Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

TMS is most known for successful treatment of treatment-resistant depression. It is most commonly used for treatment resistant disorders after the failure of medication options.

No, you do not have to fail medications to opt for TMS treatment. However, insurances will only cover TMS treatment once medication options have failed. Since we are a self-pay direct care practice, we are not limited by insurance requirements. Our goal is to provide interventional psychiatry services at an affordable cost with a variety of payment options.

The cost of TMS depends on what is being treated, the use of an accelerated protocol verse a traditional protocol, and the payment option selected by the client.

The traditional protocol costs $200 per treatment with the initial phase averaging 36 half-hour treatments over the course of 8 weeks (total of $7,200). This can be paid by treatment or as one lump sum. Clients deciding to pay for the entire treatment receive 5% off the total cost. We also offer Care Credit payment options.

The accelerated protocol cost roughly the same as the traditional protocol but is completed weekly with longer treatments instead of daily during the initial treatment phase. The accelerated protocol is still being studies against the traditional protocol for treatment effectiveness and is not eligible for insurance reimbursement.

After the initial phase clients enter into the maintenance phase. Maintenance treatments can be completed every 1-4 months as needed and cost $200 each. Not all clients require maintenance treatments but it is recommended.

TMS is part of a subspeciality called interventional psychiatry. While the State of Georgia does not legally restrict physicians from practicing outside of their specialty, Georgia does require there be a board-certified psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse practitioner, or neurologist to supervise TMS. This supervisor must be onsite the majority of the time the practice is open. Some physicians decide to practice outside of their specialty. The medical board will only take disciplinary actions against these physicians AFTER patient harm has occurred. Deep-brain stimulation should only be preformed by interventional psychiatric providers or neurology providers. Legal loop holes do not equate best practice and are rarely safe for patients.

At the first TMS treatment appointment, the psychiatric provider will do what is called brain mapping, to locate what parts of the brain will be targeted for your specific condition. After this appointment, a TMS technician or psychiatric registered nurse administers future treatments. Your psychiatric provider will check in with you to assess the progress of your treatment and provide re-mapping as needed.

The most common side effects are scalp irritation and dizziness. Let your provider know if you have a seizure disorder or metal in your body, as this may be contraindicated for TMS treatment.

On extremely rare occasions seizure may occur, so it is important to be open with your provider about your medical history.

1) Providers practicing outside of their specialty/board certification. If they have the knowledge required to practice a board certified specialty they will have passed the exam for board certification.

2) Providers who advertise machine branding but avoid disclosure that their machine is a TMS machine. Branding should never be emphasized over treatment.

3) Providers who do not complete a full psychiatric diagnostic evaluation prior to TMS treatment.

4) Providers who make vague claims that are not backed by research. For more information on this please review the following peer-reviewed article from the TMS Clinical Society’s Journal here.