Department of Clinical Psychology

Head of Department: Doc. PhDr. Lenka Krámská, Ph.D.

 

Activities of the Department

The Department of Clinical Psychology has no inpatient ward. The psychologists work in three outpatient units where they examine patients and provide psychotherapy in compliance with the respective specialization of a given programme and in cooperation with individual target departments (in particular, with neurosurgery, neurology, stereotactic and radiation neurosurgery, internal medicine, surgery, etc.) according to the requests of treating physicians. They also provide consulting services to other departments of the Na Homolce hospital.

Specialized psychological care includes preoperative psychological preparation before complicated interventions, help in coping with the impact of serious diseases, and neuropsychological diagnostics aimed at identification of intellectual and cognitive abilities or assessment of personality psychopathology. Neuropsychological diagnostics can rule out some medical interventions or refer the patient for some special procedures, such as bariatric surgery, neurostimulator implants etc., for which special psychological or neuropsychological assessment is required by health insurance companies.

In 2017 repeated accreditation was awarded by the Czech Ministry of Health, which continued the original accreditation received in 2012, was only valid until June 30, 2017.

Main services:

  • Neuroprogramme – Specialized neuropsychological diagnostics and psychotherapy in patients with neurological diseases (epilepsy surgery program, neurosurgical treatment of tumors, cerebrovascular diseases, cognitive rehabilitation, cooperation with the Department of Neurosurgery, e.g. in awake brain surgeries, cognitive rehabilitation of patients with neurocognitive deficit, cooperation with the Department of Stereotactic and Radiation Neurosurgery in examination of patients with epilepsy, obsessive-compulsive disorder, etc. before and after interventions)
  • Cardiac programme – Specialized psychological diagnostics and psychotherapy in patients with cardiovascular diseases (cardiac surgery, demanding vascular reconstructions, acute myocardial infarction, neurostimulator implantation for refractory angina pectoris, etc.)
  • Internal medicine programme – Specialized psychodiagnostic and psychotherapeutic care in the field of obesitology and bariatrics, diabetology, endocrinology, oncology, pneumology and gastroenterology; other activities include psychosomatic and obesity consultations
  • Crisis intervention in acute responses to unfavourable diagnosis, psychological preparation for demanding interventions, assistance in coping with psychological impacts of diseases (Leksell gamma knife, oncology, etc.)
  • Pain management consulting centre – Psychological assessment and subsequent supporting psychological care provided to patients with long-term or chronic pain
  • Psychosomatic consulting centre – Psychological treatment of patients with psychosomatic disorders (e.g. high blood pressure, ulcer disease, diabetes, various functional disorders, etc.) requiring a professional psychological intervention
  • Psychodiagnostics and psychotherapy in children with various psychosomatic and educational problems within comprehensive care provided to paediatric patients
  • Psychological examination of patients required by different directives and regulations of the Ministry of Health and General Health Insurance Company – prior to implantation of neurostimulator, programmable pumps, before providing a patient with an electric wheelchair, C-leg prosthesis (microprocessor controlled joint), before returning driving license to patients, etc.)

Complementary services:

  • Psychological examination of drivers pursuant to Act No. 361/2000 Coll. performed by a psychologist accredited by the Ministry of Transport

Research activities:

  • Research follow-up of patients (e.g. with epilepsy, after ischemic stroke, etc.) in cooperation with the Epilepsy Centre and Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Vascular Surgery
  • Cooperation with the Department of Radiodiagnostics in developing medical memory examination paradigm by means of functional MRI with a focus on higher mental functions (memory, speech, etc.)
  • Cooperation with the Department of Stereotactic and Radiation Neurosurgery in examination of patients with epilepsy, obsessive-compulsive disorder, etc. before and after surgery
  • Cooperation with the Department of Neurosurgery in awake brain surgeries, monitoring of patients with EC-IC bypasses, elective aneurysm, etc. before and after surgery
  • Preparation of Neuropsychological Assessment Battery (NAB) in the Czech language for Testcentrum
  • Development of research cooperation with the Faculty of Arts, Charles University – differential diagnosis and methodology research issues