Mental Health Assessments at Mercy Health
A mental health assessment is a sequence of tests and questions administered by a psychological or medical professional. It is a tool to help them assess your symptoms and determine the degree of care you require from outpatient care to inpatient care.
You can also bring a friend with you or have a representative through your local council or through a program like Rethink.
Screening
A screening mental assessment is a test used to determine if a patient is functioning at an adequate level both psychologically and socially. This kind of test can aid in the diagnosis of neurological disorders and illnesses. It can also be employed as screening tools for depression, substance abuse and other disorders. These tests are usually smaller and less expensive than full professional evaluations provided by mental health professionals.
In general, a screening assessment involves a short interview with the person being evaluated as well as questions about current and past symptoms beginning, the date they started and the length of time they've been experiencing them for. The patient may be asked for information about her family history, or if she has been diagnosed with a different condition. It is also important to discuss the patient's feelings, thoughts and perceptions with the healthcare professional.
During the examination, the healthcare provider can inquire about any fears or concerns she may have. The doctor will also inquire about any medication the patient is taking and how well it's working. It's usually recommended for the patient to bring a family member or friend member to the appointment and to be as honest as possible.
Following a brief interview, it is expected that the healthcare professional will administer some tests. The tests will differ based on the type of test that is being conducted. Rating scales are commonly employed to assist patients in separating complicated emotions and feelings into simple responses. These tests are helpful in determining the severity and planning the treatment for a disorder.
Other assessment tools include symptom checklists, which are lists of possible symptoms that can be used to pinpoint the presence of a specific disorder. However these tools should be used with caution as they do not consider all the psychological, biological and sociological factors that affect a patient's life.
Another way in which the patient's thoughts and feelings are analyzed is through an analysis of her thought content. This will test her ability to formulate coherent thoughts and make connections between seemingly unrelated things. Thought analysis of content can be used to detect disorders like hallucinations, regardless of whether they are auditory, visual or olfactory; delusions such as the belief that a person is a special person, has a status, or is victimized by others or phobias.
Diagnosis
Mental health assessments can pinpoint the cause of a patient's symptoms, including anxiety or depression. They also aid doctors to determine the best treatment for their patient. Mercy's behavioral health professionals are able to perform an extensive and thorough assessment. They will inquire about their current medications, and also any herbal supplements or over-the counter remedies they are taking. They will also inquire about any family medical history that may indicate mental health issues.
During the diagnosis portion of the mental health assessment, a doctor will conduct a physical exam of the patient to rule out any possible neurological diseases or disorders which could be causing the patient's symptoms. This includes evaluating motor function, reflexes, sensation, posture and gait. The physician will also perform an examination of the neurological function of the eye movements to determine if they are normal.
The doctor will also look at the patient's cognitive performance that includes his or her ability to think, reason, and remember. He or she will take a look at the appearance of the patient to determine if they're dressing appropriate for their age and are maintaining a good standard of hygiene. He or she will also listen to the patient's thoughts and emotions to gain more insight into what is going on with them.
Psychologists may employ a variety of instruments and tests to evaluate a patient's mood and behavior. For instance, they could test for depression and anxiety by asking the patient questions or by giving them a short questionnaire. They can also do an additional test to determine the levels of certain chemicals in the brain.
A psychiatric examination may include a discussion on the patient's relationships and their social circumstances. It can also involve an examination of the patient's experiences in the past, such as childhood traumas. It is important to understand the patient's mental and social circumstances to provide the best possible treatment.
Treatment
Everyone has tough times. If assessment for mental health , or someone you care about, has symptoms that aren't typical, it might be time to seek out assistance. A mental health assessment can help identify the problem and determines the best treatment options to help. This is typically done by a medical professional or psychiatrist, psychologist or psychologist.
During the examination, the healthcare expert will ask questions directly and observe the patient's behavior objectively. They will also take into consideration the patient's past that includes family history, prior mental health issues and any medications the patient is taking. The healthcare provider may also want to know about any non-prescription medications nutritional supplements or herbal remedies that the patient may be taking, too. This is because some physical ailments have similar symptoms as mental disorders and a healthcare professional must to determine if they are a result of mental illness.
The healthcare professional will also inquire about the patient's lifestyle, work and social relationships. They will search for issues such as a lack motivation, difficulty maintaining close relationships and avoiding situations that can trigger negative emotions. They will also assess the severity of any suicidal thoughts or emotions. They will discuss with the patient about their habits and lifestyle, including whether they drink alcohol or are using any illegal substances. The healthcare professional could also suggest additional physical examinations, such as blood tests or computed tomography scans (CT scans), to identify the physical causes behind the symptoms.
The content of thoughts will be assessed through direct questions and analysing the topics that are brought up during the interview. A thought disorder is a deviant method of thinking that could include hallucinations - visions of objects, people, or events that are not there; delusions - conviction of false beliefs, despite evidence to the contrary; obsessions and compulsions - repetitive behaviors; and looseness of association and the tendency to make unrelated connections between unrelated topics.
Following the psychiatric evaluation, the healthcare professional will record the results and discuss them with the patient. They will then recommend the treatment program. This will be a combination of medication and psychotherapy, dependent on the diagnosis and the patient's personal requirements. Once the patient has improved then they is released. Continuous assessments can be useful in measuring the effectiveness of treatment. These assessments can be carried out in many ways, such as asking clients to fill out questionnaires at regular intervals or using software such as Quenza to gauge factors such as mood and cognition.
Follow-up
At the conclusion of every encounter, clinicians need to evaluate the impact of therapeutic interventions on patients' lives. Indicators could include whether the client has met their original goals for seeking therapy, like greater happiness in their lives or if they're more resilient when confronted with challenges. The clinician may also need to track a client’s progress through a treatment process such as regular mindfulness meditation sessions.
Therapists can, for instance utilize Quenza's "Life Domain Satisfaction" as a pre-loaded activity to ask clients to assess their satisfaction using the scale of 10 points with 16 aspects of life. This is a useful way to measure progress as it allows clients to monitor their wellbeing over time. It also provides valuable indicators for assessing mental health improvement.
The Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI) is another tool that can be used for gathering qualitative data during a mental health assessment. The goal of CFI is to provide clinicians with an accurate picture of the patient's cultural background CFI comes with additional modules that can be used to obtain collateral information from family members and other caregivers.
A formal examination of specific cognitive abilities follows a more reductionistic approach to the patient and involves testing a range of tasks like memory, attention, and higher-ordered thinking capabilities. This is best done at the end of the meeting between the doctor and patient to encourage cooperation and prevent resistance.
After patients are discharged from psychiatric centers the questionnaires for evaluation of patients can be used to evaluate their improvement. These questionnaires allow for a comparison of the patient's response to the responses of other patients at the same facility and also serve as an indicator of improvement that can be measured over time.