Re: Efficacy of iontophoresis

[Guest guest]

Here is a great idea - Penny thanks for reminding me about it. For

many years now, one of my colleagues, Lundy has suggested that in

order to address rejection issues such as the one below, we should

establish a " literature bank " with just the types of reference

materials that Penny discusses below.

Maybe this list should take the leadership in identifying those

references that are most likely to serve this purpose. If you all -

as members of this list- will identify the articles by specific clinical

topic and email them to the list and me, I will be happy to create a

section on the PTManager web site that lists them out and indicates how

to get reprints.

Is there interest?

At 10:09 AM 4/28/99 , you wrote:

Hi Group,

I was wondering if any of you could help me with an insurance denial

dilemma. A

certain insurance carrier has denied reimbursement for iontophoresis,

stating

that this modality has not been proven to be equivalent or superior to

other

established methods of drug delivery. We can request a

reconsideration of this

decision by submitting " peer reviewed medical literature with well

controlled

studies establishing a proven role for iontophoresis treatments compared

to

traditional methods of drug delivery. " If any of you know of

any studies off

the top of your head, please let me know. Thank you in advance for

your

contributions.

Penny Head, PT, SCS, ATC

Clinic

Mark Dwyer wrote:

> Margot,

>

> Our outpatient cancellation rate ranges between 12% and 20% on a

monthly

> basis. As you would expect, we tend to have higher rates in

the winter with

> snow and ice and fewer cancellations in the summer when it is

nicer. As far

> as remedies, I have been to so many meetings and tried so many

things over

> the past nine years that it is dizzying trying to remember them

all.

>

> The one remedy we have settled on is:

> First cancellation in two weeks ==> no penalty, but we do talk

with patient

> to inform them of importance of attending

> Second cancellation in two weeks ==> we create a separate

self-pay account

> and charge them $38.79. Since it is self-pay, it does NOT go

to the

> insurer. We inform the patient of this charge.

> Third cancellation in two weeks ==> DISCHARGE and notification of

the

> referring physician (and of course the patient)

>

> Since implementing this 3-4 years ago, our cancellation/no show rate

has

> dropped from a consistent 20% to the range stated above. Not a

fantastic

> improvement, but the best we have been able to come by.

>

> Mark Dwyer, MHA, PT

> Manager of Rehabilitation and Senior Services

> Kansas City

> mdwyer1@...

>

> outpatient cancellations

>

> >I am looking for information on outpatient scheduling

patterns,

> cancellations

> >rates, and remedies for cancellations. Any info would be

appreciated.

> Some

> >generic questions are:

> >

> >What percent of your scheduled outpatient appointments cancel?

> >How to schedule them to accommodate cancellations and still

maintain

> >productivity and avoid down time?

> >Do you have an " acceptable " percentage?

> >Do you charge the patient if cancelled within 24 hours? or

another time

> frame?

> >do they pay?

> >

> >

>

>------------------------------------------------------------------------

> >

[Guest guest]

Very interested!!!

, it is a great idea and would be very beneficial to us all!

Thank you!

Lorie Ailor

Lutheran Hospital of Indiana

------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

Great idea.

outpatient cancellations

>

> >I am looking for information on outpatient scheduling

patterns,

> cancellations

> >rates, and remedies for cancellations. Any info would be

appreciated.

> Some

> >generic questions are:

> >

> >What percent of your scheduled outpatient appointments

cancel?

> >How to schedule them to accommodate cancellations and

still

maintain

> >productivity and avoid down time?

> >Do you have an " acceptable " percentage?

> >Do you charge the patient if cancelled within 24 hours?

or

another time

> frame?

> >do they pay?

> >

> >

>

>------------------------------------------------------------------------

> >

[Guest guest]

wrote:

Original Article: /list/ptmanager/?start=5100

> Hi Group,

>

> I was wondering if any of you could help me with an insurance denial dilemma.

A

> certain insurance carrier has denied reimbursement for iontophoresis, stating

> that this modality has not been proven to be equivalent or superior to other

> established methods of drug delivery. We can request a reconsideration of

this

> decision by submitting " peer reviewed medical literature with well controlled

> studies establishing a proven role for iontophoresis treatments compared to

> traditional methods of drug delivery. " If any of you know of any studies off

> the top of your head, please let me know. Thank you in advance for your

> contributions.

>

> Penny Head, PT, SCS, ATC

> Clinic

>

>

Denials for ionto occur. And it aint the most cost-effective treatemnt out there

anyhow, when you look at the cost of a set of disposable pads and the

reimbursement for them, lucky if you make ten bucks. I know, if your patient

gets better, that is all that matters, right?)

Check with the maker of your ionto unit or (especially your pads)

They _should_ have a clinician or a clinical reference guide. And, as a

courtersy to your purchases of their product, they ought to give you the

studies.

If they won't help you, cancel your contract and buy from someone else who does.

At least threaten to do so, tell 'em you're egtting denied and you don't want to

continue doing business with them. I know one company that offers a 'lease'

type agreement with a clinical resource who has access to those. But it would be

eter if we as clinicians at large had ready access to those, without having to

go to the library of a PT school.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/28/99 11:13:02 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

pkovacek@... writes:

<< If you all - as members of this list-

will identify the articles by specific clinical topic and email them to the

list and me, I will be happy to create a section on the PTManager web site

that

lists them out and indicates how to get reprints.

