I often take care of patients that I have to decide if they are capable of making their own medical decisions. Everyone in medical school is taught how to do a mini mental status exam (MMSE). But the MMSE came under copyright issues and cannot reportedly be used anymore without ordering the test through the owners of the copyright. Funny. I'm waiting for the day someone puts a copyright on a complete head-to-toe physical exam!
As a result, nobody does an MMSE on patients anymore. Instead a free test called the Sweet 16 was published several years ago, but subsequently taken down due to further concerns about copyright issues as well. So the Happy Hospitalist has developed his own mini-mental exam that is free for anyone who wishes to use it. It's open source and available by anyone who wishes to expand an improve on his proprietary process. It has one question. What is the significance of 9/11.
As a result, nobody does an MMSE on patients anymore. Instead a free test called the Sweet 16 was published several years ago, but subsequently taken down due to further concerns about copyright issues as well. So the Happy Hospitalist has developed his own mini-mental exam that is free for anyone who wishes to use it. It's open source and available by anyone who wishes to expand an improve on his proprietary process. It has one question. What is the significance of 9/11.
This question has everything.
- Orientation (in time and space)
- Registration (There were two towers)
- Calculation ( There were two towers)
- Recall (There were two towers)
- Language ( Explaining the event)
There you have it. My one question mini mental exam. It works like a charm and it's the perfect free alternative to the MMSE folks trying making a living off your mother's dementia.
And what happens if you get someone who says it was an inside job? Obviously "crazy," right?
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