Mental health disorders contribute to a high level of workplace impairment and absence. The World Health Organization projects that by 2020, depression will be the second leading cause of disability in the developed world.
What Is an Independent Psychological Assessment?
“An independent psychological assessment is a form of medical evaluation that is often requested by insurance companies who want to better understand why a particular claimant is off on a disability claim,” says Dr. Dan Bilsker, a psychologist and HealthChoicesFirst.com partner. “Frequently, those kinds of psychological assessments are going to be requested when the claim is triggered by a particular psychological problem or disorder, and when the individual has been off for a considerable period of time.”
Functions of An Independent Psychological Assessment
The independent psychological assessment has two functions:
*To determine the kinds of psychological disorders or impairments that may be the prime difficulties in the case, and how those might relate to that person's ability to carry out their work functions.
*To determine the factors that are driving the mental health problem. For example, the kinds of issues or challenges that might have been related to the onset of the illness, and the individual coping issues or vulnerabilities that may have interacted with the workplace situation to create and generate psychological problems, and eventually psychological disorders.
“An independent psychological assessment can create a powerful platform for planning interventions and strategies that are going to be maximally effective in helping this person recover their work function,” says Dr. Bilsker. “And, if we can find ways to close these claims by resolving the problem, it's really to everyone's benefit.”
The psychologist who performs the psychological evaluation will encourage the patient to be involved in all steps of the decision-making process. This helps ensure that the employee returns to work healthier, happier, and more productive.
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