General Psychiatric Assessment
There are numerous challenges in completing psychiatric evaluations in general medical settings. They include privacy concerns, ward rounds and assessments by other specialties, secure meals and scheduled visits from family members.
It is also difficult to quantify outcomes in this situation, due to specific challenges for disease-specific outcomes as well as patient and referrer satisfaction ratings.
Medical History
The first step in a general psychiatric assessment is to learn about the patient's medical history. This will include information about the patient's current condition and any medications they're taking, as well as any significant previous medical conditions that may affect their current health and well-being. This information will also help the professional decide what psychological tests would be suitable and how many appointments they may require before determining the diagnosis.
This process can be difficult to complete on medical wards because of the limited space and interruptions from ward rounds, assessments from other specialties, allied health professionals and meals that are protected. It is crucial to find an area with enough privacy to conduct the examination and then schedule an appointment that doesn't conflict with any of these activities. The referrer's specific concerns will help you determine the type of psychiatric evaluation is needed.
It is essential to remember that physical health issues can influence or even shadow psychiatric symptoms. Overshadowing by diagnosis is a frequent issue and is hard to avoid. If the patient is admitted to hospital with delirium, but has an indication of dementia in their medical records, it could be tempting to 'overshadow the delirium', assuming that it is due to their existing mental illness. This is rather than carrying out a full screen for delirium to rule out treatable causes like stroke.
It is crucial that the psychiatrist who is assessing the patient is able to establish a link between the psychiatric and physical concerns of the patient and to get complaints or concerns from the patient about their treatment, care or how their health condition is handled. Reference Osborn & Warner (1998) recommends an approach to achieve this. However, it can be difficult to implement in the real world.
Family History
The psychiatrist will inquire about your family history to see if there are any mental health issues within your family. They will also ask about any experiences you've had with trauma or abuse, and your current social status (including your relationships, work, and if you have support from home). You may be asked questions about your beliefs regarding religion and about your ambitions and dreams. The psychiatrist will then make an assessment and create an appropriate treatment plan to fit your needs.
Physical symptoms are also crucial and it is essential that the psychiatrist evaluate these too. They will check the patient's blood pressure, listen to the heart and lungs and search for any other medical issues which could be causing or exacerbating the symptoms of psychiatric illness.
It is often helpful for the psychiatrist to get an entire physical exam from the general practitioner of the patient, but it's not always possible particularly for those who are seriously ill or inpatients on psychiatric hospitals. They may have very little or no face-to-face interaction with psychiatrists. In such instances, it is essential that psychiatric nurses and care coordinators play a prominent part in ensuring these patients' physical health issues are taken care of.
Psychiatrists should also comprehend why a person is being referred to them and what they expect to achieve with their psychiatric assessment. They must be able to read medical letters, examine reports of tests and communicate effectively with the person's medical team to determine the best treatment or medication for the patient.
The medical history is an important component of any psychiatric assessment. It must include information about the patient's psychiatric diagnosis as well as past treatment, as well as alcohol and drug usage. It is also crucial to collect a detailed family history, if it is possible to determine the likelihood of developing certain disorders, like bipolar disorder, which tends to be inherited by families. Brief screens to collect lifetime psychopathological information from informants and first-degree relatives can be useful however, there is a merit in having a complete family psychiatric history as well.
Symptoms
During the psychiatric examination Your doctor may inquire about your symptoms and how they impact your life. Your psychiatrist will also inquire about any pertinent questions like your family history. It may be uncomfortable at times, but you must provide a complete and honest answer to ensure an accurate diagnosis.
If you are suffering from mental health issues like anxiety or depression it is essential to get a psychiatric evaluation to determine whether or not you require treatment. While it is normal to experience periods of low mood or stress occasionally however, if these symptoms last longer than two weeks and interfere with your daily life, it is likely that you require treatment.
In addition to discussing your symptoms Your psychiatrist will also ask about any other issues that may be affecting your health, such as issues with work and family or substance abuse. They will also ask you about your physical health, your sleeping habits, and whether or not you have tried any other strategies to help with your symptoms.
Your psychiatrist will also ask you questions about your past experiences with mental illness and they may use standardized assessment tools or psychological tests to gain more understanding of your situation. These tests could include personality assessments, questionnaires or cognitive tests that measure the level of stress you are experiencing.
If your psychiatric assessment shows that you have psychotic symptoms, like hallucinations and delusions which are a significant departure from what is thought to be real, then the psychiatrist may need to perform an in-depth exam and send you to the hospital to be observed. You will be required to undergo a second assessment by an experienced psychiatrist before you are allowed to return home.
Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates will provide you with the support and care you need. The team of caring and experienced professionals are committed to providing you with the information you require about the diagnosis you have received and possible treatment options. You can schedule your psychiatric evaluation online or by phone now.
Psychological Tests
An important part of a psychological evaluation is the use of various tests. Psychological tests are written or oral assessments designed to measure non-observed aspects. They are used to determine the person's emotional health and personality traits. They can be used to identify a mental health condition's severity, such as anxiety or depression. Psychological testing is usually done by a trained psychologist and requires the patient to adhere to specific instructions in order to get precise results.
The psychiatric assessment can vary in the number and type of psychological tests they utilize according to the person and their symptoms. A general psychiatric test could be short, such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MSE) or more thorough and time-consuming tests, such as the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Neuropsychological tests can be used to determine if there is a brain injury or concussion.
All types of psychiatric examinations provide read more a snapshot into the patient's psychological and emotional functioning. In the hospital, doctors, psychologists and sometimes psychiatrists conduct these assessments to determine the patient's mood and emotional reactivity as well as cognitive capabilities. Private therapists are also able to conduct these tests in their offices to collect data for the development of a treatment plan and to determine if patients would benefit from medication or a different type of therapy.
A few examples of psychological assessments include tests of intelligence and achievement that measure various types of cognitive functioning (often called IQ) and performance in comparison to a normed group. Other tests are designed for evaluating the ability to perform tasks, for example, memory or word association test. Psychologists are the only experts with extensive training and expertise in conducting and interpreting psychological tests.
A psychiatric evaluation is designed to connect the patient with a medical professional who can offer treatment and management. After the exam is complete the doctor will inform the patient of the diagnosis and how it relates to their current symptoms. The doctor will also inform the patient about the prognosis. This is how a diagnosis is expected to progress in time.