The role of employee assistance programs in the era of rapid change in the health care delivery system

With the rapid changes occurring in the American healthcare system, questions regarding various aspects of care have arisen. These changes have led to the need for individuals working within an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to respond quickly and effectively to crisis situations. This article summarizes the different roles and responsibilities of EAP workers in the healthcare marketplace.

Demographic variables and microCog performance: relationships for VA patients under treatment for substance abuse

The associations of demographic variables with cognitive performance, as measured by the MicroCog ability domain scores, were assessed with 222 substance abusers who were patients in a VA medical center. Analysis indicated that age was negatively related to all five outcomes scores, and education was positively related to measures assessing Attention/Mental Control and Reasoning/Calculation. These findings are consistent with past theoretical and applied research. The demographic variables, as a group, accounted for a total of 17% to 37% of the variance in the five domain scores.

Research contributions of counseling psychologists to neuropsychology

Research productivity of counseling psychologists with credentials in clinical neuropsychology were examined. Eighteen were ABPP/ABCN Diplomates. Division 40 Fellows, or both. They published an average of 3.06 (SD= 4.82; range = 0 to 20) neuropsychologically relevant, first-authored articles over the past 5 years. When counseling psychologists were compared to a random sample of ABPP/ABCN diplomates with doctoral degrees in other areas of psychology, no reliable differences emerged between the groups in age, research productivity, or number of years between graduation and receipt of the ABPP/ABCN diploma. Research contributions of neuropsychologists with degrees in counseling psychology are comparable to those of ABPP/ABCN diplomates who were trained in other areas of psychology (e.g., clinical, developmental, and physiological).

The Neurobehavioral Cognitive Status Examination: accuracy of the "screen-metric" approach in a clinical sample

This study assessed the accuracy of the "screen" versus "metric" portions of eight subtests of the Neurobehavioral Cognitive Status Examination (NCSE). As part of a routine hospital assessment, 95 male patients were administered both portions of the instrument regardless of outcome on the screen. Results indicate that the screen items of some of the NCSE subtests produced a relatively high false negative rate, where the screen was passed, but the metric was failed. It is recommended that all items of the subtests be administered to more fully assess each domain and, therefore, reduce the probability of overlooking significant deficits.

Expanded norms for the Controlled Oral Word Association Test

The Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT) is a measure of a person's ability to make verbal associations to specified letters (i.e., C, F, and L). This measure is a useful component of a neuropsychological battery as it is able to detect changes in word association fluency often found with various disorders. In order to generate current norms for the elderly and aid in interpreting their performance, the COWAT was administered to a group of community-dwelling elderly persons. Information regarding total numbers of words produced as well as frequency of perseverations, breaking set, using the same word stem, and using a proper noun is provided.

Vertical integration in medical settings: A brief introduction to its potential effects on professional psychology

Vertical integration in medical settings typically involves the merging of independent physicians, physician groups, and hospitals to render an organized health care network. Such systems are considered to be vertical, as they may allow for a seamless continuation of services throughout the range of needs a patient may require. Mergers often result in the redefining of professional services offered in the acquired facility or across the network. As such, mergers have the potential of adversely impacting psychological practices. Professional psychology needs to take a proactive stance in this changing health care landscape. Research regarding empirically validated treatments and effects of psychological interventions on overall health-care costs needs to be properly disseminated to health care administrators to assure their knowledge of the utility of psychological services in the medical setting. Training psychologists to assume leadership positions in health-care institutions, gaining representation on hospital staff boards, and linking psychologists and physicians through collaborative training, to provide improved care, may allow for psychology to influence health care delivery.

Base rate of "10 to 11" clocks among patients referred for neuropsychological evaluation

Of 655 neuropsychological referrals who were asked to draw a clock and set the hands at "10 after 11," 9% set the hands at "10 to 11." This low base rate of occurrence suggests the error was not highly sensitive to neurological impairment or diagnostically specific.