TMS Health Solutions Announces Online Depression Screen in line with U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) Updated Recommendations for Pregnant Women, New Mothers, and Adolescents

    SACRAMENTO, CA, February 23, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- TMS Health Solutions, a provider of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) therapy, an FDA-approved, non-drug treatment for depression covered by major insurance providers, has released a free online Depression Screen on its website.

The TMS Health Solutions Depression Screen is based on the standard Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) recommended by The US Preventive Services Task Force. It takes users through a series of nine simple questions and then tallies their scores.

"We encourage everyone, especially pregnant women, new mothers, and adolescents, to monitor their mental health," said Dr. Richard Bermudes, medical director at TMS Health Solutions, "but under no circumstances should it be used as a replacement for actual medical care. Anyone who feels like he or she may be suffering from depression should seek qualified medical attention as soon as possible."

Depression is one of the most common disorders in the U.S., and a leading cause of disability in persons 15 years and older, affecting approximately 15.7 million adults. The USPSTF recommendations are considered a major step in the right direction to begin the discussion and treatment of preventive mental health services for all adults, and to help reduce the stigma that is so often associated with mental illness, and related treatable disorders.

FDA-approved TMS therapy is a drug-free, non-invasive course of treatment administered in a physician's office. By using an MRI-strength magnetic field to stimulate the frontal cortex area of the brain, the core symptoms of major depression can be painlessly alleviated. Unlike antidepressants or electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), patients undergoing TMS therapy experience minimal side effects. A typical treatment series includes four to six weeks of daily 45-minute sessions. Clinical studies have shown that TMS is effective in about 60 percent of patients, twice as effective as antidepressants.

TMS Treatments at TMS Health Solutions are covered by Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield, The Veteran's Administration, Kaiser Permanente, United Healthcare, Optum Health, MHN, and Magellan.

Located in the Sacramento area, TMS Health Solutions centers provide TMS therapy, an alternative, drug-free, non-invasive treatment for patients with severe depression. TMS Health Solutions is led by Dr. Richard Bermudes and Dr. Karl Lanocha, two of the nation's leading experts on using TMS therapy as an innovative treatment for depression.

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