COLQUITT COUNTY, GA — A rural South Georgia psychiatry practice is bringing advanced Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) closer to home for patients with treatment-resistant depression—an important step as more than 11% of U.S. adults take antidepressants, about 30% don’t respond adequately, and over half of TMS patients show improvement, often within weeks.
Georgia South Psychiatry Residency at Colquitt Regional Medical Center now offers TMS, a cutting-edge treatment for patients whose depression hasn't improved with traditional medications. The practice is also training medical residents on the technology, addressing both immediate patient needs and long-term workforce shortages in the region.
"TMS is transcranial magnetic stimulation, and so what that involves is we use the machine behind me to, the magnet produces an electrical impulse that then alters the pathways in the brain that lead to depression," said Dr. Kent Posey, neurologist and associate training director for Georgia South Psychiatry Residency.
The treatment involves 30 sessions over six weeks, with each session lasting about 18 and a half minutes. Patients attend five days per week during the treatment period.
"Over 50% of patients respond to TMS treatment, potentially within the first one or two sessions, but certainly one to two weeks into treatment, we expect to see a significant treatment response that hopefully persists for a number of months," Posey said.
TMS is approved for treatment-resistant depression, meaning patients have tried at least one antidepressant medication without success. According to the CDC, 11.4% of American adults take antidepressants, with more than 60% using them long-term for two years or more. However, about 30% of people with depression are considered treatment-resistant, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
The technology uses magnetic fields to stimulate specific brain regions associated with depression. The concept was first developed in 1985 by researchers in England, and the FDA approved TMS for treatment-resistant depression in the United States in 2008.
"As far as we're aware, no one else in the area is offering the treatment at this time," Posey said. "That's one reason that we wanted to bring this in, one, to educate our resident psychiatrists about this treatment option, so when they graduate, they can go out and treat their patients wherever they may be."
The practice has operated the TMS machine for about six months. Their first group of three patients completed treatment two to three months ago and continue showing sustained improvement in their depression symptoms.
Dr. Lisa Rudolph-Watson, residency training program director, said the expansion addresses a critical need in southwest Georgia.
"This is a state-of-the-art treatment that we're bringing to the area for treatment of resistant depression," Rudolph-Watson said. "Those patients that have failed medications or therapy have a new alternative to treatment of their depression and hopefully aiding in their recovery and remission of their symptoms."
The residency program trains three residents for four years each, significantly expanding psychiatric care access in the region. Residents receive certification as TMS providers before graduation, ensuring they can offer the treatment wherever their careers take them.
"By the time they graduate, they will be certified as TMS providers so that once they go elsewhere in their careers, hopefully staying some within the region, they will also be able to offer that treatment to their patients," Rudolph-Watson said.
Most insurance plans cover TMS treatment, though the practice verifies coverage before beginning the intensive six-week protocol. Without insurance, individual treatments can be expensive.
Common side effects include scalp discomfort at the treatment site and headaches, which typically diminish over time. The treatment carries a low risk of inducing seizures, and patients with certain implanted metal devices cannot receive TMS.
Beyond depression, TMS is also approved for smoking cessation, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and anxiety associated with major depressive disorder. Researchers are studying its potential for treating ALS, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease.
The practice encourages anyone dealing with treatment-resistant depression to contact their office for evaluation. Candidates must be 18 or older and have tried at least one antidepressant medication.
"The patients that we have brought in and have treated have all responded very well," Rudolph-Watson said. "They've noticed reduction in their depressive symptoms, improvement in their mood, ability to function better, whether it be within their work or within their home life, and just very positive overall."
The program plans to graduate its first group of residents in June, with hopes that several will remain in the area to continue serving the region's mental health needs.
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