Re: Efficacy of iontophoresis -Reply

[Guest guest]

Absolutely!

Helene Rosen

>>> Kovacek 04/28/99

10:55am >>>

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?

> > >

> > >

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

> > >