Is there interest?

>>

An interest ???? Heck Yes, especially if it can come from other medical

journals and depicts Best Practice scrutiny.

Steve Marcum PT

------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

APTA has a 1993 publication Outcomes Effectiveness of Physical Therapy: an

Annotated Bibliography listed in the resource catalog. This might be a good

starting point for your search.

Jo Wisniewski, PT

(retired)

outpatient cancellations

> >

> > >I am looking for information on outpatient scheduling patterns,

> > cancellations

> > >rates, and remedies for cancellations. Any info would be appreciated.

> > Some

> > >generic questions are:

> > >

> > >What percent of your scheduled outpatient appointments cancel?

> > >How to schedule them to accommodate cancellations and still maintain

> > >productivity and avoid down time?

> > >Do you have an " acceptable " percentage?

> > >Do you charge the patient if cancelled within 24 hours? or another time

> > frame?

> > >do they pay?

> > >

> > >

> > >------------------------------------------------------------------------

> > >

[Guest guest]

ph Kahn describes a cost effective iontophoresis electrode in his article,

" Acetic Acid Iontophoresis for Calcium Deposits " Physical Therapy 57:6 (June

1977).

Jo Wisniewski, PT

(retired)

Re: Efficacy of iontophoresis

wrote:

Original Article: /list/ptmanager/?start=5100

> Hi Group,

>

> I was wondering if any of you could help me with an insurance denial dilemma.

A

> certain insurance carrier has denied reimbursement for iontophoresis, stating

> that this modality has not been proven to be equivalent or superior to other

> established methods of drug delivery. We can request a reconsideration of

this

> decision by submitting " peer reviewed medical literature with well controlled

> studies establishing a proven role for iontophoresis treatments compared to

> traditional methods of drug delivery. " If any of you know of any studies off

> the top of your head, please let me know. Thank you in advance for your

> contributions.

>

> Penny Head, PT, SCS, ATC

> Clinic

>

>

Denials for ionto occur. And it aint the most cost-effective treatemnt out there

anyhow, when you look at the cost of a set of disposable pads and the

reimbursement for them, lucky if you make ten bucks. I know, if your patient

gets better, that is all that matters, right?)

Check with the maker of your ionto unit or (especially your pads)

They _should_ have a clinician or a clinical reference guide. And, as a

courtersy to your purchases of their product, they ought to give you the

studies.

If they won't help you, cancel your contract and buy from someone else who does.

At least threaten to do so, tell 'em you're egtting denied and you don't want to

continue doing business with them. I know one company that offers a 'lease'

type agreement with a clinical resource who has access to those. But it would be

eter if we as clinicians at large had ready access to those, without having to

go to the library of a PT school.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

Kovacek wrote:

>

> Here is a great idea - Penny thanks for reminding me about it. For

> many years now, one of my colleagues, Lundy has suggested that in

> order to address rejection issues such as the one below, we should

> establish a " literature bank " with just the types of reference

> materials that Penny discusses below.

>

> Maybe this list should take the leadership in identifying those

> references that are most likely to serve this purpose. If you all -

> as members of this list- will identify the articles by specific

> clinical topic and email them to the list and me, I will be happy to

> create a section on the PTManager web site that lists them out and

> indicates how to get reprints.

>

> Is there interest?

May I suggest we take the idea (eventually) even one step further? How

about including letters, with references, that have resulted in denied

claims subsequently being approved? Naturally, remove the identifying

features first.

Sandy Curwin

------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

Works for me - Great idea, Sandy

At 01:31 PM 4/28/99 , you wrote:

Kovacek wrote:

>

> Here is a great idea - Penny thanks for reminding me about it.

For

> many years now, one of my colleagues, Lundy has suggested that

in

> order to address rejection issues such as the one below, we should

> establish a " literature bank " with just the types of

reference

> materials that Penny discusses below.

>

> Maybe this list should take the leadership in identifying those

> references that are most likely to serve this purpose. If you

all -

> as members of this list- will identify the articles by specific

> clinical topic and email them to the list and me, I will be happy

to

> create a section on the PTManager web site that lists them out and

> indicates how to get reprints.

>

> Is there interest?

May I suggest we take the idea (eventually) even one step further? How

about including letters, with references, that have resulted in denied

claims subsequently being approved? Naturally, remove the identifying

features first.

Sandy Curwin

R. Kovacek, MSA, PT

Email Pkovacek@...

313 884-8920

Visit

<www.PTManager.com>

TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE !

[Guest guest]

Penny,

Check with Byl, PhD, PT at UC San Francisco

(Email is byl@...) or with Cameron, PT, OCS, Fax # (510)

538-7017.

JP Viel, PT, OCS

------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

The APTA has published an annotated bibliography with abstracts of articles

on outcomes effectiveness that are categorized by topics. This was made

available about four years ago. There was update work completed last year,

but I have not seen it yet.

Ed Dobrzykowski, MHS, PT, ATC

Director of Development

FOTO, Inc.

------------------------------------------------------------------------