Psychiatrist Blog

QB Test for ADHD

7/7/2020

What is QB Test?

QB Test is a computerized ADD/ADHD exam that evaluates your abilities to maintain attention, minimize movement, and abstain from impulsivity. Test results are assembled into a report for your psychiatrist to compare your results to a large control group of patients your same age and gender. You will be able to visualize how your focus compares to that of people that do not have ADHD.

QB Test is the most widely used FDA approved test for ADHD in the world, and Your Family Psychiatrist is revolutionizing care by being one of the only treatment centers in Texas utilizing this advanced technology.

How should QB Test be used?

Assessing for ADHD is much more complicated than most people imagine. There are many potential causes of inattention and distractibility. While there is no single tool that provides all of the answers, the QbTest provides objective data that combines with a clinical evaluation to help your clinician reach an accurate diagnosis. The Qb Test is approved for those 6-60 years old.

The Qb Test also provides a valuable baseline measurement that can help your physician determine the extent of the effectiveness of your medication dosage. QbTest is the only FDA cleared test to evaluate the effectiveness of medication in individual patients. This helps your physician to track performance over time. Your psychiatrist can now monitor treatment like never before.

How is a Qb Test performed?

This ADHD test takes about 20-30 minutes to complete. An initial tutorial with the test monitor will be provided. Your job is to push a responder button when certain symbols appear on the screen. The ADHD test is universal meaning that language, mathematics, and reading are not required.

Qb Test and Your Family Psychiatrist

QbTech is a Swedish based company that designed QbTest to revolutionize ADD/ADHD treatment. Your Family Psychiatrist is proud to be one of the exclusive private practices in Texas to offer diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring services utilizing the objective data behind QbTest. QbTech is continuing to collaborate with Your Family Psychiatrist to provide the most up-to-date ADHD test approved by the FDA. We diagnose ADHD with a high degree of certainty.

Do you think that you may have ADHD? Contact our office to learn more about QbTest and how it can assist you in your journey to lead a more focused, goal-oriented life.

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The Top 10 Benefits of Online Psychiatry (Telepsychiatry)

4/18/2020

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Telemedicine is the process of providing healthcare through technology with video and audio input. Telepsychiatry is the subset of telemedicine used in the treatment of mental health with a licensed psychiatrist. Many of us are already familiar with video conferencing applications like Facetime, Skype, Zoom, and others. Some of the leading benefits of telepsychiatry are:

1. Easier Access to Care

The most widely held reason to utilize telepsychiatry is convenience. You can perform your sessions in the comfort of your own home. Traffic, waiting rooms, commutes, etc. become a thing of the past. Some patients elect to have every session via telepsychiatry. Depending on your psychiatrist, rare visits may be required to be in-person due to federal regulations. Those get more complicated so ask your psychiatrist if you can continue telepsychiatry at the next appointment.

2. No Commute

Finding a good psychiatrist that you trust isn’t easy for everyone. Sometimes the ideal psychiatrist for you involves in a bit of a drive. Patients that experience high anxiety in traffic may forego treatment rather than seek out a psychiatrist that involves a fair commute.

3. Avoid Waiting Rooms

My least favorite part about medical appointments is the waiting room. Most waiting rooms feel relatively claustrophobic, there are many people there that you don’t know, and there is little to do. Telepsychiatry solves those issues as you can be in your own bedroom alone or with family. Best of all, you can be completing other tasks while you wait.

4.  More cost effective

While the price per session with your psychiatrist is likely to be the same, you will save transportation costs and minimize time away from work. Many employed patients see their psychiatrist over their lunch break. No time off work required. Vacation days stay vacation days.

5. Reduce delays in care

Once your primary care doctor, counselor, or other specialist refers you to a psychiatrist, you still need to perform a search to find psychiatrists in your area with availability in the coming days or weeks. I can’t tell you how often patients cancel in the last 24 hours or even with 1 hour notice. This may not be enough time for you to shower and commute to a new office. Some psychiatrists are even willing to stay later to see some patients via telepsychiatry. Like any professional business open after typical business hours, there is some concern of safety when you are the last one at the office. Telepsychiatry is an option that maintains everyone’s safety even at later hours.

