Pre-Screening for Ketamine Therapy: A Checklist for Front-Desk Staff

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Front-desk staff at ketamine clinics are often the first people to speak with a prospective patient. That first conversation shapes whether the patient moves forward, and it is also a meaningful moment to surface concerns that need clinical attention before a full evaluation is scheduled. This checklist gives non-clinical staff a practical framework for pre-screening — what to ask, what answers require immediate escalation, and what information to collect before the intake appointment.

What Pre-Screening Is (and Is Not)

Pre-screening is not a clinical evaluation. Front-desk staff are not diagnosing, treating, or advising. The goal of a pre-screening conversation is to:

  1. Collect basic information so the clinical team can prepare
  2. Identify obvious red flags that may indicate ketamine is not appropriate
  3. Set accurate expectations about the intake process and timeline
  4. Confirm the patient can engage with the practical requirements (transportation, availability for multi-hour sessions, financial readiness)

Everything that requires clinical judgment belongs with your clinical staff. Pre-screening is about routing, not assessment.

The Pre-Screening Checklist

Use this as a phone or web-form framework. Document responses and attach them to the patient’s intake record before the evaluation appointment.

Contact and basics

  • Full name, date of birth, phone, email
  • Preferred pronoun (for communication)
  • How did you hear about us? (Source tracking)
  • Are you calling for yourself, or on behalf of someone else?

Reason for inquiry

  • What condition are you hoping to address with ketamine therapy? (Note: you are collecting, not validating. Common responses: depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, chronic pain. Document exactly what the patient says.)
  • How long have you been dealing with this condition?
  • Are you currently working with a psychiatrist, therapist, or primary care provider?

Prior treatment history (collect, do not assess)

  • Have you tried medications for this condition before? If yes, which ones and for how long?
  • Have you ever been hospitalized for a psychiatric reason?
  • Have you ever had a substance use concern your provider is aware of?

Immediate safety flags — STOP and escalate to clinical staff if any of the following arise

  • Patient expresses current suicidal ideation with a plan
  • Patient mentions a recent psychiatric hospitalization (within the past 30 days)
  • Patient mentions active psychosis or a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder
  • Patient mentions uncontrolled cardiovascular disease, recent stroke, or severe uncontrolled hypertension
  • Patient is currently pregnant
  • Patient is under 18 (note your clinic’s policy on minors)

When any of these flags arise, pause the pre-screening and ask the patient to hold while you connect them with a clinical staff member. Do not tell the patient they are ineligible — that determination belongs to the clinician.

Practical and logistical readiness

  • Do you have reliable transportation to and from sessions? (Patients cannot drive themselves home after ketamine. This is a safety requirement.)
  • Are you available for multiple sessions over several weeks? (A standard series is often 6 sessions over 2-3 weeks)
  • Are you aware that ketamine infusions are typically self-pay and not covered by most insurance plans? Spravato (esketamine nasal spray) may be covered by some insurance plans if you have a qualifying diagnosis.
  • Do you have a primary care provider who can share relevant medical records before your evaluation?

Consent to contact and next steps

  • Confirm the patient consents to being contacted at the number/email provided
  • Explain what happens next: clinical intake evaluation (typically billed as CPT 90791), timeline to first available appointment, deposit or registration requirements

After the Checklist: What Happens with the Information

Everything collected in pre-screening should be entered into your EHR or practice management system before the clinical evaluation. The evaluating clinician needs to see it before the appointment, not at the start of it. Build a workflow where pre-screening summaries are flagged to the clinical team within 24 hours of collection.

Pre-screening records are part of the patient’s chart. Keep them as you would any other intake document — dated, attributed, and stored per your HIPAA retention policy.

Special Consideration: Referral Patients

When a patient arrives by referral from a psychiatrist or therapist who is already managing their care, the pre-screening process can be abbreviated. Collect contact and logistics information, confirm the referring provider’s contact details, and note the referral. The clinical team will coordinate directly with the referring provider before the evaluation.

For these patients, one key step is confirming that the referring provider is willing to remain involved in the patient’s care during and after the ketamine series. Ketamine is most effective when it is integrated into an ongoing treatment relationship, not used as a standalone intervention.

Building the Checklist into Your Practice Management System

Whether your clinic uses Practice Fusion, athenahealth, Epic, or a custom EHR, the pre-screening checklist should be a structured form — not a freehand note. Structured data means you can track which questions were asked, identify patterns in your patient population, and audit your intake process over time.

If you are building or rebuilding your intake workflow, our team can help you design a process that fits your clinical model.

This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a licensed clinician about your specific situation.

Drafted by AI and reviewed by our editorial team. Last updated 2026-05-30.