Schatman – Psychological Evaluation prior to SCS

In this video, Dr. Schatman, an evidence-based pain medicine and medical ethics teacher, criticizes the exclusion of patients with psychiatric disorders from spinal cord stimulation (SCS) in neuromodulation guidelines. Highlighting a systematic review, he argues that there is no convincing evidence that psychopathology affects SCS outcomes in patients with failed back surgery syndrome. He questions the necessity of psychological evaluations by generalists, who often overpathologize, and emphasizes the shortage of specialized pain psychologists. He concludes that current practices and insurance policies hinder effective treatment for patients who could benefit from SCS.