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INFORMATION FOR PATIENTS

How long is a Neuropsychological Evaluation?
The neuropsychological evaluation typically lasts between 6-8 hours, depending on the individual and the nature of the referral question. Testing sessions can be extended over the course of 1-3 days in order to prevent fatigue which may interfere with performance.

There are several components to a neuropsychological assessment:

  1. Psychometric testing: The neuropsychologist will administration of a battery of neuropsychological tests designed to determine cognitive strengths and weaknesses by measuring a wide range of mental abilities (e.g., learning and remembering new information, focusing and maintaining attention, problem-solving and reasoning, processing information, language and visual-perceptual functioning, among other areas of cognitive and psychological functioning).  None of these measures involve needles, x-rays or other invasive procedures. Rather, they include a variety of pencil-and-paper measures, questionnaires, computerized measures, and other specialized tests designed to measure neuropsychological functioning. Because of the nature of neuropsychological testing, these tests must be administered in-person.

  2. Clinical interview with the patient (and sometimes with family and others familiar with the patient): The interview will cover current symptoms as well as relevant background information, and may take place either in-person or remotely (e.g., via Zoom).

     

  3. Review of pertinent records: The neuropsychologist will also review records that provide additional information regarding the patient’s history and current difficulties. These may include medical records, academic and employment records, accident reports, and other releva
The length of a psychodiagnostics evaluation will vary depending on the nature of the referral questions being addressed, but typically runs from a half day to a full day.
  1. Clinical interview with the patient (and sometimes with family and others familiar with the patient): The interview will cover current symptoms as well as relevant background information.

  2. Psychodiagnostic testing: The patient will complete a variety of standardized psychometric instruments and questionnaires designed to address psychological functioning and current symptomology.

It is recommended that you have a good night sleep and eat breakfast before arriving.

If you take any medications that have the potential to impact cognitive functioning (e.g., narcotic-containing pain medications, muscle relaxants, stimulants or other ADHD medications, anti-anxiety medications, etc.), please consult our office in advance so this can be discussed with your doctor. 

If you use marijuana or other cannabis products (e.g., gummies or other edibles containing THC), please refrain from use for 12 hours prior to your evaluation.  Additionally, please do not consume alcohol within 24 hours of your evaluation.

Please bring hearing aids, eye glasses, or any other items which will allow you to engage in the assessments comfortably. Please also bring a list of any medications.

Patients are encouraged to bring snacks, coffee or other beverages to consume during the course of the evaluation. Patients are allowed breaks whenever needed; however, they may wish to bring a lunch so that they can eat on-site, thus maximizing the time for testing. There is also a café’ on the 5th floor of our building (note: the café takes cash only). Otherwise, there are restaurants along Ventura Boulevard, or food can be ordered using meal delivery services (Uber Eats, Doordash, etc.)

We do not accept insurance. Unfortunately, many insurance plans do not adequately provide for neuropsychological or psychodiagnostics assessments. Please check with your individual insurance plan to see their reimbursement policies. We can provide a superbill which can be sent to your insurance carrier if needed.

Full-day parking in the Encino Executive Tower is $12.00 per day (with a full day accruing after 2 hours). Unfortunately, validation is not provided. Parking Attendants do not permit in/out privileges.

INFORMATION FOR ATTORNEYS AND REFERRING LAW FIRMS:

How Are the Results of the Evaluation Communicated?
After the evaluation is completed, a teleconference will typically be set up with the retaining attorney in order to convey the findings and discuss whether further information is needed to address the referral issues (e.g., additional records, collateral interviews, other diagnostic studies, etc.) Once all necessary information is received, a written report may be generated if requested.
The clinical interview (which includes the history and mental status exam) may be audiotaped with advanced notice to our office. However, copyright and trade secrecy laws prevent audiorecording of the psychometric testing portion of the exam except in special circumstances that ensure the proper protection and appropriate disclosure of this highly sensitive material. We do not permit videotaping of any portion of the examination, which we believe to be too intrusive, and a potential confound to the assessment process. Please consult the doctor being retained for further information.

