The Science and Care Behind True Same-Day Diagnosis
By Dr Soumit Singhai FRCP, Consultant Geriatrician and Founder, Memory & Brain Clinic London
At Memory & Brain Clinic London, a same-day diagnosis is not a marketing slogan — it’s a carefully crafted system, honed over many years of deep clinical experience in neurocognitive care, looking after patients and their real needs, and continuously improving their quality of life.
It exists because of precise scientific design and a philosophy of care that values both accuracy and empathy. Families often describe the day as transformative. In truth, it’s the result of years spent refining how complex neurological information can be gathered, interpreted, and explained — all in a single day.
Across London, some clinics now promote same-day services using terms such as “same-day evaluation” or “all assessments completed in one day.”
Yet few understand what it truly requires. A same-day assessment or same-day evaluation is not the same as a same-day diagnosis.
The art of true same-day diagnosis lies in integrating every element — testing, imaging, interpretation, and communication — into one complete, consultant-led experience.
The Truth About “Same-Day Evaluation”
Families often see phrases like “same-day evaluation” or “complete assessment in one day.”
It sounds reassuring — but evaluation and diagnosis are not the same thing.
A same-day evaluation simply means the testing — scans, questionnaires, and sometimes blood work — all take place on the same day.
The information still needs to be sent away, reviewed, and interpreted later.
You’ve reached the end of data collection, not the end of uncertainty.
A true same-day diagnosis, by contrast, goes further.
It means your consultant has reviewed the results, interpreted them, discussed the findings with you, and provided a clear plan — that same day.
“That difference between evaluation and diagnosis is paramount. It’s the very real difference between going about gathering data on the day and actually providing clarity and a way forward on that day — and going some way to end the uncertainty.”
You don’t leave wondering what the tests will show.
You leave knowing what they mean and what happens next.
That difference — between evaluation and diagnosis — is the difference between data and clarity.
What Makes a True Same-Day Diagnosis Possible
A same-day assessment is not the same as a same-day diagnosis.
The difference lies in the depth of clinical integration and the presence of an expert who can interpret everything — tests, scans, and symptoms — in real time.
At our clinic, the process is built on scientific discipline:
- Comprehensive neurocognitive testing, analysed immediately by a consultant geriatrician with sub-specialist expertise.
- Same-day brain imaging, reviewed immediately in clinical context (not batched for later comment).
- Targeted blood tests to exclude reversible contributors such as vitamin B12 or thyroid abnormalities and to define vascular risk.
- Diagnostic synthesis — a single clinician connecting the data, the person, and the pattern of disease to deliver clarity that same afternoon, with a comprehensive plan communicated before you leave.
Each step is planned so that speed enhances accuracy rather than compromises it.
A Clinically Focused Core Assessment — NICE-Aligned
A dementia diagnosis is not a checklist of tests — it’s a consultant-led history, examination, and collateral family account. That clinical expertise determines which investigations matter and why.
Our core, evidence-based components
- Consultant-led history and examination, including focused neurological and cognitive assessment, plus family or carer input.
- Targeted blood panel to rule out reversible contributors and clarify risk factors.
- High-quality MRI (3-Tesla where available) using a dementia protocol, interpreted the same day by a specialist neuroradiologist and integrated with the clinical findings.
What we don’t include routinely — and why
We follow guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which does not recommend routine ECGs or urinalysis unless specifically indicated.
Our approach is pragmatic and evidence-based — focusing on the tests that directly inform diagnostic reasoning.
- ECG: only when there is bradycardia, syncope, conduction disease, or use of rate-limiting drugs such as beta-blockers.
- 24-hour Holter monitoring: reserved for suspected rhythm disturbance under cardiology supervision.
- Urinalysis: performed only if infection is clinically suspected.
This is medicine, not box-ticking: precision over volume.
Beyond the Same-Day Diagnosis — When Deeper Biology Matters
Our pathway also provides access to next-generation precision tools — applied only when clinically appropriate and when results would genuinely change management.
These include:
- Biomarker testing, including the p-tau Alzheimer’s blood test, one of the most advanced indicators of early Alzheimer’s pathology.
- Functional brain imaging, such as FDG-PET to assess metabolic patterns or FP-CIT SPECT in suspected Lewy body or Parkinsonian disease.
These are not required for a same-day diagnosis; they extend precision when the underlying biology calls for deeper insight.
In short: immediate clarity, deeper precision when indicated.
Why Compassion Is Part of the Science
Behind the science lies a quieter discipline: compassion.
Families arrive with uncertainty, sometimes fear, often exhaustion from months of waiting elsewhere.
The design of the day — a calm environment, clear communication, and continuous contact with the same consultant — is deliberate.
It allows understanding to emerge at the same pace as information.
By evening, people leave not only with answers, but with a plan.
They know what is happening, what can help, and who will guide them next.
“The true art of practising medicine is a delicate balance between science and compassion.
In an age of rapid innovation, that balance matters more than ever — and is harder to achieve.”
“Science can uncover causes and mechanisms, but on its own it cannot reach the person behind the illness or help them move forward.”
“Compassion, combined with an understanding of each person’s uniqueness, gives science its direction and meaning — turning knowledge into care and progress.”
“That is what we strive for, and to keep improving each day: applying the most advanced diagnostic and medical approaches, while never losing focus on the person in front of us — whose life and quality of life we are trying to help.”
— Dr Soumit Singhai FRCP, Consultant Geriatrician and Founder
Beyond the Same-Day Diagnosis — The Human Continuity
A true same-day diagnosis is only the beginning.
Real clarity extends beyond the consultation — through continuity, careful follow-up, and the reassurance of knowing that your care remains under the same expert guidance.
Our aim is not just to identify what is happening, but to help you live well with that knowledge — to guide, support, and refine the plan as life unfolds.
At Memory & Brain Clinic London, the principles that make same-day diagnosis possible — precision, compassion, and clarity — continue long after the day itself.
That is what defines genuine care, and what families tell us makes all the difference.
A Benchmark for Modern Memory Care
A true same-day diagnosis is not simply fast — it’s complete.
It is the culmination of science, coordination, and compassion working in harmony.
This is what families deserve when they seek clarity about the most complex organ in the human body.
If you’d like to learn more about how our signature Same-Day Clarity Pathway works — or to explore whether it may be suitable for you or someone you care about — visit:
https://www.memoryandbrainclinic.co.uk/same-day-diagnosis/
Or to learn more about Dr Soumit Singhai, visit:
https://www.memoryandbrainclinic.co.uk/dr-soumit-singhai/
To contact our clinic directly, call 0207 062 7248 or visit:
https://www.memoryandbrainclinic.co.uk/contact/
Three Essential Questions for Families
Will you get clear answers and next steps communicated by your consultant that same day?
Are testing, imaging, and interpretation all integrated on that same day?
Do you leave with a clear, personalised plan for care communicated on that same day?
