Medication Assessment
Medication Assessment evaluates the use of psychotropic drugs in an effort to ensure their proper utilization with athletes at all levels.
The use of psychotropic drugs is based upon an appropriate differential diagnosis of current behavioral symptoms that potential causes of behavioral symptoms from environment, psychosocial, and medical factors have been considered and rule-out or otherwise identified and addressed through appropriate forms of interventions and that each athlete’s psychotropic drug regimen is free from Unnecessary Drugs, including prescribed in excessive dosages, for excessive durations, without adequate monitoring and indications for use, and/or in the presences of adverse consequences.
Procedures
A medication assessment will be completed upon admission or initiation of a psychotropic drug and minimally, every quarter thereafter. Benchmark Sport Psych will evaluate each athlete receiving a psychotropic medication. This evaluation will include:
- A determination of the necessity for psychotropic medication
- A determination of the appropriateness of each particular drug in terms of the dose and duration of usage, with clear indication of the behavioral symptomatology that supports its use
- Consideration of a possible decrease in the dosage of the medication, discontinuations of the drug, or change to a necessary drugs with minimal or fewer side effects
- A determination of the need for referral to the assigned Benchmark Sport Psych therapist for development or alternative non-pharmacological based behavioral and/or supportive interventions to assist in amelioration of symptoms.
- Document the actions taken and supportive rationale in reference to the above using Benchmark Sport Psych standardized diagnostic evaluation report form and specialized medication assessment record form.