Presenters:
Mary Deitch JD, Psy.D (Keystone Center ECU)
Ron Neufeld B.S.W, L.A.D.A.C (Vanderbilt)
AJ Reid Finlayson, M.D. (Vanderbilt)
Objectives
 Learn what a professional clinical assessment can tell
you
 Learn how assessments are approached and the tools
and techniques utilized
 Learn how to use and understand reports and the
information contained therein
 Learn about different types of assessment
Why refer for assessment?
 When a professional has been accused of
inappropriate conduct
 To gain clarity of the professional’s possible issues
 For diagnostic clarification
 To aid those in working with the professional
understand potential problematic areas
 To have an outside party’s perspective
How to frame a referral question
 Have to understand what assessment can and can’t do
 Can’t tell definitively if a situation occurred (e.g. guilt vs.
innocence)
 Can give you ideas and recommendations for the best
way to approach a situation
 Can give you ideas and recommendations about how
best to approach therapy or boundary work
Referral Question cont
 Many times the question involves assistance with
treatment planning
 Many times the question involves assistance with
boundaries
 Many times the question involves how to integrate the
professional back to work
 Many times the question involves how to manage the
professional prior to returning to work and what
would have to be achieved before returning to safe
practice
Common Assessment Topics
 Drug and Alcohol Concerns
 Sexual compulsivity concerns (hypersexual disorder or
paraphilic issues)
 Boundary violations
 Disruptive Physician
 Other mental health concerns
 Cognitive difficulties
Standard Assessment
 While there are similarities amongst all professionals
on how to conduct assessments, there is no “standard”
in the field.
 There are “shoulds”
 There will be collateral interviews. This is where referral
sources can be of assistance.
 There will be personality, cognitive and emotional
functioning

Both objective and projective
 There will be good clinical interview(s)
Standards Cont
 There will be a psychosocial history
 There will be an assessment of current professional
and personal stressors
 Regardless of the referral question, there should still
be some assessment of addiction issues as well as
interpersonal issues
Keystone “Standard”
 All clients get basic assessment which includes
 WAIS-IV
 MMPI-2
 Rorschach
 Collateral Interview
 Clinical Interview
 BDI-2, BHS, BAI, HDQ, SAA, TSI
Keystone cont
 Some clients will get extra assessments such as
polygraph and AASI-2 and neuropsychological
assessments
Vanderbilt “Standard”
 MOCA
 MMPI – 2
 PAI
 Eqi
 BDI, MAST, DAST, SAST, BVI, ACE,
 Medical History and Physical Exam
 Clinical interviews
 Psychosocial interviews
 Collateral contacts and documentation
Vanderbilt cont
 Other possible assessment services include AASI,
extensive neuropsychological testing, consultation
with other medical specialties, and polygraph
examination.
What to expect
 Answer to referral question
 Recommendations should be as specific as possible
 E.g.: “this physician needs to be monitored” vs. “It is
recommended that this physician be monitored by….”
 E.g.: “this physician needs treatment” vs. “it is
recommended that this physician seek treatment
consisting of…”
How to understand the report
 Typically set up similar:
 Reason for referral
 Testing Materials
 Background Information
 Behavioral Observations
 Assessment Information
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Cognitive
Personality and emotional functioning
Specialty assessment
How to read cont
 Summary and or diagnosis
 Recommendations
Case examples
 2-3 cases illustrating problems encountered during
Fitness-for-Duty Evaluations will be briefly presented
for discussion
 Discussion around problem case situations
 Need for more standardization to ensure quality of
evaluation procedure
 Forum for consultation / review of difficult cases
Questions
For further information
 Ron and Reid
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Vanderbilt Comprehensive Assessment Program, for Professionals
3rd floor VPH, Suite 3068
1601 23rd Ave. S.Nashville, TN 37212
email: vcap@vanderbilt.edu
Phone numbers:
Office: (615) 322-4567
Fax: (615) 322-7526
 Mary•
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Keystone Center Extended Care Unit
2000 Providence Ave
Chester PA 19013
800-733-6840
Mary.deitch@uhsinc.com