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Frequently Asked Questions

Below are the most common questions we hear from our prospective patients. Don't see your question? Please contact the neuromodulation coordinator at 617-667-0307.

For patients who are interested in our TMS Clinical Program for depression or other indications of neurologic disorders, you must be followed by a psychologist or psychiatrist who will refer you to our program. Your referring physician should fill out the New Patient Referral Form in its entirety found here and fax to (617) 975-5322.

The New Patient Referral Form is found here. It must be filled out in its entirety by your referring psychiatrist or psychologist and and faxed to (617) 975-5322.

Most insurance providers will cover the cost of treatment; however criteria differs for each plan. Medicare generally does cover TMS treatment for depression for severe depression. We will work with you and your provider to try to obtain coverage.

Once we receive the completed paperwork from your referring physician, our Neuromodulation Coordinator will review the forms and contact you by phone within 7-10 days to discuss your payment options and to schedule an evaluation.

The evaluation typically takes 60 minutes.

All evaluations are performed by one of our neurologists and/or psychiatrists. During your evaluation, our physicians will ask you a series of questions relating to your neurologic and psychiatric history. After your evaluation, our physicians will determine if you are a candidate for treatment and provide their recommendation for TMS treatment options.

There is a neurological exam, but generally this does not include examination of heart, lungs, etc.

Our evaluation appointments are typically scheduled one to three weeks in advance.

Your first TMS treatment can be scheduled after we receive confirmation of insurance coverage. These appointments are typically scheduled two to four weeks in advance.

Although the number of TMS sessions varies by medical indication, patients generally come to the Berenson Allen Center for 30 daily sessions of TMS Monday through Friday followed by six tapered sessions. The course of treatment usually takes six to eight weeks.

Your session time may change from day to day, depending on your availability and the volume of patients that we see every day.

Traditional treatments occur over a 60 minute slot for each daily session. However, recently approved protocols may be shorter if they are able to be used in your treatment.

We offer a variety of treatment protocols including, for example, standard rTMS, DeepTMS, and iTBS. These approaches can be tailored to your particular circumstances as determined by you and your doctors. If insurance will cover your treatment, we must abide by their coverage policies, and this may limit the options available.

Yes, you may bring a friend or family member into the treatment room with you if you would like. We also have a waiting area in our center or on the second floor of our building where friends or family members who accompany you can wait.

Unfortunately, for the safety of the animal, we do not allow service animals in the treatment rooms. You can bring a service animal to the visit, but not into the treatment room, as long as you can provide supervision for the pet. Our volunteer services office can sometimes be of assistance.

Patients sometimes experience headaches after receiving TMS treatment, but these headaches are most often resolved by taking an over the counter (OTC) drug such as Tylenol.

Yes, the TMS session does not affect your ability to drive. If you are unable to drive for other medical reasons, we recommend that you refrain from operating a motor vehicle.

Yes, if you come for treatment at least three times per week.