in-office ultrasound

[earboy]

Do any of you do it? Do you lease or own? Which machine would you recommend? There are so many with so many options but it seems like you can get away with a much simpler portable machine for imaging the neck - Sonosite, etc. And did you do any special training?

I did it with one of our head and neck attendings in residency and really enjoyed it. I know it can bring in a decent ancillary income too and would be nice to offer patients while they're being seen.

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[Pir8DeacDoc]

Worth considering.

Dr Sofferman puts on an ultrasound course at the academy that is good. We have a pathology group that does US, FNA, and reads them right there and tells pt diagnosis. Hard to beat one stop shopping like that. Makes it easy for the pts and us. Our time is better spent doing other things generally. But we've considered it. Good luck

 

[DrBodacious]

II I have one on order. I am getting the Sonosite edge. The way it has been described is that it is probably a break even scenario. You have to spend more time with the patient, so if you were busy doing e/m and ffls, that would be about the same when you consider the ultrasound equipment expense (not small). I am doing a 5 yr lease with a $1 buyout.

I like endocrine, and I think it makes sense to see what I am considering operating on, and see which nodules are biopsied, so I am making the leap more out of my own interest than for a business decision. I have seen 4 patients in my first month of practice in a new area that I wanted to biopsy and had to pass over, so I think my volume will be good enough.

I did the ACS course at COSM that Dr. Sofferman organizes, and I second that suggestion as a good source of information. It gave me an opportunity to talk to several people who do a lot of ultrasound and get a sense of how it might work for me. They had several ultrasound machines that are available to check out, and the course goes over the pertinent information on equipment for head and neck use. It is also a great course with regards to the diagnostic ultrasound material, and the other clinical information, and you do some hands on, as well.