We do not permit the presence of observers during forensic evaluations. The single exception to this rule is a “clinical indication” for the presence of another individual (for example, if a patient/litigant is significantly sensory or motor-handicapped, grossly demented, or in rare cases when a minor child is to be evaluated). In such a circumstance where a “clinical indication” is evident, it will be the examiner’s choice to decide whether or not to include a third party in the assessment process. There are both research studies as well as position statements from various neuropsychological organizations strongly recommending against the presence of observers. Third party observers cause an evaluation to be “non-standard” and may interfere in the assessment process in a variety of ways that may be difficult to fully account for. As such, the resulting information obtained during an “observed” evaluation may be subject to significant distortion and may result in a far higher level of interpretive error. Thus, as a general policy, we do not permit such observers to be present either during the interview process, or during the neuropsychological evaluation itself (that includes the administration of psychometric assessment measures).

We do permit an advocate/significant other (such as an attorney or paralegal, significant other, etc.) to accompany a patient/litigant to the evaluation session. However, the advocate/significant other must wait in our patient waiting area, and may not accompany (nor interrupt) the examinee during the actual evaluation process.
Most patient/litigants who are seen by us are taking one or more types of medication. While the majority of medications that are taken probably do not adversely affect our assessment results to a large extent, certain medications are more likely to confound the results of our assessment in a much more significant manner. As a general guideline, we prefer that patients/litigants use as little medication as is necessary in order to address their conditions, particularly in the five days before (as well as the day of) our examination. In the case of narcotic-containing analgesics (including Vicodin, Darvocet, Percocet, Demerol, and others), as well as anti-anxiety agents (such as Valium, Ativan and Xanax, that may have amnestic side effects), we prefer that, if at all possible, the patient remain drug free from these agents for at least 48 hours prior to our examination. In general, the less medication taken, the better from our standpoint. All medication changes should be cleared by the patient’s attending physician(s). Also, please instruct the patient/litigant not to drink alcoholic beverages or use within 24 hours of a neuropsychological testing appointment. Marijuana or other cannabis products (e.g., gummies or other edibles containing THC) should not be used within 12 hours of the neuropsychological testing appointment.
We allow a one-hour “grace period” for all patients/litigants who are scheduled for an examination. However, after one hour, the appointment will be cancelled in its entirety (no “partial day” examinations), and will need to be rescheduled. We require three days (72 hours) advance notification if an appointment needs to be cancelled or re-scheduled in order to avoid a full charge. If a full charge is levied due to inadequate notification or a failed appointment (no-show), this charge must be paid in full before another appointment will be scheduled. Our evaluation sessions run a full day for all practical purposes. As such, a missed appointment (or inadequate notification) results in the loss of eight full hours of billable time.

Due to the high demand for our services, long appointment waiting times, and other scheduling complexities, we require at least two weeks advance notice of depositions in order to assure a scheduling date. The actual scheduling of the deposition must be confirmed in written form (e-mail). Cancellations of scheduled depositions must be in written form (e-mail). We require a minimum two days (48 hours) notice of cancellation of a scheduled deposition, or a minimum charge of $1500 (equivalent to two hours) will be charged to the scheduling party. Deposition testimony is charged at the rate of $800 per hour (or any part thereof). We also require a deposition and trial retainer 1 week in advance of appearance. (Minimum of 2 hours. The remainder will be billed.)

Trial testimony scheduling is a more complicated issue, since the exact date and time of testimony are sometimes more difficult to pinpoint and can be challenging to accommodate without sufficient notice.  We require that at least a seven-day written notification of intent to schedule testimony in court be given in written form (e-mail). We further require that two days (48 hours) of advance notice of exact date and time be provided, preferably by email. Advance payment must be provided at least 7 days prior to scheduled testimony. Similar to our cancellation policy regarding deposition testimony, we require a minimum of 48-hour notice of cancellation of scheduled court testimony, or a full charge will be made (or the full amount of the fee that has been paid will be retained as payment).

We do not accept liens. Retainers are due prior to appointments. Please fill out our Forensic Referral Form [add link to fillable pdf] and email to info@Neuroscience.LA . You can also contact us via phone at (310) 855-1265. One of our staff members will contact you to discuss the case. Please note, in order for our doctors to be considered retained, we require the retainer check in our office. Please make retainer checks payable to Neuroscience Associates Inc. Credit card payments are available for an additional fee.