Satisfaction of Referring Providers with Neuropsychological Services within a Veterans Administration Medical Center

With the implementation of healthcare reform, it is essential for neuropsychologists to establish themselves as important members of healthcare teams and to work efficiently and effectively. The purpose of this study was to survey the satisfaction of referring providers with neuropsychological services, including turn-around time of reports and their essential elements, within a hospital system that uses electronic medical records. Findings revealed that referral sources are generally satisfied with neuropsychological services and find them valuable. They especially appreciate the neuropsychological report and detailed testing of cognitive and functional abilities and prefer the report within 2 weeks of the patient's appointment. Most find all sections of the report completely essential with the exception of test scores, and most are comfortable with recommendations made by neuropsychologists. With few exceptions, there were no differences among types of referring providers (i.e., physicians, psychologists, and social workers). Future surveys may wish to examine how neuropsychological services affect patient outcomes.