Mental Health Assessments at Mercy Health
A mental health assessment is a series of questions and tests conducted by a psychologist or a medical professional. It is a tool to assist them in assessing your symptoms and decide on the amount of care you require from outpatient services to inpatient treatment.
It's an excellent idea to bring a friend or an advocate with you, which can be done through your local council or an advocacy service such as Rethink.
Screening
A screening mental health assessment is an examination to determine if the patient is functioning on a healthy psychological and social level. This kind of assessment can aid in the diagnosis of neurological disorders and certain illnesses. It can also be used as an assessment tool for depression, substance abuse and other conditions. These assessments are usually much smaller and less expensive than full professional assessments offered by mental health professionals.
A screening assessment usually involves a short interview with the person being evaluated. Questions are asked about the present and past symptoms and when they began and how long they've been present. The patient could be asked for details regarding her family history or whether she has been diagnosed with a condition of another kind. It is also essential to discuss the patient's thoughts, feelings and opinions with the healthcare professional.
During the screening the healthcare provider may ask the patient to discuss 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 generally an excellent idea for the patient to bring a family or friend member to the appointment and to be as open as possible.
After a brief interview, the healthcare professional will most likely conduct some tests. The tests that are administered will differ depending on the type and length of the test. Rating scales can be used to help patients simplify complicated emotions and feelings. These tests can be useful in determining the severity of a condition and in planning treatment.
Other assessment tools include lists of symptoms, which are lists that contain possible symptoms and can be used to identify a specific disorder. However these tools should be used with caution because they do not consider all of the psychological, biological social and cultural factors in a patient's life.
Another method through the way that the patient's thoughts and emotions are assessed is by analyzing her thought content. This will examine her ability to formulate coherent thoughts and connect seemingly unrelated items. Thought analysis of content is a method to identify disorders such as hallucinations, whether they are visual, auditory or olfactory; delusions, such as the belief that one has special abilities, status, or is targeted by others or phobias.
Diagnosis
Mental health assessments can help determine the root of symptoms like depression or anxiousness. They can also aid doctors in determining the most effective treatment strategy for their patients. Mercy behavioral health specialists can perform a thorough, complete assessment. They will ask the patient about their current medication, and also any herbal supplements or other over-the-counter remedies they are taking. They will also ask about any family history of mental health problems.
During the diagnosis portion of the mental health assessment, the doctor will conduct a physical examination of the patient to rule out any possible neurological disorders or diseases that may be contributing to the patient's symptoms. This includes assessing motor functions, reflexes, sensations, gait and posture. The physician will also perform a neurological exam of the eye movements to determine whether they are normal.
The doctor will also evaluate the patient's cognitive function, which includes his or capacity to think, reason, and remember. He or she will look at the appearance of the patient to see if they are dressed appropriately for their age and if they are maintaining a good standard of hygiene. He or she will listen to the patient to understand what they are thinking and feeling.
Psychologists use a variety of instruments and tests to determine the patient's mood, thoughts and behavior. They can, for instance, assess a patient's anxiety or depression by asking them questions or giving a short questionnaire. They can also conduct more thorough test to assess the levels in the brain of certain chemicals.
A psychiatric assessment can also include a discussion of the patient's relationships and social circumstances. It could also include discussions of the patient's previous experiences, such as childhood traumas. It is crucial to know the patient's psychological and social circumstances to provide the most effective care.
Treatment
Everyone experiences tough times. If you, or someone you love has symptoms that aren't normal, it might be time to get help. A mental health assessment can help identify the issue and determine what type of treatment can help. This is usually done by a psychiatrist, psychologist or a medical doctor.
During the exam, the healthcare professional will ask direct questions and observe objectively. They will also look at the patient's past which includes family history, prior psychiatric illnesses and any medications the patient is taking. The healthcare provider will also want to know whether the patient is taking any herbal remedies or nutritional supplements as well as prescription medications that are not prescribed. The healthcare provider must rule out mental disorders that might have symptoms similar to physical ailments.
The healthcare professional will also inquire about the patient's lifestyle, work and social relationships. mental health assessments will look for problems like a lack of motivation, difficulties in maintaining relationships, and avoidance of situations that can trigger negative emotions. They will also determine if there are any suicidal ideas or thoughts. They will discuss with the patient about their routine and habits, such as whether they drink alcohol or take any illegal substances. The healthcare professional could also suggest additional physical examinations, like blood tests or computed tomography scans (CT scans) to rule out physical causes of the symptoms.
Thought content will be evaluated through direct questioning and by studying the topics discussed during the interview. A thought disorder is an abnormal method of thinking that can include hallucinations - perceptions of people, objects or events that aren't there; delusions - conviction of false beliefs despite evidence to the contrary obsessions and compulsions - repetitive actions; and a lack of associations - the tendency to make irrelevant connections between unrelated topics.
The healthcare professional will discuss the findings with the patient after the psychiatric assessment. The healthcare professional will then determine a treatment plan. This could be a combination of psychotherapy and medication, dependent on the diagnosis and the patient's personal needs. Once the patient feels better and is able to function normally, they is discharged. Ongoing assessments can be helpful in monitoring the effectiveness of treatment. These can be conducted in a variety of methods, including asking the patient to complete periodic questionnaires, or by using software like Quenza to evaluate factors such as mood and cognition.
Follow-up
At the conclusion of every encounter, clinicians need to examine the effect of therapeutic interventions on clients' lives. Indicators can include whether the client has met their initial goals in seeking therapy, such as greater life domain happiness or if they're more resilient when faced with challenges. Additionally, clinicians might need to monitor a client's progression through the entire treatment process like an ongoing series of mindfulness-based meditation sessions.
Therapists could, for example employ Quenza's "Life Domain Satisfaction", a pre-loaded activity to invite clients evaluate their satisfaction on the scale of 10 points with 16 elements of life. This is a useful way to measure progress as it allows clients to track their health over time. It also provides helpful signs for assessing mental health improvement.
The Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI) is another useful tool to collect qualitative information during an assessment of mental health. CFI is designed to provide the clinicians a complete picture of the patient's culture. It also includes supplementary modules to gather information from caregivers and family members.
A formal dissecting of specific cognitive abilities is an approach that is more limiting to the patient and involves testing the performance of a variety of tasks like attention, memory and higher-ordered thinking abilities. This should be conducted at the end of the doctor-patient meeting to encourage cooperation and reduce resistance.
After patients have been discharged from psychiatric facilities, a patient evaluation questionnaire can be used to assess their improvement. These questionnaires enable to compare the patient's responses and the responses of other patients in the same clinic. They also provide a benchmark of improvement that can measured over time.