Pre-Surgical Bariatric Psych Evaluations

Within the United States, many (if not all) insurance companies require a pre-surgical “psych” evaluation which can be completed by psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, or licensed clinical social workers. You are likely here because your surgeon gave my information for this evaluation.

What to expect: The evaluation consists of a clinical interview and psychological testing. Within the clinical interview, we will go over reasons for seeking surgery, weight and eating behavior/diet history, current eating behaviors, psychiatric history, social supports and history, and an overview of the understanding of the surgery and its associated lifestyle changes. All the testing components are completed via self-report in the office and provide critical information to complement the subjective data collected during the clinical interview.

What happens next? The pre-surgical evaluation is about helping the patient to prepare for the surgery mentally and emotionally. Many people worry that this evaluation will eliminate them from having the surgery. On the contrary, the evaluation helps individuals see where they are, where they need to grow, and the evaluation can make specific recommendations that can help the patient to get additional support or can bring certain issues to light that the patient themselves might not have been aware of. Ultimately, the preoperative evaluation has been regarded as an important part of the pre-surgical process to improve patient readiness and overall mental health.

After the evaluation, I will prepare a report and send it directly to your surgeon. This evaluation is not a barrier in your journey to surgery. Knowing this interview as part of the process; as opposed to a “pass/fail.” Most importantly, you will learn if there is anything you can do to set yourself up for a most successful post-op experience.

How Much Does the Evaluation Cost and Will My Insurance Pay For It? Currently, my bariatric evaluations are self-pay $375. I am unable to provide a superbill for insurance reimbursement. These reports will be sent back to the surgeon within 7-10 days.

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.