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Medical Screening Evaluation Paper

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In the field of social work, the intake form is typically the first interaction between the client and the social worker. An intake form allows the practitioner to gather and analyze information regarding the potential client, in order to determine if the agency can meet their presenting needs. Intake forms differ depending on the setting, but all should assess the numerous systems that affect the client and their presenting problem.
I am interning at Oasis Behavioral Health (OBH), which is an acute mental health hospital. OBH uses a Medical Screening Evaluation (MSE) at intake, to determine if the patient meets admittance criteria. In this paper, I will critique the Medical Screening Evaluation form and recommend modifications to construct …show more content…

With this in mind, it is not necessary to evaluate if the form is at a reading level comprehensible by the patient. However, I will note that the form includes medical terminology and abbreviations that may not be understood by some. In addition, the MSE is only printed in English, as all of the intake specialists are fluent in the language. OBH primarily serves English-speaking patients, but several intake specialists are also fluent in Spanish. Therefore, the readability and language of the MSE are appropriate.
The most imperative item to ascertain during an intake is the patient’s presenting problem. The MSE has a large section for the writer to detail the patient’s issue and chief complaint. Furthermore, questions regarding the their work, school, finances, and social supports are addressed. These questions may provide additional insight into the presenting issue. Overall, the form is effective at asking the necessary questions to determine the patient’s chief …show more content…

I would rearrange the questions to mimic the funnel technique. The first page of the MSE would remain the same, but would be followed by the major life areas, sleep/appetite, substance abuse, and chief complaint sections. The original form asked whom the patient resides with and considers social supports after the abuse section. I would reformate the document to place these questions under the major life areas. Lastly, the patient would be asked about psychological symptoms, psychosis, and previous abuse, neglect, or trauma. In my opinion, the intake specialist is more likely to gain honest and accurate information from the patient if they have the opportunity to build rapport before asking sensitive questions.
While the MSE covers many aspects related to the clients issue, I would include additional questions to several sections. The patient is asked to report their current medication, dose, and frequency. However, they are not asked if they take any over-the-counter medications, which is important to document as it could provide inside into a problem or interact with other medications. I would edit the form to make the question ask about prescribed and over-the-counter medication. Additionally, the intake specialist would check a box to document if the medication is prescribed or

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