Noninvasive Brain Stimulation FAQs

For patients who are interested in our TMS Therapy Program for depression or other indications of neurologic disorders, you must be followed by a psychologist or psychiatrist who will refer you to our program. Your referring physician should fill out the New Patient Referral Form in its entirety and fax to 617-975-5322.

Insurance providers generally will cover the cost of TMS treatment; however criteria differs for each plan. We will work with you and your provider to try to obtain coverage.

Once we receive the completed paperwork from your referring physician, our Neuromodulation Coordinator will review the forms and contact you by phone within 7-10 days to discuss your payment options and to schedule an evaluation.

Each evaluation typically takes 60 minutes.

All evaluations are performed by one of our neurologists and/or psychiatrists. During your evaluation, our physicians will ask you a series of questions relating to your neurologic and psychiatric history. After your evaluation, our physicians will determine if you are a candidate for treatment and provide their recommendation for TMS treatment options.

There is a neurological exam, but generally this does not include examination of heart, lungs, etc.

Our evaluation appointments are typically scheduled one to three weeks in advance.

Your first TMS treatment can be scheduled after we receive confirmation of insurance coverage. These appointments are typically scheduled two to four weeks in advance.

Although the number of TMS sessions varies by medical indication, patients generally come to the Berenson-Allen Center for 30 daily sessions of TMS therapy Monday through Friday followed by six tapered sessions. The course of treatment usually takes six to eight weeks.

Your session time may change from day to day, depending on your availability and the volume of patients that we see on that day.

Traditional treatments occur over a 60-minute slot for each daily session. However, recently approved protocols may be shorter if they are able to be used in your treatment.

We offer a variety of treatment protocols such as: standard rTMS, DeepTMS, and iTBS. These approaches can be tailored to your particular circumstances as determined by you and your doctors. If insurance will cover your treatment, we must abide by their coverage policies, and this may limit the options available.

We follow the hospital policies and procedures regarding visitors during ambulatory visits. Please review our Visitor Policy for the most up to date information regarding Visitor guidelines during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Unfortunately, for the safety of the animal, we do not allow service animals in the treatment rooms. You can bring a service animal to the visit, but not into the treatment room, as long as you can provide supervision for the pet. Our volunteer services office may be able to provide assistance.

Patients sometimes experience headaches after receiving TMS treatment, but these headaches are most often resolved by taking an over the counter (OTC) drug such as Tylenol.

Yes, the TMS session does not affect your ability to drive. If you are unable to drive for other medical reasons, we recommend that you refrain from operating a motor vehicle.

Yes, if you come for treatment at least three times per week.

We understand this has been a challenging time for you, and that you may have questions about returning to the hospital to receive medical care. Our team at the Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation continues to provide safe care for our patients most throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

To ensure the safety of our patients and our staff, we follow all policies and procedures outlined by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

We remain committed to your safety and wellbeing during this time. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your visit to our center, please do not hesitate to contact us at 617-667-0307. Thank you for your cooperation and let’s work to stay healthy together.