General Psychiatric Assessment
The challenges of carrying out mental health assessments in general medical settings are numerous. There are numerous challenges, including privacy issues as well as ward rounds, examinations by other specialists, protected mealtimes, and scheduled visits to the family.
It can also be difficult to quantify outcomes in this context, and there are specific challenges for disease-specific outcomes and satisfaction of patients and referrers ratings.
Medical Histories
The first step in a comprehensive psychiatric examination is to learn about the patient's medical history. This will include information regarding the patient's current health, any medications they are taking, as well as any significant previous medical issues that may have affected their current health and well-being. This information will help the physician determine which psychological tests are appropriate and how many appointments will be required before determining an assessment.
This process is often difficult to complete on medical wards due to the limited space available as well as interruptions from visits to the ward, assessments by other specialties and health experts, protected mealtimes, and scheduled visitors. It is important to arrange an appointment time that is not in conflict with the other activities listed above and find somewhere quiet for the assessment to be conducted. It is also helpful to inquire from the referrer what their concerns are so that you can identify precisely what type of psychiatric assessment is required.
It is crucial to remember that physical health issues may influence or even obscure the symptoms of psychiatric disorders. Overshadowing by diagnosis is a common problem and is difficult to avoid. If a patient is admitted with delirium and has a diagnosis of dementia in their medical records, it can be tempting to "shadow the delirium' by assuming that it is due to the mental illness they have already suffered from. This is not as effective as conducting a thorough screening for delirium to rule out treatmentable causes such as stroke.
It is important that the psychiatrist who is assessing the patient is able to establish a link between the psychiatric and physical issues of the patient and to get complaints or concerns from the patient regarding their treatment, their treatment or how their condition is managed. The basic model that is suggested in the reference Osborn and Warner (1998) is a simple schema for achieving this, but it can be a challenge to implement this in practice.
Family History
The psychiatrist will inquire about your family history to determine if there's a mental health problem in your family. They will also inquire about any traumas you've experienced or abuse, and your current social standing (including your work, relationships and if you receive support from home). You could be asked about your religion as well as your goals and dreams. The psychiatrist will then formulate a diagnosis and develop an appropriate treatment plan to suit your needs.
Physical symptoms are also important and it is crucial that the psychiatrist evaluate these too. They will examine their blood pressure, listen to and feel the heart and lungs and also look for other medical conditions that may be causing the psychiatric symptom.
It is often beneficial for the psychiatrist to get an entire physical exam from the general practitioner of the patient but this isn't always possible especially for patients who are extremely sick or inpatients on psychiatric hospitals. The patients on these wards may have only sporadic face-toface contact with psychiatrists or none at all. In these cases, it is important that psychiatrists' nurses or care coordinators play a prominent role in ensuring that these patients' physical health issues are taken care of.
Psychiatrists should also be able understand why a person is being referred to them and what they expect to achieve with their psychiatric evaluation. They need to be able to interpret medical letters and review the results of tests provided by the GP or another health professional. They must be able to communicate effectively with the medical team of the patient about the investigations carried out to ensure that any medication or other treatments can be coordinated.
The medical history is an essential element of any psychiatric assessment and should include the patient's diagnosis of psychiatric illness and treatment history and also information regarding their drug and alcohol use. If you can, it's essential to gather a family history to determine the risk of certain disorders like bipolar disorder. It is helpful to utilize screens that gather lifetime psychiatric data on informants and their first-degree relatives but it is equally crucial to have the complete psychiatric records of all family members.
Symptoms
In the course of a psychiatric evaluation, your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and how they have impacted your life. Your psychiatrist will also ask you about your family history and other issues that might be relevant. It can be a bit intrusive at times, but you need to be honest and complete to ensure that you receive a correct diagnosis.
If you are suffering from mental health problems, such as depression or anxiety, it is important to get a psychiatric evaluation to see whether or not you need treatment. While it is normal to be afflicted with low mood or stress occasionally but if the symptoms last longer than two weeks and interfere with your daily functioning it is likely you require treatment.
Your doctor will inquire about your symptoms and any other issues affecting you, such as work or family problems or addiction issues. They will also ask about your physical health, sleep habits, and if you've tried other methods to treat your symptoms.
Your psychiatrist could also ask you about your experiences with mental illness. They can also use standardized assessment tools, or psychological tests, to gain a better understanding of your situation. These tests may include personality assessments, questionnaires or cognitive tests that assess the level of stress you are experiencing.
If the psychiatric assessment shows that you are experiencing psychotic symptoms that are caused by hallucinations, delusions or hallucinations that are substantial departures from the reality of consensual, the psychiatrist will need to conduct a more thorough examination and may need to take you to the hospital to be observed. In these cases, you will need to be re-evaluated by another psychiatrist before you are able to return home.
Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates will provide you with the support and care you need. The team of knowledgeable and friendly professionals are committed to providing you with the necessary information regarding your diagnosis and treatment options. You can schedule your psychiatric evaluation via the internet or call us today.
Psychological Tests
An essential part of a psychological evaluation is the use of a variety of tests. Psychological tests are written or verbal assessments that are designed to test unobserved aspects. They are used to determine the emotional state of a person and personality traits. They can be used to determine a mental illness' severity, such as depression or anxiety. Psychological testing is usually conducted by a qualified psychologist and requires the patient to adhere to specific guidelines to get accurate results.
The psychiatric assessment may differ in terms of the number and types of psychological tests that are administered, based on the individual's symptoms. A general psychiatric assessment could be brief, like the Mini-Mental State Examination, or extended and thorough, like a Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Neuropsychological testing can be used to determine if a patient has a brain injury or concussion.
All types of psychiatric evaluations help provide a snapshot of the patient's overall psychological and emotional state. They are carried out by psychologists, doctors and psychiatrists in the hospital setting to determine a person's current mood, emotional reactivity and cognitive capabilities. They are also conducted by private therapists in their offices to gather information for a treatment plan and to determine if a patient may benefit from a medication or other kinds of therapy.
A few examples of psychological assessments include tests of intelligence and achievement, which measure certain kinds of cognitive functioning (often referred to as IQ) and performance against a normative group. Other tests are designed to evaluate the ability to perform tasks, for example, a word association or memory test. Psychologists are the only general psychiatric assessment professionals with extensive training and experience in administering and interpreting psychological tests.
A psychiatric exam is designed to connect the patient with a physician who can offer treatment and management. The doctor will explain the diagnosis to the patient and explain how it relates with the symptoms. The doctor will also discuss the prognosis. This is how a particular diagnosis is expected to change in the future.