On the day of the evaluation, the patient should plan to be at the office for 3-4 hours. Given the length of the visit, the patient can take as many breaks as they need, and may bring a drink and some snacks so that they are comfortable.
The first hour of the visit is spent with Dr. Bodapati, who conducts the clinical interview with the patient in order to learn more about the patient's concerns as well as their history and background. If there is concern that the patient is unable to provide a full history for themselves, then it is advised that a family member join for this portion of the appointment, to provide additional details or insights.
The next 2-3 hours are spent administering a series of cognitive tests that are meant to assess the patient's memory, attention, language, visuospatial abilities, processing speed, and executive functions. In addition, various self-report questionnaires regarding mental health symptoms such as anxiety and depression are also given. A trained technician, called a psychometrist, typically administers these tests.
Once the evaluation is complete, the patient meets again briefly with Dr. Bodapati to discuss next steps. The patient has an opportunity to schedule a follow-up session with the doctor to review the report together, usually at the end of that week. The follow-up visit can be virtual or in-person, based on the patient's preference. If the patient does not wish to schedule a follow-up visit, then the office will send the report to the patient (via email or regular mail) as soon as it is ready, typically by the end of that week.
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