A course of TMS means roughly 36 visits to the same building. Choosing the wrong clinic is not a small inconvenience. These are the questions worth asking on the phone before you book a consultation.
1. Which TMS system do you use? NeuroStar, BrainsWay, MagVenture and Neuronetics systems are not interchangeable. BrainsWay's H-coils carry the OCD and anxious-depression clearances; figure-8 systems do not.
2. Do you offer accelerated or theta burst protocols? If your work or childcare situation makes six weeks of daily visits difficult, an accelerated protocol may be the difference between finishing and dropping out.
3. Who supervises treatment, and are they on site? Ask whether a psychiatrist is physically present during sessions or supervising remotely. Both are legal in New Jersey. They are not the same experience.
4. How many courses has this location delivered? Technician skill in coil positioning genuinely affects outcomes. A location that opened two months ago is a different proposition from one that has run a thousand courses.
5. Do you handle prior authorization? Most good New Jersey clinics do it for you. Some hand you a form. Ask.
6. What happens if I miss a day? Life happens over six weeks. Ask about their make-up policy and whether they have Saturday hours.
7. Do you track symptom scores? Weekly PHQ-9 or similar. If they do not measure, they cannot tell you whether it is working, and neither can you.
8. What is the total cost to me, including everything? Ask for the per-session patient responsibility after insurance, the number of sessions, and whether mapping and consultation are billed separately.
9. What does maintenance look like if I respond? A clinic that has thought about month twelve is a clinic that has thought about your outcome rather than your course.
If a clinic is impatient with these questions on the phone, that itself is an answer.