Patient Education

Preparing for Your Consultative Examination

A guide to help you feel prepared and comfortable for your scheduled appointment at Carawan Health.

Welcome

If you've received this information, you have a consultative examination scheduled with our clinic on behalf of the Social Security Administration (SSA). We understand this process can feel unfamiliar or stressful, and this page is here to help you know what to expect and how to prepare.

Our role is to conduct a thorough, objective examination and provide a report to the agency that requested it. We're committed to making your visit as comfortable and respectful as possible.

📋 What to Bring to Your Appointment

  • Valid Photo Identification Please have a valid government-issued photo ID ready upon arrival to verify your identity for federal records. A driver's license, state ID, or passport will work.
  • Complete Medication List Bring a complete list of all current medications, including the dosage and the reason you take each one. You may also bring the actual bottles if that is easier — both options are perfectly acceptable.
  • Assistive Devices You Normally Use Bring any glasses, hearing aids, cane, walker, brace, or other assistive device you regularly use. The examiner needs to assess you as you are in everyday life.
  • List of Your Treating Providers (Optional but Helpful) If you can, bring a list of doctors and specialists who currently treat you, including their names, phone numbers, and the conditions they treat. This helps ensure your records are complete.
  • Recent Medical Records (If You Have Them) If you have recent imaging, lab results, or specialist notes that aren't already with the agency, copies can be helpful — though this is not required.

👕 What to Wear

Please wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothing and shoes that are easy to remove (such as slip-ons). The examiner will need to assess your range of motion and joint health, which requires easy access to your arms, legs, and back.

Avoid clothing with complicated fasteners or anything that restricts movement. The more comfortable you are, the more accurately we can assess how you function day-to-day.

🩺 What to Expect During Your Visit

Your appointment will typically include a review of your medical history, a discussion of your current symptoms and limitations, and a physical examination tailored to the specific concerns related to your claim.

Most consultative exams take between 30 and 60 minutes, though this varies. Please answer questions honestly and accurately — don't exaggerate or minimize. Our role is simply to document what we observe and what you describe. The more accurate the picture, the better the report we can provide.

Bringing a Support Person

You're welcome to bring a family member or friend for transportation or moral support. They will be welcome to wait in our reception area, though they typically will not be in the exam room with you.

Arrival and Timing

Please arrive 10-15 minutes before your scheduled appointment time. This gives you time to check in, complete any necessary paperwork, and settle in without feeling rushed.

Being on time is important. Late arrivals may need to be rescheduled, which would require coordination through your claim manager and could delay your claim.

Need to Change Your Appointment Time?

If you need to change the time of your appointment to a different time on the same day, please call our clinic directly — we may be able to accommodate this. However, if you need to reschedule to a different day, you'll need to contact your claim manager at the Social Security Administration or Disability Determination Services. We are not able to reschedule appointments to different days on our own.

📤 After Your Examination

Following your visit, we will prepare a detailed report and submit it to the State Disability Determination Services (DDS). DDS will then review the report along with all of your other medical evidence to make a decision on your claim.

Please note that we will not be able to share the results of the exam with you directly, and we don't have any information about the timeline or outcome of your claim. Any questions about your claim status should be directed to your claim manager.

Important Information About Our Role

This clinic performs consultative examinations on behalf of the Social Security Administration. We do not make the final decision on disability claims. That decision is made by the State Disability Determination Services (DDS) based on a complete review of your medical evidence.

This examination is for evaluation purposes only and does not establish an ongoing patient-provider relationship. We will not be providing treatment, prescribing medications, or managing your ongoing healthcare as part of this visit.

Our examiner is neutral. We are not advocates for or against your claim — our job is simply to provide a fair, accurate, and professional assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. The Social Security Administration covers the cost of this examination. You will not be charged, and you do not need to provide insurance information for this visit.

No. This is an evaluation only. The examiner will not provide diagnoses, prescriptions, or treatment recommendations. For ongoing care, please continue to see your regular healthcare providers.

The report goes directly to the agency that requested the exam. To request a copy of your report, please contact the Social Security Administration or your claim manager — we are not permitted to release the report directly to claimants.

Please tell the examiner. Symptoms that come and go are part of the picture, and it's helpful for the examiner to know how you're feeling that day compared to your typical experience. Be honest about both your good days and your bad days.

Unfortunately, no. We don't have access to your claim file or any information about your claim status. All questions about your claim should go to your claim manager at the Social Security Administration or Disability Determination Services.

We are located at 112 E Park Drive, Beulaville, NC 28518. There is parking available on-site. If you need detailed directions, please call us at (910) 777-5888.

Questions About Your Visit?

For logistical questions about your appointment (directions, parking, same-day time changes), please contact our clinic. For questions about your claim, contact your claim manager.

Carawan Health PLLC

📍 112 E Park Drive, Beulaville, NC 28518

📞 (910) 777-5888

✉️ info@carawanhealth.com