Frequently Asked Questions

	Are the disability and pain questionnaires, such as the PDR-SF, psychological instruments? The PDR-SF, PDR-C, BAPSI, and LAQ-2 measure aspects of pain, disability, psychological distress as well as functional status. They do not belong to the family of psychological instruments traditionally used by psychologists since they measure both medical and psychosocial constructs. However, they help to quantify important psychological dimensions such as depression, maladaptive belief patterns, and the social and psychological impact of the medical problem.
	Since the various disability and pain questionnaires measure some psychological constructs, are they useful for determining if a patient's pain is psychologically based? No. No questionnaire is useful for determining if a patient's pain and/or disability is psychologically or organically based. Pain is the result of a complex interaction of medical, social, environmental and psychological events. The various questionnaires are useful in suggesting whether or not a patient is experiencing distress related to his/her medical condition, assessing the impact of the pain on the patient's life, quantifying treatment changes in terms of functional status and pointing to possible factors that may be contributing the maintenance of the patient's pain and/or disability.
	Can patients enter their responses directly into the computer? Yes. The patient can take any "questionnaire booklet" from his or her home or from your office. When you schedule an assessment instrument for patients, simply indicate the method of data entry: by the professional or by the patient. Then indicate if the patient will take the assessment instrument now or at home at some later time.
	Do I need to download anything onto my hard drive to run the HNS assessment instruments? No. The scoring is done on-line with immediate results. The only thing you need to download is the "questionnaire booklet" for the assessment instrument you will be administering but only when you want your patient to use a paper and pencil version of the assessment instrument.
	If I am not a PhD in psychology or a psychiatric physician, can I use the various tests? Yes. Non-psychiatric physicians (e.g., anesthesiologists, neurologists, neurosurgeons, orthopedists, physiatrists, and other MDs), Chiropractic physicians, MA counselors, nurses, occupational therapists and physical therapists can use the Category A tests which measure aspects of pain, disability, and functional status, provided the clinician has some experience and training in working with sub-acute and chronic pain patients.
	Can I get a discount for bulk purchase? Yes. There are significant discounts for ordering in quantity. See the Price List.
	Although the Score Report for each HNS assessment instrument provides explanations to assist the clinician in the interpretation of the patient’s scores, where can I turn to for tips and strategies to get the most out of each report? Go to the Products Section and select the particular test you are interested in viewing. Click on the Interpretation Tips and Strategies to read about how to get the most out of each Score Report.
	Are the various HNS assessment tools empirically based? Yes. All HealthNetSolution.com's assessment tools were rationally derived. Minimum requirements for release include content validation, focus testing with target populations, and preliminary item analyses. The questionnaires are undergoing different stages of construct, predictive and discriminant validation. Data collection from users of the HealthNetSolution.com site is an integral part of the evolutionary development of each test.
	If I administer an HNS assessment instrument to track treatment progress and there are multiple testings, how many administrations can be compared? The HNS On-Line Measurement System allows for any selection of up to three testings (i.e. administrations of the same assessment instrument) to be compared. The clinician simply designates which adminstrations to compare.
	Once a test (assessment instrument) has been scored, can I view the results of the test report again or make comparisons without having to pay another charge? Yes. Unlike most testing companies, you are not charged beyond the initial testing. Your patient report(s) are stored on the HNS site under your private account, and you may access them at any time.
	Many of the questions on the assessment instruments are similar in wording and some nearly identical. Why so much repetition? It is important to determine the reliability of the patient's responses. If a patient answers yes to one question and no to another of similar content, this could indicate confusion or carelessness. The more a patient answers similarly to questions that are nearly identical in content, the more confidence the clinician has the patient understood the questions and approached the test taking in a way that allows for accurate interpretation of the test.
	What if I need answers to questions about the various tests or about the HNS site that I cannot glean from the information that is available? If the questions are of a technical nature, post your questions to Technical Support. If the questions are of a clinical nature in terms of test interpretation, use of the tests, and so forth, post your questions to Professional Support. All inquiries will be answered within 48 hours. You also can call the HNS toll-free number 1-888-286-9302.
	If I am treating a cancer patient with persistent pain, can I still use the disability and assessment tools? The tests were designed for use with non-malignant pain. Cancer patients present unique problems. It is not recommended the tests be applied to this population.
	Do I have to pay for the questionnaire booklets of the assessment instruments? No. Simply download as many as you need for free. Click here to go to the questionnaire booklets page. You are paying for each scoring of the assessment instrument and the generation of the test report.
	Will HNS be adding assessment tools to their inventory? Yes. Plans are to include several questionnaires to measure various aspects of emotional and general health (Emotional Health Series and General Health Series).
	Why has my credit card purchase been declined? Please verify that your credit card information (i.e., name, address, zip code) is precise. Please be consistent with abbreviations, punctuation, etc. If you continue to have problems, do not hesitate to call the toll free number for HNS.
	How do I eliminate the browser header and footer from printing on my report? If your browser is Internet Explorer, go to the menu bar and select File \| Page Setup. Remove the content in the header and footer fields.
	Is the HNS site secure? The HNS site was designed to serve as a convenient way to score and print tests about various aspects of health. The site also is an effective means of storing and retrieving records. No professional or any other site user has access to confidential test records of another professional. The only exceptions are the Site Administrator and the Technical Support Director. These two individuals are able to review the test records of all professionals for the purposes of insuring quality control.
	When printing out a test report, how do I make sure the printout is within the printer margins? Go to the Microsoft Internet Explorer and select the "File" dropdown menu. Next select "Page Setup" and enter 0.35 as the left and right margin for printing.
	How do I know which pain and disability questionnaire to use with my patients? PAIN ASSESSMENT SERIES BAPSI: Quick screening of global disability and psychological distress PDR-SF: Quick measure of global disability, psychological distress, various aspects of disability (e.g., sleep disturbance and vigor) and functional status PDR-C: Comprehensive measure of global disability, psychological distress, various aspects of disability (e.g., sleep disturbance and vigor) and functional status. LAQ-2: Measurement of deception for use with patients complaining of persistent pain
	When a professional (or staff) enters the data for the patient, how does one treat a "skipped" question (i.e. no answer) from the patient? When a "skipped" question is encountered, select the "null" field of that question on the data entry screen. The question will be excluded from the scoring and calculation of the assessment instrument. Keep in mind that too many unanswered questions will invalid the test.
	What are the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) billing codes to use for reimbursements after the administering of the assessment instruments? The billing code for psychologists and physicians is 96101 for pschological testing. Please refer to the following URL for additional information on CPT billing codes and procedures - http://www.apa.org/practice/cpt_2002.html
	What is the reimbursement for administering a PDR-C, PDR-SF, LAQ-2, and BAPSI? The reimbursement to the medical and psychological professional for the administration and interpretation of the various tests varies from state to state and insurance company to insurance company. It is always advisable to obtain verification before administering any test and in some cases, especially in workmen's compensation, written authorization is required.