In-Office Ultrasound Would Save Time, Money for Patients and Providers

According to a study published in the December issue of the journal Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, efforts to provide patients with convenient and cost-effective health care would be boosted by a greater reliance on office-based ultrasound of the head and neck, allowing patients and physicians one-stop care in cases requiring the diagnostic imaging tool.

The authors of the study point out the current practice of out-of-office ultrasound forces increased patient travel, and often necessitates multiple appointments. Physicians are also inconvenienced by this time lapse, as well as by the absence of direct surveillance. The study finds that costs associated with establishing in-office ultrasound could be recouped within a year.

The study took into account the number of procedures performed over a five-year period, technology needs and cost to the physician, while creating billing and usage strategies that would improve the economics of in-office ultrasound.

Among the findings:

• Otolaryngologists are especially well suited for in-office ultrasound because of their expertise with anatomy and diseases of the head and neck.

• Ultrasound can be easily integrated into an office setting, providing a surgeon with real-time imaging that is more informative than X-rays.

• Ultrasound machines with the specifications needed for head and neck scans are readily available from almost all major manufacturers for under $40,000, a cost that can be offset within a year through appropriate billing practices.

The findings are published in the December edition of the AmericanAcademy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery/Foundation’s (AAO-HNS/F) scientific journal, Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. The authors, Nadeem A. Akbar, MD, Donald L. Bodenner, MD, PhD, Lawrence T. Kim, MD, James Y. Suen, MD, and Mimi S. Kokoska, all based in Little Rock, Ark., first presented their findings at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery/Foundation in September 2005.

Source: American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery/Foundation