# How to choose a TMS clinic

A calm question list for comparing supervision, protocols, access and written costs.

Updated 2026-10-29. Also on the [web page](https://tmsclinics.fyi/guides/how-to-choose-a-tms-clinic).

Start with a conversation about assessment and supervision. A clinic listing can help you find contact details. It cannot show whether a service fits your needs. Paid placement and a verified account badge do not measure clinical quality.

## Ask who is responsible

Ask who assesses suitability, who writes the treatment order and who supervises each visit. Ask how to check the clinician's registration with the regulator in your country. Ask what training the staff have for the device they use. Ask who handles questions between visits.

## Ask for the plan in writing

NICE and NIMH describe outpatient TMS and the need to consider individual risks. Ask the team to explain the device, target, pulse pattern and visit schedule. Ask what information they need about implants, previous seizures, medicines and other care. Give those details privately to the clinical team, not to a directory form.

Ask how the clinic records symptoms and reviews the plan. Ask what happens if you cannot attend, have an adverse effect or need another form of care. Ask how your regular clinician receives the plan and follow-up notes. Do not change medicines without your prescriber.

## Compare access and cost

Request a written quote that separates assessment, mapping, sessions and follow-up. Confirm currency, expiry date and cancellation rules. Ask whether the quoted service is in network and whether authorization is needed. A statement that insurance is accepted is not a payment guarantee.

Keep a comparison sheet with the source URL, date and unanswered questions for each clinic. Do not rank clinics by advertised response rates. Different patient groups and methods make those figures hard to compare.

## Sources

- NICE, *Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for depression*, published 16 December 2015 as IPG542; now HTG396. [Procedure](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/htg396/chapter/3-The-procedure) and [safety](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/htg396/chapter/5-Safety). Fetched 2026-10-29.

- NIMH, *Brain Stimulation Therapies*, reviewed March 2024. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/brain-stimulation-therapies/brain-stimulation-therapies. Fetched 2026-10-29.

- CANMAT, *2023 Update on Clinical Guidelines for Management of Major Depressive Disorder in Adults*, published 6 May 2024. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11351064/. Fetched 2026-10-29.

Confirm suitability, protocol and cost with a qualified clinician.

## Questions

### Can this guide decide whether TMS is suitable for me?

No. Confirm suitability, protocol and cost with a qualified clinician.

> Talk to a psychiatrist or other qualified clinician before you start, stop or change treatment. In a mental health emergency call 911 in the US and Canada (or call or text 988), 999 in the UK (or call NHS 111), or 000 in Australia (or call Lifeline on 13 11 14).