Holter monitoring is a routine test that can be offered in physician’s offices without the need for referring patients out. Holter monitoring can provide important information for differential diagnosis in heart related conditions without the delay or need to refer to a cardiologist. Last year, 70 million patients had chest pain not related to their heart. The ability to use this recording device allows the physician to help identify those cases that do relate to the heart and avoid the unnecessary expense of involving specialists.
Ancillary Medical Solutions has partnered with Holter Labs to provide physicians a zero cost solution to supply in office Holter Monitoring. The Holter Monitor is a 7 lead and 3 channel monitor supplied to the office free of charge. The patient can be hooked up for a 24 or 48 hour period after which the recordings are downloaded and a report provided to the physician within an 8 hour time frame.
The office is paid for the patient hook up and report interpretation. Reimbursements from Medicare are typically $78 and $238 on average from private insurance. This option is also less costly for the patient than being referred out to a specialist or hospital. Whilst this service is not a big revenue generator for the physician, patient convenience and satisfaction will rate highly through the convenience of providing of Holter monitoring.
Currently 850 000 patients per year are hospitalized due to an arrhythmia. Typically arrhythmias can present with varied symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath, chest pain and rapid heartbeat. Patients presenting with these symptoms will often have an in office ECG administered. In the absence of sufficient information, a holter monitor can be utilized for a longer study of heart rhythm. Ready availability in office will help reduce costs on the health care system.
Anxiety and gastroesophaegeal reflux disease are two common conditions that may be confused with arrhythmia. In office testing will allow prompt attention to determining the underlying causes. As patients can often panic when they suffer with chest pain, putting them quickly at ease is a major benefit.
Patients prefer the familiarity of their family physician for testing as opposed to being sent out to specialists or hospitals.
Ancillary solutions are playing a major role in helping private practice physicians grow their practice revenue. Physician income has taken a major hit over the last years with reimbursement cuts and additional layers of compliance. In order to survive these continual challenges, service expansion is not only an option but is essential to survival.
Practices implementing additional services are finally seeing increased revenues like never before. Many solutions offered through Ancillary Medical Solutions have seen physicians grow their profits by 6 figures. Ancillary Medical Solutions can perform a complimentary check up for your practice to see where your hidden profits lie.
For more information on this and other Ancillary Medical Solutions, contact us and we will have one of our Certified Ancillary Consultants contact you.