FAQs about Neuropsychological Assessment

Question

• What does neuropsychological (cognitive) assessment involve?
  

Question

• What DOESN'T it involve?

Answer

• Interview about the beginning of your symptoms
  
• Interview about your ongoing symptoms
• Interview about your personal history
• Testing your cognitive abilities - memory, concentration, reasoning
• Assessing your emotional state and personality

Answer

• Any form of physical examination
  
• Blood testing, needles or other painful procedures
• Taking any drug or medication
• Hypnosis or altered mental states

Question

• Is the information I provide confidential?

Answer

• If you have self-referred then the information you provide is almost always confidential.  In rare cases, if you are at grave risk of harming yourself or someone else the psychologist may be ethically and legally compelled to breach confidentiality.

• If you have been referred by a third party (courts, insurance company, ACC, employer) the request will have been to provide an independent assessment AND report. The report will contain the information you disclose so it will not be confidential.

Question

• I would like to record the session, is that okay?
  

Answer

• Recording the interview portion of the assessment is absolutely fine providing that you agree to provide a copy of the recording to the psychologist.  You should tell the psychologist you intend to record the session.
• It is not permitted to record the testing portion of the session. The Psychologists' Code of Ethics requires that we protect the tests we use and this is accepted to mean that no testing is recorded or reproduced in any form.

Question

• I am concerned the tests won't detect my brain damage.  What should I do?
  

Answer

• Discuss your concerns freely with your psychologist.  
• The tests used are extensively researched and shown to be extremely sensitive to brain dysfunction.  They are more sensitive at detecting impaired brain function than any other tool currently available to medicine; that includes x-ray, EEG, CT and MR brain imaging.
• The tests require that you apply yourself with your best effort. This will be formally assessed throughout the testing session.  If effort falls below a number of critical thresholds the testing will become meaningless and it will not be possible to use your data.  The level of effort during testing will be reported.  Try your best at all times and trust the sensitivity of the tests.

Question

• Is there any cost or surcharge?

Answer

• If you have been referred by a third party insurer or the courts the costs will usually be fully covered by that party.  There is no surcharge.
• If you are self-referred, referred by a doctor, or if you have been referred by a lawyer for the purposes of a court hearing or ACC review hearing you will need to meet all the costs of the assessment and report yourself.  You should discuss costs with the psychologist or their personal assistant.

Question

• My insurer (or ACC) has requested this service and is paying for the assessment. Really, just how independent is this assessment going to be?
  

Answer

• Total independence and the provision of non-partisan, ethical and impartial objective opinions are hallmarks of our assessments and reports.  The service we provide in assessment and reporting does not vary according to who is funding the assessment.  Dr Webb is known and respected for making reliable and independent calls and presenting his opinions clearly and frankly, always driven by a fundamental desire to help a patient get well.