General Psychiatric Assessment
The challenges of carrying out psychiatric assessments in general medical settings are numerous. There are numerous challenges such as privacy issues as well as ward rounds, examinations by other specialists, protected mealtimes and planned family visits.
It can also be difficult to measure outcome in this setting, with particular challenges for specific outcomes related to disease as well as patient and referrer satisfaction ratings.
Medical History
The first step of an overall psychiatric assessment is to understand the medical history of the patient. This will include details of their current health and any medications they are taking in addition to any previous medical issues that could have affected their health and well-being. This information will help the professional decide what psychological tests would be appropriate and how many appointments they may have to schedule before making the diagnosis.
This process can be difficult to complete in medical wards due to the limited space and interruptions by the ward's rounds, examinations from other specialties, allied health professionals and protected mealtimes. It is crucial to find a quiet place to conduct the examination and to schedule an appointment that doesn't conflict with any of these activities. It is also helpful to ask the referrer what their particular concerns are so that you can identify precisely what type of psychiatric evaluation is required.
It is crucial to keep in mind that physical health issues may influence or even shadow symptoms of psychiatric illness. This is a frequent issue that is known as diagnostic overshadowing and can be very difficult to avoid. For instance when an individual has been admitted to a delirium hospital and they have a pre-existing diagnosis of dementia in their medical record it can be tempting to 'overshadow' the delirium and assume that it is caused by an mental illness, rather than carry out a full screening for delirium to rule out treatable causes like stroke.
It is crucial that the psychiatrist assessing the patient attempts to establish a relationship between the psychiatric and physical concerns of the patient and to elicit concerns or complaints from the patient regarding their treatment, their care or how their health condition is handled. The basic model recommended in Reference Osborn and Warner (1998) is a simple schema for achieving this, however it can be difficult to implement this in the real world.
Family History
The psychiatrist will inquire about your family history to determine if there's a mental health issue in your family. They'll also inquire about any experiences you've had with trauma or abused, as well as your current status in the social world (including your relationships, work and whether you have assistance from your home). You may be asked questions about your beliefs regarding religion and about your ambitions and goals. The psychiatrist will determine an assessment and develop a treatment program that meets your needs.
Physical symptoms are equally important and it is vital that the psychiatrist examine these too. They will check the patient's blood pressure and listen to the heart and lungs and examine for any other medical issues which could be causing or aggravate the symptoms of psychiatric illness.
It is often beneficial for the psychiatrist to get an all-encompassing physical from the general practitioner of the patient but this isn't always feasible especially for patients who are extremely sick and inpatients on psychiatric wards. They may have very little or no face-to-face interaction with psychiatrists. In these cases, it is crucial that psychiatrists' nurses or care coordinators take an active role in ensuring that these patients' physical health issues are taken care of.
Psychiatrists should also to understand why a patient is being referred to them and what they expect to accomplish with their psychiatric assessment. They must be able to read medical letters, examine the results of tests and communicate effectively with a person's medical team to coordinate any medication or treatment.
The medical history is a crucial part of any psychiatric evaluation. It must include information about the patient's psychiatric diagnosis as well as past treatment, as well as drinking and drug use. It is also crucial to obtain a complete family history, if you can to determine the risk of certain disorders, such as bipolar disorder, which tends to be inherited by families. It is useful to use brief screens that gather lifetime psychiatric data on informants and their first-degree family members, but it is equally important to obtain an entire family psychiatric history.
Symptoms
During the psychiatric assessment, your doctor will website ask you about your symptoms and how they've affected your life. Your psychiatrist will ask you about any pertinent questions like your family history. The interview may be uncomfortable at times, but it is important to answer honestly and fully so that a precise diagnosis can be given.
It is important to have a psychiatric assessment if you suffer from mental health issues like anxiety or depression. This will help determine if you need treatment. It is normal to experience periods of stress and low mood, but when they last longer than several days or impact your daily activities, then you may need treatment.
In addition to discussing your symptoms Your psychiatrist will also ask about any other issues that might be impacting you, including problems at work or with your family, or addiction issues. They will also inquire about your physical health, sleeping habits, and whether or not you've tried any other ways to help with your symptoms.
Your psychiatrist may also ask you questions about your previous experiences with mental illness and they might use standard assessment tools or psychological tests to gain more understanding of your current situation. These tests may include personality tests, questionnaires or cognitive tests to gauge your level of distress.
If your psychiatric assessment indicates that you are suffering from psychotic symptoms, like hallucinations and delusions which differ significantly from what is considered to be reality, then the psychiatrist might need to conduct an extensive exam and then admit you to the hospital for observation. You will have to undergo a second evaluation by a psychiatrist before you are allowed to go home.
Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates will give you the support and care you need. The team of friendly and experienced professionals are committed to providing you with the information you need about your diagnosis and treatment options. You can schedule your psychiatric evaluation online or by phone now.
Psychological tests
An important part of a psychological examination is the use of a variety of tests. Psychological tests are written assessments or verbal evaluations that assess unobserved constructs. They are typically used to evaluate the personality of a person and their emotional functioning. They can be used to identify a mental health condition's severity, such as depression or anxiety. Psychological testing is typically conducted by a psychologist who is trained and requires the patient to follow specific instructions to obtain precise results.
Psychological assessments can differ in the amount and type of tests they employ according to the person and their symptoms. A general psychiatric assessment may be brief, such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MSE) or more detailed and time-consuming tests, such as the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. A thorough neuropsychological test can be used to determine the presence of concussion, brain injury or other neurological disorders.
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 sometimes psychiatrists in hospitals to determine a person's current mood, emotional reactivity, and cognitive abilities. Private therapists may also conduct them in their offices to collect data for the development of a treatment plan and to determine whether a patient would benefit from medication or another type of therapy.
Some examples of psychological evaluations 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 assess the ability to perform tasks, such as a word association or memory test. Psychologists are the only professionals who have extensive training and experience in administering and interpreting psychological tests.
A psychiatric evaluation is designed to match the patient with a doctor who can offer treatment and management. The doctor will explain the diagnosis to the patient and how it is related to their symptoms. The doctor will also inform the patient about the prognosis. This is how a diagnosis will expected progress in time.