It is widely recognized that treatment involves not only nutritional therapy, but also psychological. Many people have find that they benefit most from having a team of professionals to help them recover. A recovery team can consist of a Psychiatrist, Therapist, Dietician, and Primary Care Physician. Some people also find benefit from art, recreational and group therapies.
In choosing treatment providers, here are some factors to consider:
1. Level of care needed--There is outpatient, inpatient, partial hospitalization and residential. Only a trained professional can tell you the level of care that best suits your needs.
2. Cost--Unfortunately today, cost considerations have become a reality of eating disorder treatment. We work for a world where this does not exist. When it comes to financing your treatment, our advice is to do not settle for less. Your health must be a priority. A stitch in time saves nine!
3. Location--Depending on where you live, there may not exist accessible eating disorder treatment. Depending on the level of care that you require, you may find yourself travelling to access treatment.
4. Goodness of Fit--Interviewing several eating disorder professionals is a good idea. You are embarking on what will be a long term relationship and you want to make certain that you find someone with whom you work well.
Once a treatment provider is located, here are recommended questions:
- What is your experience and how long have you been treating eating disorders?
- How are you licensed? What are your training credentials? Do you belong to the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED)? AED is a professional group that offers its members educational trainings every year. This doesn’t prove that individuals are up-to-date, but it does increase the chances.
- What is your treatment style? Please note that there are many different types of treatment styles available. Different approaches to treatment may be more or less appropriate for you dependent upon your individual situation and needs.
- Do you or your facility have a quality improvement program in place or regularly assess the outcome of the treatment provided?
- Are you familiar with either the APA Guidelines or Britain’s NICE Criteria for the treatment of eating disorders?
- What kind of evaluation process will be used in recommending a treatment plan?
- What kind of medical information do you need? Will I need a medical evaluation before entering the program?
- What is your appointment availability? Do you offer after-work or early morning appointments? How long do the appointments last? How often will we meet?
- How long will the treatment process take? When will we know it’s time to stop treatment?
- Are you reimbursable by my insurance? What if I don’t have insurance or mental health benefits under my health care plan? It is important for you to research your insurance coverage policy and what treatment alternatives are available in order for you and your treatment provider to design a treatment plan that suits your coverage.
- Ask the facility to send information brochures, treatment plans, treatment prices, etc. The more information the facility is able to send in writing, the better informed you will be.
(Source: www.nationaleatingdisorders.org)
See the Resources page for links to potential providers.