Healthcare Chronicles - Prescription For The Future: More Knowledge
June 10, 2009
Healthcare Chronicles
by Dr. Henry Wagner
This report originally appeared in the April 2009 issue of DOTmed Business News
The health care system is likely to change dramatically. Politicians are working feverishly to keep their constituents from the unemployment lines and every avenue is being investigated for ways to cut government costs to free funds for other expenditures. Health care has long been a target of cost cutting. Those holding the purse strings are now reluctant to make big purchases at this time While it is understandable, it is also unfortunate. Few would argue that America is an aging society. Baby boomers, among the largest generational representation of our society, have passed the halfway point and the demands placed on our health care system will only increase. To meet this increase, it will be necessary to allocate more funds to update existing technology and purchase the latest molecular imaging instruments. Nuclear medicine - PET/CT, SPECT/CT together with CT and MRI represent an incredibly useful set of tools that can assist in providing the best possible health care that we can offer. There is, however, a downside - the equipment is very expensive. This expense means it is imperative for a machine to not only prove itself in clinical practice, but also justify itself in basic economics. Even the most effective methods of identifying or treating health problems need to be economically viable in order for them to be used in practice.
Efficient Use
Fortunately, nuclear medicine can be economically viable. The answer to the problem of return on investment can be found in the value of the knowledge that nuclear medicine provides. Having a team trained to use the machines to their maximum efficiency reduces the time spent on each patient study. Plus, the knowledge will decrease the overall cost of caring for each patient. There will be decrease in the cost of care for each patient. Less time spent does not mean a lower quality of care. It means the time spent will be used to maximum benefit. An assessment of time used will take into account such things as the span of time between onset of symptoms and the care of the patient.
Efficient Budgeting
Many of the people in control of budgets and finances for hospitals and clinics are troubled by the thought of spending money for nuclear medicine. Right now, the big OEMs - GE, Philips and Siemens are having problems because of the hospital administrators' worries about the economy. Although recent sales of PET/CT and SPECT/CT have decreased, I think they will resume their growth as more people come into the health care system.
This report originally appeared in the April 2009 issue of DOTmed Business News
The health care system is likely to change dramatically. Politicians are working feverishly to keep their constituents from the unemployment lines and every avenue is being investigated for ways to cut government costs to free funds for other expenditures. Health care has long been a target of cost cutting. Those holding the purse strings are now reluctant to make big purchases at this time While it is understandable, it is also unfortunate. Few would argue that America is an aging society. Baby boomers, among the largest generational representation of our society, have passed the halfway point and the demands placed on our health care system will only increase. To meet this increase, it will be necessary to allocate more funds to update existing technology and purchase the latest molecular imaging instruments. Nuclear medicine - PET/CT, SPECT/CT together with CT and MRI represent an incredibly useful set of tools that can assist in providing the best possible health care that we can offer. There is, however, a downside - the equipment is very expensive. This expense means it is imperative for a machine to not only prove itself in clinical practice, but also justify itself in basic economics. Even the most effective methods of identifying or treating health problems need to be economically viable in order for them to be used in practice.
Efficient Use
Fortunately, nuclear medicine can be economically viable. The answer to the problem of return on investment can be found in the value of the knowledge that nuclear medicine provides. Having a team trained to use the machines to their maximum efficiency reduces the time spent on each patient study. Plus, the knowledge will decrease the overall cost of caring for each patient. There will be decrease in the cost of care for each patient. Less time spent does not mean a lower quality of care. It means the time spent will be used to maximum benefit. An assessment of time used will take into account such things as the span of time between onset of symptoms and the care of the patient.
Efficient Budgeting
Many of the people in control of budgets and finances for hospitals and clinics are troubled by the thought of spending money for nuclear medicine. Right now, the big OEMs - GE, Philips and Siemens are having problems because of the hospital administrators' worries about the economy. Although recent sales of PET/CT and SPECT/CT have decreased, I think they will resume their growth as more people come into the health care system.
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