What kind of patients does Dr. Devi treat?
Dr. Devi is a neurologist, with board certification in additional areas, who treats all brain diseases, specializing in concussions, memory loss, neurorehabilitation, pain management, and optimizing brain health.
What insurance does Dr. Devi accept?
Dr. Devi does not participate with any commercial insurance and she has opted out of Medicare. Payment is expected at the time of your appointment. The office will provide you an itemized bill to submit to your insurance carrier for reimbursement.
What does “opt out of Medicare” mean?
To “opt out” means that a physician is paid out-of-pocket by the patient and neither patient nor physician is reimbursed by Medicare.
Is it possible to have a consultation or visits via video or telephone?
For patients and caregivers who are unable to visit in person due to health or travel issues, Dr. Devi can consult using HIPAA compliant telemedicine. This option requires a telephone or computer, with audio or video visits.
We are also able to use telemedicine technology to perform cognitive evaluations as well as brain exercises.
What are the office hours?
Our office opens Monday through Friday at 10:00AM, we close at 5:00PM on Monday, 6PM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and at 4PM on Fridays. Visits are by appointment.
How do I make an appointment?
You can request an appointment by either email ([email protected]) or by calling us at 212-517-6881. If after hours, leave a message and we will call when we reopen. If you need a same day visit, please call the office as early as possible or request this in your message.
What is the office philosophy?
“Medicine has become very fast paced, fact driven, and technology oriented. Yet, we’re all a library of stories, and our personal, human stories determine our particular response to an illness. Unless the physician is able to understand this, it’s very hard, I think, to truly take care of the whole person with the condition.
My goal is to utilize all the available data and technology, tailoring it to the illness in a particular person. This is particularly important in brain disease, where no two individuals, even identical twins, have identical brains.” Gayatri Devi, MD
What does the new patient visit and the annual visit include?
The new patient and annual visit consist of an extensive history, brief general and extended neurological examination, lasting about an hour. Additional tests may then be ordered including brain imaging, neurocognitive testing, EEG and transcranial dopplers.
Is it possible to secure a higher level of dedicated neurologic care?
For a small group of patients, Dr. Devi offers a higher level of concierge care and oversight, with 24/7 access for both patient and family caregivers, personal supervision and instruction for professional caregivers, monthly nurse home visits, physician home visits, and home-based medical care.
What is neurocognitive testing?
Neurocognitive testing is performed at Park Avenue Neurology and establishes a cognitive baseline, determines response to treatment and assesses annual progress. Properly administered and interpreted neurocognitive tests are invaluable in studying brain function. Testing lasts about three to four hours. No special preparations are required.
Why do I need neuroimaging (MRI, SPECT, PET)?
Some patients may need neuroimaging. Structural imaging includes CT and MRI scans, functional imaging includes SPECT or PET scan. CT or MRI scans are performed to rule out strokes, tumors or other structural causes for neurologic dysfunction. Sometimes, these lesions are ‘silent’, manifesting mainly with subtle neurologic changes, rather than obvious features such as paralysis. Tests are performed at an imaging center convenient to the patient and usually take about an hour.
What are transcranial dopplers?
This test measures blood flow through various brain regions to evaluate neurologic dysfunction and is performed on premises at Park Avenue Neurology. It is about an hour long.
What is an electroencephalogram (EEG)?
The EEG measures your brain’s electrical activity just like an ECG does of the heart. The test is painless, about an hour long and patients sleep through it. It is performed on premises at Park Avenue Neurology.
What happens in with a lumbar puncture (spinal tap)?
In this procedure, a thin needle is inserted into the lower back and cerebrospinal fluid is withdrawn for analysis. Dr. Devi performs the procedure at Park Avenue Neurology. She has performed several hundred such procedures over the last 30 years. It takes about an hour.
What happens during brain stimulation with TMS?
TMS activates different targeted areas of the brain, promoting connections in brain networks. Patients sometimes feel local muscle twitching and a tapping sensation. Many patients fall asleep during stimulation, others watch television or read. Most sessions last about 30 minutes.
What are brain exercises?
Brain exercises use the brain’s innate neuroplasticity to improve attention, memory, language, and executive functions both in patients with neurological illness and healthy children and adults wanting to improve their cognitive abilities. They are generally once to twice a week, last 50 minutes, and in person or over telemedicine. A course of treatment can be 16-20 sessions, or more in those with chronic issues.
Does Dr. Devi make house calls?
Home visits are available for patients who have opted in to the higher-level concierge care program and some home-bound patients. All home visits are contingent on Dr. Devi’s availability.
What is a nurse home visit?
Nurse home visits include blood drawing, administering medications, vital signs and safety assessment. Dr. Devi oversees these visits.
What is an otolith repositioning maneuver (Epley, Semont)?
Dr. Devi has been performing these bedside maneuvers since 1994 for treating certain types of vertigo. When properly done, the success rates for curing vertigo with a single repositioning session is about 90%.
