Ultrasound technology is now available for orthopedic surgeons to use in their office, and it can be beneficial for several reasons. "Ultrasound promotes efficiency, it's safe, it saves time and money and it can be used as an ancillary revenue stream for the practice," says Ben DuBois, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with Grossmont Orthopaedic Medical Group in La Mesa, Calif. He discusses four points on adding ultrasound to your orthopedic practice.
1. The technology has two functions. Orthopedic surgeons can use the ultrasound technology for diagnostic purposes and injection guidance. The technology enables physicians to see their patients' anatomy in real time for diagnosing an injury or placing an injection. "It's painless and there's no radiation involved," says Dr. DuBois. "Patients are able to see their anatomy on the screen at the same time you are, which allows them to become involved in their care."
Despite its dual purpose, many physicians are only comfortable using the technology for image guidance because it's easier to train on. "These surgeons are seeing the structure and the needle and they can watch the needle go into the space where it's supposed to," Dr. DuBois says. "Their comfort level is higher with this because the learning curve is less steep than if they were using the technology for a diagnostic exam."
2. It's cost effective for your practice. Both the diagnostic and injection guidance uses of the ultrasound technology are CPT billable procedures, which mean they can be another source of revenue for the practice. Additionally, the diagnostic ultrasound cost 60-70 percent less than an MRI of a similar body part, which brings down the total cost of care.
The technology does have a steep upfront cost from purchasing the equipment — which can range anywhere from $30,000-$60,000 — and training for appropriate use, but these costs are quickly recovered by the extra revenue it generates. "The reimbursement for the use of the ultrasound more than off-sets the monthly cost of the machine," says Dr. DuBois.
3. Find a system that will work best for you. Not all ultrasound systems are created the same. This means orthopedic and pain management physicians looking to add ultrasound technology to their practice should understand the advantages of different systems to find the right product for them. Physicians seeking support for their decision may want to contact ultrasound company experts, such as Advisor Medical. These companies can often provide training on the technology and offer advice to physicians who are implementing ultrasound in their practice for the first time.
"As a customer-focused ultrasound distributor for private office physicians and a leader in the musculoskeletal ultrasound market, we have the ability to evaluate the best systems from all over the world," said Lance Corlis, vice president of sales with Advisor Medical.
4. Training on the technology can be tricky. Surgeons interested in bringing ultrasound to their orthopedic practice usually attend one or numerous courses and undergo one-on-one training with other physicians to make sure they are comfortable with how the technology works. Some surgeons also shadow other experienced physicians to see how they incorporate ultrasound into their clinical routine. "I have a physician shadow me about once per month," says Dr. DuBois. "They can visit with me at the clinic one day and observe how I've integrated it into my practice and see the efficiencies I've built in. This can be helpful for first timers to experience how it works in the flow of the daily office."
Once you've purchased the equipment, you can practice for your patients by looking at the anatomy of your employees or family under the ultrasound. "The ultrasound can be tricky because if you turn the probe 90 degrees, you are getting a completely different image," says Dr. DuBois. "Being trained from the beginning to do it the right way is very important."
5. Compare the ultrasound images with an MRI to become familiar with the images. When you are familiarizing yourself with the technology, it's important to begin with what you know: the standard MRI. "If a patient comes in with an MRI already, that's a perfect opportunity to perform an ultrasound and compare what you see with what the MRI looks like," says Dr. DuBois. "You don't necessarily need to charge for this image, and if you explain to the patient that you just want to practice on the technology, they're often more than happy to help."
Learn More About Dr. Ben DuBois.
Learn more about Advisor Medical.
Related Articles on Orthopedic Practices:
4 Ways Orthopedic Practices Can Make the Most of Billing Processes
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4 Ways Orthopedic Surgeons Can Make Their Practice More Efficient
1. The technology has two functions. Orthopedic surgeons can use the ultrasound technology for diagnostic purposes and injection guidance. The technology enables physicians to see their patients' anatomy in real time for diagnosing an injury or placing an injection. "It's painless and there's no radiation involved," says Dr. DuBois. "Patients are able to see their anatomy on the screen at the same time you are, which allows them to become involved in their care."
Despite its dual purpose, many physicians are only comfortable using the technology for image guidance because it's easier to train on. "These surgeons are seeing the structure and the needle and they can watch the needle go into the space where it's supposed to," Dr. DuBois says. "Their comfort level is higher with this because the learning curve is less steep than if they were using the technology for a diagnostic exam."
2. It's cost effective for your practice. Both the diagnostic and injection guidance uses of the ultrasound technology are CPT billable procedures, which mean they can be another source of revenue for the practice. Additionally, the diagnostic ultrasound cost 60-70 percent less than an MRI of a similar body part, which brings down the total cost of care.
The technology does have a steep upfront cost from purchasing the equipment — which can range anywhere from $30,000-$60,000 — and training for appropriate use, but these costs are quickly recovered by the extra revenue it generates. "The reimbursement for the use of the ultrasound more than off-sets the monthly cost of the machine," says Dr. DuBois.
3. Find a system that will work best for you. Not all ultrasound systems are created the same. This means orthopedic and pain management physicians looking to add ultrasound technology to their practice should understand the advantages of different systems to find the right product for them. Physicians seeking support for their decision may want to contact ultrasound company experts, such as Advisor Medical. These companies can often provide training on the technology and offer advice to physicians who are implementing ultrasound in their practice for the first time.
"As a customer-focused ultrasound distributor for private office physicians and a leader in the musculoskeletal ultrasound market, we have the ability to evaluate the best systems from all over the world," said Lance Corlis, vice president of sales with Advisor Medical.
4. Training on the technology can be tricky. Surgeons interested in bringing ultrasound to their orthopedic practice usually attend one or numerous courses and undergo one-on-one training with other physicians to make sure they are comfortable with how the technology works. Some surgeons also shadow other experienced physicians to see how they incorporate ultrasound into their clinical routine. "I have a physician shadow me about once per month," says Dr. DuBois. "They can visit with me at the clinic one day and observe how I've integrated it into my practice and see the efficiencies I've built in. This can be helpful for first timers to experience how it works in the flow of the daily office."
Once you've purchased the equipment, you can practice for your patients by looking at the anatomy of your employees or family under the ultrasound. "The ultrasound can be tricky because if you turn the probe 90 degrees, you are getting a completely different image," says Dr. DuBois. "Being trained from the beginning to do it the right way is very important."
5. Compare the ultrasound images with an MRI to become familiar with the images. When you are familiarizing yourself with the technology, it's important to begin with what you know: the standard MRI. "If a patient comes in with an MRI already, that's a perfect opportunity to perform an ultrasound and compare what you see with what the MRI looks like," says Dr. DuBois. "You don't necessarily need to charge for this image, and if you explain to the patient that you just want to practice on the technology, they're often more than happy to help."
Learn More About Dr. Ben DuBois.
Learn more about Advisor Medical.
Related Articles on Orthopedic Practices:
4 Ways Orthopedic Practices Can Make the Most of Billing Processes
5 Things to Know About Online Orthopedic Practice Promotion
4 Ways Orthopedic Surgeons Can Make Their Practice More Efficient