Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What should I do to prepare for my appointment?

If you use marijuana, please stop using it for the 4 weeks leading up to your appointment. Try to get a good night’s sleep the night before your appointment. Please make sure you have eaten something substantial before your appointment or bring food with you to eat. Take your medications as prescribed by your other providers.

Who should I bring to my appointment?

If you would like to bring a spouse, family member, or close friend to provide collateral information, they are more than welcome to attend the initial interview portion of your appointment. However, observers are not permitted in the room during the actual testing process. Your companion is welcome to wait in our waiting area or leave the office and return once testing is complete. Please note that electronic recording of any portion of any appointment (interview or testing) is strictly prohibited under all circumstances.

What should I bring to my appointment?

Please bring a list of any medications you take, including any vitamins and supplements. Please wear hearing aids (if needed) and bring reading glasses (if needed). Please bring the names and phone numbers of any providers you want to get a copy of your report. There is nothing else you are required to bring to your appointment, but we encourage you to wear comfortable clothes and bring a jacket if you tend to get cold. You are also welcome to bring a snack with you to your appointment.

How early should I come to my appointment?

Please arrive to your scheduled appointment 10 – 15 minutes early to complete a consent form and intake paperwork.

Is your office ADA accessible, and is public transportation available?

Yes. Our office is fully ADA compliant and wheelchair accessible. Because our specific office complex sits back from the main fixed RTD bus routes, traditional bus stops are not a short or flat walk from our front door. If you utilize public transit, we highly recommend utilizing RTD FlexRide, a curb-to-curb, on-demand shuttle service that operates throughout the Louisville area and can drop you off directly at our building. For a comprehensive list of local specialized transit options, wheelchair-accessible rides, and community transit providers, please consult the DRMAC Getting There Guide.

What should I expect on the day of my evaluation?

A neuropsychological evaluation usually consists of an interview and testing. During the interview, information that is important for the neuropsychologist to consider will be reviewed. You will be asked about your symptoms, medical history, medications, and other important factors. Testing involves taking paper-and-pencil or computerized tests and answering questions. The time required depends on the problem being assessed. In general, several hours are needed to assess the many skills involved in processing information. Some tests will be easy while others will be more complex. The most important thing is try your best. Bring glasses or hearing aids if you use them. Try to rest and relax before your evaluation. You will probably find testing interesting, and the detailed information that is gathered will contribute to your care.

How are my test scores evaluated?

Your test scores will be compared to database scores from large groups of healthy people who are like you in important ways (such as age and educational background). This allows the neuropsychologist to determine patterns of strengths and weaknesses, and estimate whether there has been a change in specific cognitive abilities.

What will the evaluation results reveal?

Test results can be used to understand your situation in several ways:

Identify specific weaknesses. Testing is very sensitive to mild memory and thinking problems that might not be obvious in other ways. When problems are very mild, testing may be the only way to detect them. For example, testing can help determine whether memory changes are normal age related changes or whether they reflect a neurological disorder. Testing might also identify problems related to medical conditions that can affect memory and thinking, such as diabetes, metabolic or infectious diseases, or alcoholism.

Differentiate among illnesses. This is important because appropriate treatment depends on accurate diagnosis. Different illnesses result in different patterns of strengths and weaknesses on testing, so the results can help determine which areas of the brain might be involved and what illness might be present. For instance, testing can help differentiate among Alzheimer's disease, stroke, and depression. Your physician will use this information along with other tests, such as brain imaging and blood tests, to reach the most informed diagnosis possible.

Establish a baseline. Sometimes testing is used to document a person's skills before any problem develops. This allows later changes to be measured objectively.

Guide treatment planning. Results can help plan treatments that use strengths to compensate for weaknesses, identifying which target problems to work on and which strategies to use. For example, results can help plan and monitor rehabilitation or track the recovery of skills after a stroke or traumatic brain injury. Studies have also shown how scores on specific tests relate to everyday functional skills, such as managing money, driving, or readiness to return to work, helping guide planning for assistance or treatment.

How long will my appointment last?

The total length of an appointment varies from person to person. For those 60 years old or older please reserve 3 – 4 hours this appointment. For those under the age of 60 years please reserve 4 – 5 hours for your appointment. Your appointment may not take the full time reserved.   

Will I get breaks during the appointment?

Yes! You will have a break between the interview and the start of testing. Additionally, you will be able to take breaks as needed during the testing.

How long is the wait for an appointment, and do you have a cancellation list?

We work diligently to balance providing comprehensive, individualized neurocognitive testing with seeing patients as efficiently as possible. Our average wait time for an evaluation is approximately 3 months.  An exception is made for neurosurgery candidates, who are typically triaged and scheduled within 2 weeks or less. Yes, we maintain an active waitlist. We regularly use this list to fill unexpected cancellations, contacting patients on the list in order if an earlier slot opens up. Please note that insurance subtype or out-of-pocket/self-pay status does not alter a patient's placement on the waitlist or expedite scheduling; appointments are prioritized strictly by standard scheduling order and urgent medical triage.

What if I need to cancel or reschedule my appointment?

Please call our office (720-508-3518) if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment. Our office charges a cancellation fee of $100 if you cancel your appointment within 24 hours of the start time.

I'm running late to my appointment, can I still come?

If you are running late, please call our office (720-508-3518) to let us know. Sometimes our providers can accommodate a late arrival within 30 minutes of the scheduled appointment time. However, this is provider and day dependent and cannot be guaranteed. If you arrive more than 30 minutes late for your appointment, you will be considered a no-show, and the $100 cancellation fee will be applied.

I have other doctors besides my referring doctor who wants a copy of my report. How do I get it to them?

If you have not been seen by our providers yet: Please bring the name and phone number for any doctors you’d like to get a copy of your report. At the beginning of your appointment, we will have you sign appropriate releases and will then coordinate getting your report to your doctors.

If you were previously seen by our office: We have 3 options to get your report to another provider:

• You can stop by our office and complete a release of information for the doctor you would like us to send a report to. Once we have a signed release of information from you, we can send the report to your doctor.
• Ask the doctor who would like a copy of the report to complete a release of information at your next appointment with them. They can then fax this release to our office, and we will send them your report.
• You can make a copy of the report we sent to you and provide that to your doctor. The report you get is the same report that would be sent to your doctor by us.