Dr. Phern Chern Tor, Psychiatrist and head of Neurostimulation services at the Institute of Mental Health in Singapore, discusses the practicalities of running a TMS service. He shares insights on avoiding adverse events, managing pain tolerance, assessing suitability for TMS, and monitoring outcomes to ensure patient safety. Dr. Tor also highlights the economic benefits of including TMS in mental health practice, particularly in its role within a cost-effective stepped-care approach for treatment-resistant depression.

In this conversation with Trevor Brown, Dr. Tor emphasizes the importance of a well-trained and responsible clinician, carefully assessing each patient's motivation and history of side effects to reduce the risk of seizures and other adverse effects. He also underscores the value of the therapeutic relationship between the nurse or practitioner and the patient, as this bond plays a critical role in treatment success, improving patient comfort and reducing anxiety.

They also explore the sequencing of treatments for patients with depression, with Dr. Tor explaining how starting TMS treatment gradually can help minimize side effects and optimize outcomes. The discussion reinforces the importance of ongoing clinician support, supervision, and team collaboration to ensure both the safety and well-being of patients throughout the treatment process.

About Dr. P.C. Tor
Dr. Phern Chern Tor, Psychiatrist and head of Neurostimulation services at the Institute of Mental Health in Singapore Phern Chern Tor | LinkedIn
Clinical TMS Society

About the series
The neurocare group is a global network of experts in neuroscience, psychology, and engineering, with a mission to empower best practices and bring innovative and sustainable mental health techniques to more patients in need through our network of clinics.

Through this interview series, the head of the neurocare Academy, Dr Trevor Brown, interviews leading minds in this field, to present the state of research and possibilities and effective models of care in mental health and cognitive performance.

To learn more about the neurocare group and its mission visit www.neurocaregroup.com

If you are a patient looking for more information about these techniques or to find one of our clinics worldwide, visit www.neurocaregroup.com/patients/

Are you a practitioner interested in learning how you can apply TMS and other neuromodulation techniques in your own practice?
Get started with one of our online courses in neuromodulation at: www.lms.neurocaregroup.com

neurocare Academy also offers in-person training and supervision in workshops throughout the world. For more information visit: www.neurocaregroup.com/academy/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background
03:03 Getting to Know Dr. Phern Chern Tor
06:52 Setting Up TMS Services in Singapore
10:04 Reimbursement for TMS in Singapore
17:21 Three People Dr. Tor Would Invite for Dinner
18:49 Adverse Events and Risk Management in TMS
29:07 Setting Up a TMS Clinic: Education and Team Building
45:09 The Importance of the Therapeutic Relationship in TMS
52:29 Cost-Effectiveness of TMS in Comparison to Other Treatments
56:17 Sequencing Treatments for Depression: Antidepressants, TMS, and ECT

#TMS #rTMS #MagneticStimulation #TranscranialMagneticStimlation #Neurostimulation #ClinicalCare #Psychiatry #Nursing #psychology #neuroscience #MentalHealth #TMSClinic #DepressionTreatment #HealthcareProfessionals #ProfessionalSupervision #PatientDoctorRelationship #TherapeuticRelationship