Most family medicine (FM) practices could generate more revenue by fully embracing point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). The number of FM residency programs offering POCUS training increased by 500% between 2019 and 2021,1 meaning that 81% of FM departments now have at least one POCUS-trained physician. 2 Yet these skills are still heavily underutilized – and just 6% of FM practices bill for POCUS procedures.3
This article explores why this is an economic mistake and outlines the business case for integrating ultrasound into daily workflows
The value of ultrasound within family medicine is well-established across a wide range of applications, with research showing that POCUS can:
As a result, family physicians who utilize POCUS tend to be strong advocates for wider adoption. “I have never since [using POCUS] been surprised by twins, nor missed an ectopic pregnancy,” Dr. Mark Deutchman writes.6 Yet many physiciansand FM practices still struggle to justify the investment.
While POCUS offers significant clinical and financial value, family medicine practices face several challenges when adopting it:
But these issues are all addressable when considering the full return on investment (ROI) POCUS offers – or selecting the right handheld ultrasound partner.
The medical case for POCUS adoption is clear, but there are a few factors to consider when building your business case:
Once the initial investment required to purchase a device is recovered, POCUS is very economically efficient. The per-procedure overheads are relatively low: when bought in bulk, single-use packets of sterile gel generally cost $1–$2, while disposable probe covers cost about $0.25 each. Compare this with the average Medicare reimbursement for POCUS procedures – ranging between $50-125 – and the economic case becomes clear.
The time and financial costs associated with POCUS training will reduce significantly in the coming years. More undergraduate and FM residency programs integrate ultrasound training into their core curriculum, with many making courses mandatory. As a result, future family physicians will not need thesame level of basic training and will be ready to bill for POCUS procedures far more quickly.
Rural communities often struggle to access specialist care and are underserved relative to patients within urban communities. Many within these areas simply donot access healthcare routinely, but POCUS can enable family physicians to offer a one-stop shop at their doorstep – delivering higher quality care and encouraging proper insurance utilization.
Taken together, these factors demonstrate how POCUS devices can easily recouptheir initial investment and become a powerful driver of both patient care and revenue – as long as you select the right device.
Vave Health is the world's first wireless, handheld, whole-body ultrasound with a single PZT transducer. It empowers family physicians with everything they need to introduce ultrasound into their daily workflows, with:
Want to see it in action?
1. https://www.jabfm.org/content/35/4/809.long
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35896460/
3. Ibid.
4. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2020/0301/ p275.html#:~:text=Point%2Dof%2Dcare%
20ultrasonography%20(,in%20diagnosing%20deep%20venous%20thrombosis.
5. https://www.pocus.org/choosing-pocus-can-decrease-radiation- exposure-in-pneumonia-patients/
6. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/fpm/issues/2020/1100/p33.html#fpm20201100p033-b7
7. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/fpm/issues/2020/1100/p33.html#fpm20201100p033-b8
8. https://www.jabfm.org/content/35/4/809.long
9. https://www.jabfm.org/content/35/4/809.long
10. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/fpm/issues/2020/1100/ p33.html#fpm20201100p033-b7
11. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/fpm/issues/2020/1100/p33.html#fpm20201100p033-b7
Most family medicine (FM) practices could generate more revenue by fully embracing point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). The number of FM residency programs offering POCUS training increased by 500% between 2019 and 2021,1 meaning that 81% of FM departments now have at least one POCUS-trained physician. 2 Yet these skills are still heavily underutilized – and just 6% of FM practices bill for POCUS procedures.3
This article explores why this is an economic mistake and outlines the business case for integrating ultrasound into daily workflows
The value of ultrasound within family medicine is well-established across a wide range of applications, with research showing that POCUS can:
As a result, family physicians who utilize POCUS tend to be strong advocates for wider adoption. “I have never since [using POCUS] been surprised by twins, nor missed an ectopic pregnancy,” Dr. Mark Deutchman writes.6 Yet many physiciansand FM practices still struggle to justify the investment.
While POCUS offers significant clinical and financial value, family medicine practices face several challenges when adopting it:
But these issues are all addressable when considering the full return on investment (ROI) POCUS offers – or selecting the right handheld ultrasound partner.
The medical case for POCUS adoption is clear, but there are a few factors to consider when building your business case:
Once the initial investment required to purchase a device is recovered, POCUS is very economically efficient. The per-procedure overheads are relatively low: when bought in bulk, single-use packets of sterile gel generally cost $1–$2, while disposable probe covers cost about $0.25 each. Compare this with the average Medicare reimbursement for POCUS procedures – ranging between $50-125 – and the economic case becomes clear.
The time and financial costs associated with POCUS training will reduce significantly in the coming years. More undergraduate and FM residency programs integrate ultrasound training into their core curriculum, with many making courses mandatory. As a result, future family physicians will not need thesame level of basic training and will be ready to bill for POCUS procedures far more quickly.
Rural communities often struggle to access specialist care and are underserved relative to patients within urban communities. Many within these areas simply donot access healthcare routinely, but POCUS can enable family physicians to offer a one-stop shop at their doorstep – delivering higher quality care and encouraging proper insurance utilization.
Taken together, these factors demonstrate how POCUS devices can easily recouptheir initial investment and become a powerful driver of both patient care and revenue – as long as you select the right device.
Vave Health is the world's first wireless, handheld, whole-body ultrasound with a single PZT transducer. It empowers family physicians with everything they need to introduce ultrasound into their daily workflows, with:
Want to see it in action?
1. https://www.jabfm.org/content/35/4/809.long
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35896460/
3. Ibid.
4. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2020/0301/ p275.html#:~:text=Point%2Dof%2Dcare%
20ultrasonography%20(,in%20diagnosing%20deep%20venous%20thrombosis.
5. https://www.pocus.org/choosing-pocus-can-decrease-radiation- exposure-in-pneumonia-patients/
6. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/fpm/issues/2020/1100/p33.html#fpm20201100p033-b7
7. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/fpm/issues/2020/1100/p33.html#fpm20201100p033-b8
8. https://www.jabfm.org/content/35/4/809.long
9. https://www.jabfm.org/content/35/4/809.long
10. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/fpm/issues/2020/1100/ p33.html#fpm20201100p033-b7
11. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/fpm/issues/2020/1100/p33.html#fpm20201100p033-b7