X-Ray Technology: A Vital Part Of Holistic Patient Care
With the current push for standardized healthcare, there seem to be more and more medical clinics that are part of a larger health group or attached in some way to a hospital system. These clinics offer the benefit of a "one-stop shop" and are able to meet all of their patients' diagnostic and treatment needs, but what about smaller alternative medical or private practice clinics? Should these types of clinics include x-ray technology? Here are some reasons that adding a radiologist to your small medical practice might actually be great for business.
Patient Convenience
As a small medical office, you may not have considered including a radiologist on staff, simply because it would mean another paycheck to write. However, is it really cost effective for your patients to be sent out for x-rays in a different location? Imagine this scenario: you are a primary care physician, and one of your patients calls to schedule an appointment for a hurt arm. The patient is not sure if the bone is broken or sprained.
If you do not have an x-ray machine in the office, your patient will probably end up needing to leave your office to go somewhere else for x-rays. If the problem is a simple sprain, your patient has now invested time, fuel, and money into an all-day experience, and your doctor/patient relationship has been strained. In contrast, if you did have an x-ray machine in your clinic, the arm could be checked before your patient ever leaves the office. A sprain is easily treated in-office, and your patient goes home happy.
Treatment Accuracy
For chiropractors and other alternative medical providers, knowing what you are working with is especially important. Having x-rays performed prior to starting treatment is a great way to ensure that you are providing the right services to meet your patients' needs. By using x-rays, you can determine exactly which discs or joints your patient is having trouble with, and can also monitor their progress during the course of treatment.
Holistic Care
For some patients, there is a great appeal in having a holistic approach to medicine, but having the right tools for the job is a vital part of helping your patients to feel better. If your patients are coming to your practice as a way to avoid some of the more unpleasant approaches of traditional medicine, just think of how relieved that they will be when you do not have to send them to a hospital or other facility for x-rays.
Contact a vendor who deals in x ray sales and service to learn more about what benefits you can expect.
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