment), but the diagnostic process is more consistent with traditional psychiatric standards.

Traditional psychiatry remains the clinical gold standard for initial ADHD diagnosis. The CDC's data on ADHD diagnosis and treatment patterns shows that in-person evaluations with comprehensive history-taking produce higher diagnostic specificity than brief screening-based approaches [8].

When choosing a platform, patients should ask five questions: (1) What is the average length of the initial diagnostic evaluation? (2) Does the platform screen for comorbid conditions and substance use? (3) What are the prescriber credentials (psychiatrist vs. nurse practitioner)? (4) Is there a structured diagnostic instrument used, and which one? (5) Does the platform accept insurance, and if not, why?

A platform that cannot or will not answer these questions clearly may not be prioritizing clinical rigor.

Red Flags and Limitations Patients Should Know

Several aspects of Done's model deserve scrutiny from prospective patients.

No published outcome data. Done does not report standardized ADHD symptom scores (such as ASRS or CAARS) at baseline and follow-up, adverse event rates, or patient retention data. Without these metrics, claims about "real customer outcomes" cannot be independently verified. Companies serious about clinical quality publish outcome data or participate in registry studies. A 2023 analysis in JAMA Network Open found that fewer than 12% of direct-to-consumer telehealth platforms for mental health published any patient outcome data [9].

Brief initial evaluations. A 20-to-30-minute initial visit is short for a condition that requires differential diagnosis against anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, sleep disorders, and substance use. The Endocrine Society and psychiatric professional organizations consistently recommend comprehensive evaluation before initiating controlled substances [10].

Cash-pay model limits accountability. Insurance-based care creates a layer of utilization review and clinical oversight. Cash-pay models remove that check. This does not mean cash-pay care is inherently worse, but it does mean the burden of quality assurance falls entirely on the company's internal processes.

Ongoing federal charges. The fraud case against Done's founder has not been resolved. While the company's current leadership may have implemented meaningful reforms, prospective patients should factor legal risk and potential service disruption into their decision.

Stimulant supply chain vulnerability. The U.S. has experienced ongoing stimulant medication shortages since 2022 [11]. Patients using any ADHD telehealth service, including Done, may face difficulty filling prescriptions at their preferred pharmacy. Done does not operate its own pharmacy, so patients are subject to the same supply constraints as anyone with a stimulant prescription.

Who Might Reasonably Consider Done (and Who Should Not)

Done may be a reasonable option for adults who have already been diagnosed with ADHD by a qualified clinician, who need ongoing medication management, and who lack insurance or access to a local prescriber. Using a telehealth platform for refills and dose adjustments after an established diagnosis carries less diagnostic risk than relying on it for initial evaluation.

Patients seeking a first-time ADHD diagnosis should strongly consider a provider who conducts evaluations of 60 minutes or longer, uses a validated diagnostic instrument, screens for comorbidities systematically, and accepts insurance to ensure a layer of independent clinical oversight.

Patients with a history of substance use disorders, cardiovascular disease, or bipolar disorder should be evaluated in person by a psychiatrist before starting stimulant therapy. The risk-benefit calculus for stimulants changes substantially in the presence of these comorbidities [12], and a brief telehealth visit may not capture that complexity.

The adult ADHD treatment gap is real. An estimated 85% of adults with ADHD in the United States are undiagnosed or untreated according to population-based survey data [13]. Telehealth platforms like Done exist because the traditional system fails to meet demand. The challenge is ensuring that faster access does not come at the cost of diagnostic accuracy and patient safety.