6. No stigma

I believe that the stigma surrounding mental health is gradually disappearing. The general population is becoming more accepting and understanding that mental health is vitally important. Treatment is more accepted and better studied than ever before.

7. Continuity of Care

Life is not stagnant. People move for work, college, proximity to family, and many other reasons. While the purpose of the move may be mostly positive, it is troublesome to find all new doctors, counselors, financial advisors, and every other type of professional that you may need. While doctors must be licensed in the state where the patient is present for ongoing visits, many people will move within the state, and sometimes physicians hold licenses in multiple states. Your move may not require switching doctors.

8. Technology is improving

Most new phones and laptops have built in cameras and microphones now. That means you likely already have the equipment to participate in a telepsychiatry appointment. Even the instructions can be quite simple to reach your physician. With a connection to the internet, you may be all set.

9.  Physical obstacles are not a hindrance

One of my biggest reasons to cancel an appointment is either due to injury or weather event. Accidents happen. A broken leg can make it quite difficult to drive to your appointment. New antibiotics can cause nausea which makes it unsafe to drive. The electricity going out during a storm can make it difficult to get your car out of your garage. These events aren’t easy to overcome and often result in cancelled appointments. Not anymore! Transitioning your appointment to telepsychiatry can make it simple and easy.

10.  Maintain social distancing

I’m not sure there has ever been a time similar to the present in which Americans are unified to maintain a social distance due to a global pandemic. There is a general increase in anxiety throughout the nation related to being in public. While doctors are spacing out appointments and utilizing strategies to make waiting rooms less crowded, there is no better way to social distance and see your doctor than by telemedicine.

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Information on ADHD in Children

2/24/2016

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Psychiatrist vs Psychologist vs Counselor

9/30/2015

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Few medical fields are as confusing to the general public as mental and behavioral health. Terms like "shrink" and "therapist" further this confusion as these terms have been used to describe all types of mental health clinicians. In truth, psychiatrists, psychologists, and counselors all have a unique role in the treatment of mental illness. As a result, these fields often work together to provide better results for patients. We will take a brief look at the differences between these 3 professions below:

Psychiatrists
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor (M.D. or D.O.) that has completed medical school and specializes through 4+ further years in preventing, diagnosing, and treating mental illness. Medical school is a necessary component of becoming a psychiatrist as these physicians monitor the effects of mental illness and medications on the rest of the body. Some physical diseases can hide behind a presentation of mental illness when in fact, they have a medical disease origin. Psychiatrists are licensed to prescribe medications, but some also provide psychotherapy as part of treatment.

Clinical Psychologists
A psychologist has a doctoral degree (PhD, PsyD, or EdD) which includes graduate school and an internship that can last 2-3 years to provide further training. While psychologists are also trained to perform psychotherapy, many focus on the administration of psychological and neurological testing to assess for areas of dysfunction. The results of these tests can help psychiatrists and counselors better understand the strengths and limitations of patients as well as help to establish a more precise diagnostic picture.

Licensed Professional Counselors
A licensed professional counselor is a master's level psychotherapist or higher who has completed a bachelors degree and a masters degree in the field. They may provide individual and/or group therapy. Counselors can help use a variety of therapeutic techniques to treat mental illness. In addition to treating mental illness, some counselors help with career development, grief, or help improve dysfunctional family situations.

When you meet with your first mental health expert, be sure to ask questions about how your treatment may improve by utilizing other types of mental health experts. Utilizing a proper combination of professionals may improve your chances of recovery.

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QB Test for ADHD

The Top 10 Benefits of Online Psychiatry (Telepsychiatry)

Information on ADHD in Children

Psychiatrist vs Psychologist vs Counselor

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QB Test for ADHD

The Top 10 Benefits of Online Psychiatry (Telepsychiatry)

Information on ADHD in Children

Psychiatrist vs Psychologist vs Counselor﻿

Archives

Categories

Proudly serving the suburbs of Houston, TX including Cypress, Spring, Tomball, Jersey Village, Katy, and The Woodlands.

Hours

Telephone

Address

Psychiatrist vs Psychologist vs Counselor