Pain Evaluations: Pre-surgical Psychological Evaluation for Spinal Cord Stimulators (SCS)

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If your doctor has recommended you for a Spinal Cord Stimulator (SCS) to manage your chronic pain, then you will be required to complete a pre-surgical psychological evaluation before having an implant surgery and/or SCS Trial.  PILV makes this process as smooth as possible for our patients so that your pre-surgical clearance is stress free and patients complete the evaluation process feeling supported and ready for their procedure(s).  Along with providing psychological clearance that is required by insurance companies, our evaluation process is aimed at helping you and your doctor better understand how your chronic pain affects your life.   

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At PILV, our psychologists are very knowledgeable about the mental health concerns that can contribute to post-surgical success and healing.  Our process involves our patients attending only one extended office visit, usually scheduled for about 2-3 hours, depending on the individual.  During this visit, the psychologist will review any medical records provided to us by your doctor with the patient. We will discuss your personal and medical history as it relates to your chronic pain and medical condition(s).  The interview process involves answering a few brief structured questionnaires during your visit and the session ends with the goal of providing patients with a better understanding of how the SCS Trial/Implant may be helpful to the management of your chronic pain.  A full report will be sent to your referring doctor within 5-10 business days, which makes the clearance process efficient and timely for our patients and their referring surgeons. 

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Please feel free to contact us at psychinstitute@PsychInstituteLV.com or call us at 702-546-9600 if you have further questions. Our Pain Evaluations are often processed by our team very quickly. Once we receive the referral from your surgeon and all medical and insurance documentation, we will be able to schedule your evaluation as soon as possible.