What to Expect in Diagnostic Evaluation

The Goal of the Diagnostic Evaluation is to provide high level, front-end assessments, backed by decades of training and experience, to prepare persons with mental illness to take the first steps to improvement.

Once an appointment is made, it’s important to arrive on time to your Diagnostic Evaluation. You’ll receive several forms to complete that will help the doctor who does the evaluation get to know you better. It will also save you time. It usually takes about 30 minutes to complete the forms.

After you complete the forms, our receptionist will help manage the insurance paperwork and then will help you understand our clinic policies.

The Diagnostic Evaluation will be conducted by one of our full-time University of Illinois psychiatrists or psychologists or by a psychiatry resident doctor under the supervision of a full-time faculty. This comprehensive evaluation is intended to arrive at preliminary ideas as to the cause of your mental health concerns. The face-to-face interview typically lasts about 45 to 60 minutes. Special cases may last longer if necessary for us to better understand your concerns. During the evaluation, you can expect the following:

• You’ll have the opportunity to talk about the main problems you’re facing.
• The doctor will ask about related information, such as your personal, family and medical history, your medications, and how you’ve tried to deal with your concerns in the past.
• With your permission, important family members may also be asked for their input. This sometimes allows us to have a better overall picture of what the problem might be.
• The doctor will then present the impression or diagnosis about what might be causing the problem and the best way to get help. If needed we may schedule a second evaluation or additional testing to be sure we have the correct diagnosis. Not everyone will have a diagnosis.
• Finally, the doctor will save time near the end of the interview to answer all of your questions and to be sure that the information is clear.

After the Diagnostic Evaluation, the doctor will arrange to have our office staff assist you in scheduling a follow-up appointment. You’ll be paired with the best professional available for your condition or problem. And, because we are one of the largest mental health groups in the area, we have nearly every resource available to meet your needs. If not, then we’ll even help get you an appointment elsewhere in the community. You’ll leave our Outpatient Center knowing what to do next and will be prepared to take the next step in changing your life.

Call for an appointment: (309) 495-1640