Is your hospital trialing TMS?

Specialties Psychiatric

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Specializes in Psychiatric- Detox and ECT.

Just curious if anyone else has been using TMS(transcranial magnetic stimulus). Our hospital is strongly considering getting a chair and starting treatments for MDD. If so what have you seen with use if TMS? Are you in favor of or against use of it?

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

My psychiatrist is the only one in this area that does TMS, and he swears by it. Only problem is, the treatments are around $8000, and insurance doesn't pay for it because it's still considered experimental. Which is a shame, because it certainly sounds more humane than ECT and I'm sure patients would be lining up outside the doors if it's as beneficial as he thinks it is. :)

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Specializes in Psychiatric- Detox and ECT.

I think there is only one psychiatrist in our area trialing it as well. The only insurance that will cover it here is priority health and the tx are $12000 here. I also here there is talk of being able to eventually use the machine for ect treatments as well.

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I was a TMS tech at the outpatient facility I used to work at. I saw a noticeable change in several of the patients I treated, and I definitely believe that it can really work for some people. It's not nearly as invasive as ECT, and the side effects are minimal. Unfortunately, as other posters have said, insurance is still considering it experimental and it's pretty expensive to pay for out of pocket.

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Specializes in Psychiatric- Detox and ECT.

Thanks for your replies!

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