Information For Patients
What should I bring to the assessment?
A referral from your doctor/health practitioner is usually required. If the assessment is conducted for medicolegal purposes, a letter of instruction from your insurance provider or lawyer will be required. If available, you should bring any reports that would be relevant to the neuropsychological assessment (e.g., letters from specialists, hospital discharge summaries, reports of any brain scans) You should also bring reading glasses and/or a hearing aid, if you use them.
How long will it take?
The time required for neuropsychological assessment varies. Some assessments may take two to three hours (including interview and breaks). Medicolegal assessments are more detailed and some may take four to five hours. In some cases, assessments can be conducted across two sessions.
What does the assessment involve?
The first part of the assessment involves an interview to discuss your current concerns and background history. It is often helpful to also speak with a family member, friend or carer. The second part of the assessment is conducted using paper and pencil type tasks and some computerised measures. Depending on the referral question any of the following areas may be assessed: cognitive function, emotional function, academic skills and/or personality. Cognitive functions include abilities such as attention, speed of information processing, intellectual function, learning and memory, language, planning, organisation and problem solving. After the assessment is complete, the results are analysed and interpreted in the context of the information gathered during the interview. For non-medicolegal clients, a feedback session is organised to discuss the findings and recommendations.
What does it cost?
Fees vary according to the nature of the assessment. Please contact us for further information. At present, Medicare does not cover the cost of a neuropsychological assessment. Some private health funds offer partial rebates and the client should check with their health fund. DVA eligible clients may qualify for bulk billing (subject to DVA approval).
Dr Ilana HepnerClinical NeuropsychologistBA (Hons) MClinNeuropsych MHL PhD
