General Psychiatric Assessment
There are a variety of challenges when completing psychiatric evaluations in general medical settings. They include privacy concerns, ward rounds and assessments by other specialties, secure meal times and planned visits from family members.
It is also difficult to measure outcome in this situation, due to particular challenges for specific outcomes related to disease and patient and referrer satisfaction ratings.
Medical History
The first step of the general psychiatric examination is to determine the medical background of the patient. This will include information about their present condition and any medication they are taking, as well as any significant previous medical problems that may have influenced their health and well-being. This information can help the physician determine what psychological tests are appropriate and how many appointments will be required before determining a diagnose.
This process can be difficult to complete in medical wards because of the limited space and interruptions by visits to wards, assessments from other specialties or allied health professionals as well as protected mealtimes. It is important to find a quiet place to conduct the assessment and to schedule an appointment that does not conflict with any of these activities. Inquiring about the referrer's specific concerns will help determine which psychiatric evaluation is needed.
When performing psychiatric assessments on the medical wards of general hospitals it is important to be aware that the physical health problems the patient is suffering from can influence or even overshadow their psychiatric symptoms and behaviour. Overshadowing of diagnostics is a common problem and is difficult to avoid. For example when a patient has been admitted to hospital for delirium and they have a prior diagnosis of dementia on their medical records it can be tempting to 'overshadow' the delirium and assume it is due to their existing mental illness rather than perform a full screening for delirium to rule out treatment-able causes such as stroke.
It is crucial that the psychiatrist assessing the patient tries to establish the connection between the patient's physical and psychiatric issues and to inquire about any concerns or complaints that the patient has about their treatment, care or the treatment they receive or the way their health issue is being managed. The basic model that is recommended in the reference Osborn and Warner (1998) is an easy way to accomplish this, however it can be a challenge to implement it in real life.
Family History
The psychiatrist will ask about your family history to determine whether there are any mental health issues in your family. They'll also want be aware of any experiences of abuse or trauma and your current social situation (including work, relationships and whether you have support at home). You may be asked about your religion, your dreams and ambitions. The psychiatrist will make an assessment and design a treatment plan that is suited to your needs.
The psychiatrist should also examine physical symptoms. They will check their blood pressure, listen to and feel the lungs and heart and also look for other medical conditions that could be causing the psychiatric sign.
It is helpful for psychiatrists to get a complete physical from the patient's doctor however this may not always be possible, particularly with people who are very sick or inpatients in psychiatric units. The patients on these wards may only have sporadic face-to-face contact with psychiatrists, or none at all. In these instances, it is vital that the psychiatric nursing staff or care coordinators take an active role in ensuring that the physical health requirements of patients are fulfilled.
Psychiatrists should also to understand why a patient is being referred to them and what they are hoping to accomplish with their psychiatric evaluation. They must be competent in interpreting medical letters and examine reports of tests received from an GP or other health professional. They must communicate effectively with medical team that is treating the patient to determine the tests carried out so that any treatment or medication can be coordinated.
The medical history is a key aspect of any psychiatric examination, and this must include the patient's personal mental health diagnosis and previous treatment, as well as information about their drug and alcohol use. It is also essential to obtain a complete family history, if it is possible to determine the risk of certain disorders, like bipolar disorder, which is known to be inherited by families. It is useful to use brief screens that gather all of the psychiatric records for a lifetime on informants and their first-degree relatives but it is also essential to collect an entire family psychiatric history.
Symptoms
During the psychiatric assessment your doctor will inquire with you about your symptoms and how they have impacted your life. Your psychiatrist will ask you about any relevant issues like your family history. It can be a bit intrusive at times, but it is important to be honest and complete to ensure a precise diagnosis.
It is essential to undergo an evaluation of your psychiatric condition in case you suffer from mental health issues such as anxiety or depression. This will determine whether you require treatment. While it is normal to be afflicted with stress or low mood at times, if these symptoms last more than several weeks and impact your daily activities It is likely that you need treatment.
In addition to discussing your symptoms, your psychiatrist will also ask about any other issues that may be affecting you, such as issues with work and family or abuse of substances. They will also ask you about your physical health, your sleeping habits and whether or not you have tried other methods to treat your symptoms.
Your psychiatrist might also ask you about your past experiences of mental illness. They could also employ assessments that are standardised or psychological tests to gain a better understanding of your current situation. These tests can include personality assessments, questionnaires or cognitive tests that measure your level of distress.
If your psychiatric examination indicates that you are suffering from psychotic symptoms, for example hallucinations or delusions that are quite different from what is thought to be real, the psychiatrist might have to perform an in-depth exam and send you to the hospital for observation. In such cases you'll need to be examined by a different psychiatrist before you are able to return home.
Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates will give you the support and care you need. The team of caring and experienced professionals is committed to providing you with the information you require about your diagnosis and treatment options. You can book your psychiatric examination via the internet or call us today.
Psychological tests
The use of different tests is an essential part of a psycho-psychological examination. Psychological tests are written assessments or verbal evaluations which measure unobserved constructs. They are used to determine the emotional state of a person and personality traits. They can be used to identify a mental illness' severity, like anxiety or depression. Psychological testing is typically conducted by a psychologist who is trained and requires the patient to follow certain instructions to obtain precise results.
Psychological assessments can differ in terms of the number and type psychological tests used, depending on the symptoms of an individual. A general psychiatric examination could be short, such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MSE) or more thorough and time-consuming, such as the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Neuropsychological tests can be used to determine if there's a concussion or brain injury.
All types of psychiatric assessments offer a glimpse of the patient's emotional and psychological functioning. They are conducted by doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists in hospitals to assess a person's current mood, emotional reactivity, and cognitive capabilities. Private therapists can also conduct them in their offices to collect information for an appropriate treatment plan, and to determine if a patient would benefit from medication or a different type of therapy.
Intelligence and Achievement Tests are an example of psychological assessments. These tests assess cognitive performance (often known as IQ) in comparison to a normated group. Other tests are designed to assess the ability of tasks, like memory tests or the test of word association. Psychologists are the only psychiatry assessment experts with extensive training and expertise to administer and interpret psychological tests.
The aim of a psychiatric assessment is to connect the patient with a physician who can offer treatment and treatment. When the examination is completed the doctor will inform the patient of the diagnosis and the relationship to their present symptoms. The doctor will also talk about the prognosis, which means how a particular diagnosis can be likely to develop over time.