Objective: The current study examines whether Israeli physicians are familiar with neuropsychological assessment (NPA) in general and with referral to NPA in particular.
Method: In total, 274 physicians in relevant fields participated in an online survey that targeted levels of familiarity with NPA, beliefs about assessment needs, and actual referral practices.
Results: Israeli physicians see many patients with neuropsychological difficulties, but assess fewer patients for these difficulties by themselves. Approximately 80% of participants reported that they had heard of NPA before, but only 25% knew how to refer patients to NPA. Familiarity was greater among neurologists and neurosurgeons than among family doctors.
Conclusions: Physicians had only general knowledge about NPA, with little practical understanding of how to refer patients to such a service. To increase referral rates and create consistent demand for effective neuropsychological services, neuropsychologists should engage in greater advocacy activity that will lead to clarification of referral procedures.
Keywords: Cognitive evaluation; Cognitive screening; Neuropsychological evaluation; Neuropsychology.
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