PRINCETON FAMILY CARE ASSOCIATES, LLC RICARDO J. FERNANDEZ, MD
  • HOME
    • Post - COVID HEALTH UPDATE
    • Location/Directions/Hours
    • Appointments
    • Insurance & Payment
    • Office Policies
  • STAFF
    • Ricardo J. Fernandez, MD
    • Adria Trapani-Barnacz, APN
    • Raquel Rahim, APN
    • Amy Derrick, RN
    • Marisa Fernandez, BA
  • SPECIALTY
    • Not just better... Well
    • Diagnosis & Testing
    • Psychopharmacology
    • Hormones & Vitamins
  • LEARN
    • PFCA Updates - Newsletter
    • Dr. Fernandez's Clinical Thoughts
    • Psych Meds & Summer Heat
    • Educational Programs
    • PFCA Library
    • Hotlines & Resources
    • Psychiatric Illnesses
  • FORMS
    • Clinical Scales at PFCA
    • Fillable Form Instructions
  • Practice Reviews
    • Ricardo J. Fernandez, M.D.
    • Adria Trapani-Barnacz, APN, LPC, LCADC
    • Raquel Rahim, APN

Use of Clinical Scales at PFCA

​There are highly reliable clinical scales available to psychiatrists in their assessment of patients; specifically, to help with diagnosis, to identify the severity of symptoms, and to follow the patient’s response to treatment. We call this Measurement Based Care (MBC). Evidence-based data[1] shows that MBC facilitates accurate diagnosis and treatment. Furthermore, data suggests that MBC helps patients more effectively achieve remission, without the presence of residual symptoms, which can be disabling and worsen the long-term prognosis of the psychiatric disorder.
 
At our practice, a full set of psychiatric scales are used at the time of evaluation, based on the patient’s initial chief complaint. These scales are then used by Dr. Fernandez and his staff to clarify the diagnosis and document the severity of symptoms. This then greatly facilitates the selection of medications and helps identify how aggressively to treat the individual. Additionally, scales are used regularly during follow-up visits to assure complete treatment of the condition.

[1] Guo, T. et al, American Journal of Psychiatry. 2015; 172 (10): 1004-1013.

HOME

Appointments
Insurance & Payments
Office Policies
Locations


SPECIALTIES

Diagnosis & Testing
Psychopharmacology
Wellness
Hormones & Vitamins


LEARN

PFCA Library
Dr. Fernandez's Clinical Thoughts
Educational Programs
Hotlines
Psychiatric Illnesses
Picture
© Princeton Family Care Associates LLC 

12 Roszel Road, Suite A103, Princeton, NJ 08540


(609) 419-0123


Proudly powered by Weebly
  • HOME
    • Post - COVID HEALTH UPDATE
    • Location/Directions/Hours
    • Appointments
    • Insurance & Payment
    • Office Policies
  • STAFF
    • Ricardo J. Fernandez, MD
    • Adria Trapani-Barnacz, APN
    • Raquel Rahim, APN
    • Amy Derrick, RN
    • Marisa Fernandez, BA
  • SPECIALTY
    • Not just better... Well
    • Diagnosis & Testing
    • Psychopharmacology
    • Hormones & Vitamins
  • LEARN
    • PFCA Updates - Newsletter
    • Dr. Fernandez's Clinical Thoughts
    • Psych Meds & Summer Heat
    • Educational Programs
    • PFCA Library
    • Hotlines & Resources
    • Psychiatric Illnesses
  • FORMS
    • Clinical Scales at PFCA
    • Fillable Form Instructions
  • Practice Reviews
    • Ricardo J. Fernandez, M.D.
    • Adria Trapani-Barnacz, APN, LPC, LCADC
    • Raquel Rahim, APN